John Kim, SEAS ’26, Maryland
This summer, I had the opportunity to conduct research in the Momin Lab, where I focused on cardiovascular immunotherapy with an emphasis on designing protein-based biologics. Many of today’s most promising therapeutics, such as antibodies and nanobodies, are proteins, and I was drawn to this project because I wanted to better understand how they can be engineered for targeted delivery in disease. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, yet few treatments directly address the inflammatory responses that drive injury and complications. My project gave me the chance to explore how protein therapeutics might be used to modulate immune responses in cardiovascular injury. I found it especially rewarding to engage in translational research, connecting discoveries at the bench with potential applications at the bedside. This experience allowed me to design and test strategies with therapeutic potential, which made the summer both intellectually stimulating and personally meaningful.
One of the most rewarding aspects of my research was the relationships I built. Over the summer, I connected with a visiting undergraduate who, like me, aspired to pursue a career in academia. Our conversations about research and preparing for graduate school were both motivating and reassuring. This was also my second summer with the Momin Lab, but it marked a transition into working independently on my own project. While the autonomy was exciting, I also felt deeply supported by my mentor, Hilda Jafarah, and the graduate students in the lab. Their guidance reinforced the sense of community and showed me the importance of mentorship. Beyond the lab, I participated in summer events hosted by CPE4H, where I met students from other labs and learned about their diverse research interests. These interactions broadened my perspective on precision medicine and highlighted the many approaches shaping the field.
Furthermore, this summer reinforced how much I enjoy the problem-solving side of science. Whether it was optimizing protein expression protocols after early setbacks or rethinking experimental design, I learned that persistence and creativity are essential in research. I also strengthened transferable skills in communication, time management, and collaboration, skills that will serve me well in both academic and clinical environments. Looking ahead, these experiences will help me contribute more meaningfully to projects, share findings more effectively, and take on greater independence as I continue in research. In the long term, they will be vital as I pursue an MD/PhD and work to translate discoveries into therapies, mentor future trainees, and bridge the gap between science and patient care. Ultimately, this summer reminded me that discovery is not just about finding answers, but about asking better questions, and that is what makes science so exciting.
This is part of a series of posts by recipients of the 2025 Career Services Summer Funding Grant. We’ve asked funding recipients to reflect on their summer experiences and talk about the industries in which they spent their summer. You can read the entire series here
