I started working
full-time at Dr. Kylene Kehn-Hall’s lab through Aspiring Scientists Summer
Internship Program in summer 2014. What really attracted me to Dr. Kehn-Hall’s
lab was her research with Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV). Her lab is a part of
National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases at George Mason
University, where many infectious diseases pathogens are studied. RVFV can be
used for bioterrorism; hence, an effective therapeutic is urgently needed to
prevent the spread of this disease. We discovered a FDA-approved drug that
significantly inhibits the virus. My project is to find the target or mechanism
of that drug. I conduct lot of experiments such as tissue culture, Western blot, transfection, infection and plaque assay on weekly basis. Studies with mammalian cells and virus are performed in a biosafety hood to prevent contamination and bacterial infestation. The most important thing while working in lab is to have patience and follow the procedure carefully because many experiments take an entire week to complete. A small misstep may cause starting the entire experiment over, which can greatly delay the results.
Every day, I learn
something new – something that I discovered through my experiments, a new
technique that I learned in the lab or learning through my mistakes. There is
never a dull moment for me, and I am very excited to see the end result of the
studies I am conducting. Working in Dr. Kehn-Hall’s lab made me realize the
importance of research in society. I also realized how much I enjoy being in
the lab, and this is what I want for my career. I am interested in pursuing
infectious diseases research in graduate school, so the experience I gain in
the lab right now will be extremely helpful to me later. Undergraduate Student
Scholars Program has provided me an opportunity to stay in Dr. Kehn-Hall’s lab
to finish my project, and develop some useful lab techniques that would benefit
me in future as well.
