Summer Undergraduate Research Program - Fred Hutchinson ...

I currently work in the lab of Dr. XX, a member of the MCB program in the
Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine at the University of Washington,
Seattle. The group is broadly focused on exploring how mechanical signals are
transduced into biochemical signals in bone cells. My first project was to explore how the
extracellular matrix protein, osteopontin, is upregulated by bone cells under conditions of
both disuse and oxygen deprivation. I then became interested in understanding the
function of heat shock proteins in bone cells under oxygen-deprived conditions and
studying their role in enabling osteocytes to survive under these hypoxic conditions. In
my two years in Dr. XX’s lab, I have co-authored a paper in the Journal of XX and have
presented a poster at the annual meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral
Research.
My experiences in academia and industry have confirmed my resolve to attend
graduate school. In addition to having a master’s degree, I also have extensive research
experience in many diverse areas of cellular and molecular biology making me an
excellent candidate for the MCB program. The constant intellectual exchanges with my
colleagues, regular meetings with my supervisors and long hours spent planning
experiments and interpreting results have strengthened my capabilities as a researcher. In
addition, I have attended several conferences, seminars, discussions and journal clubs that
have given me a broad perspective on different aspects of biology.
I have selected the MCB program at the University of Washington to pursue my
education further because of its interdisciplinary nature, its tradition of excellence in
research and its cutting edge facilities. I believe the program will help me acquire the
versatility needed to reach my full potential as a scientist. I believe that the skills I have
developed in leading and participating several projects would be an asset not only to me
but also to the program. I have also met with several faculty members whose work
interests me including Hans-Peter Kiem, Mark Bothwell and Zhengui Xia, Karin
Bonfeldt, Keith Jerome and Jeffery Chamberlain.
After completing a doctoral degree, I intend to continue my education by pursuing
a postdoctoral position. This would strengthen my research capabilities and further
prepare me for independent research. Eventually, I would like to pursue a career in
academia so I can contribute to the scientific community as an educator as well as a
researcher.
141