Reflection

I can't believe this is my final blog post! My experience working in the lab at RPI with Dr. Karande and JP Trasatti for the last two years has been one of the most influential experiences of my life. I have had the opportunity to work on parts of the broader blood-brain barrier project as well as on my own focused blocking buffer solution project. Throughout the last two years, I have been able to learn a wide range of different skills and processes and learn a lot about biochemistry. Having my own project within the lab was especially fun because I got to plan the details of my own project and carry out all the tasks from preparation to procedure to analysis of the results. Looking back, I can't imagine my high school experience without research. The skills I have learned in the lab have crossed over into my academic classes, and doing research has allowed me to expand my learning outside the classroom. The people I have worked with in the lab have been invaluable mentors for me as I have prepared to transition from high school to college and considered what I would like to do in the future. Although work in the lab is very different from regular schoolwork, original research has quickly become something that is of utmost importance to me as I continue my academic career in college and beyond. In fact, my research at RPI has already helped me get a research grant at Washington University in Saint Louis, where I will start in the fall. I'd like to give heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in making my two years in the lab such an incredible experience.