I just finished my first internship! By God’s grace, I went from no collegiate research experience to an internship in my #1 choice lab: the Stem Cell Translation Laboratory – NIH’s premier stem cell lab, which I chose as human stem cells are the future of regenerative medicine. After 9 weeks of detailed logs with the memorable parts of every day, summarized into the 9 blogs under my research tag, here are my greatest takeaways.
What is Research?
Research, to me, is an iterative process of inquiry and discovery (question and answer), essential for advancing human knowledge; building tools for (clinical) application. It relies on learning incrementally by building on the work of those before me, standing on the shoulders of Giants seeking to understand God’s essence in nature through multidisciplinary approaches. Through my MEDI 501 course, I learned about the diverse translational pipelines and collaborative structures—such as the integration of biology, chemistry, and computer-aided drug discovery—that drive innovation. The high productivity and collaborative environment NCATS has as a result now drives me to translational research: My aim is to use this research to pioneer regenerative medicine, as I see innovation not just as the application of existing knowledge but as the creation of novel solutions. Through a combination of research, medicine, and policy, I strive to actualize a world where technological advancements, equitable access to healthcare, and harmonious relationships foster global progress. This mission reflects my commitment to merging scientific inquiry with my faith and purpose, ultimately working towards a future where innovative breakthroughs improve lives and align with a vision of perfect love and global harmony.
What was my project this summer?
This summer, I focused on characterizing the role of the Netrin-1 receptor, DCC, in human pluripotent stem cell-derived sensory neurons (hPSC-SNs) during inflammatory sensitization. Chronic pain, often resulting from prolonged inflammation, is a significant health issue, and our work aimed to uncover cellular mechanisms that could offer new insights into pain management. Using an organoid-in-a-dish model, we treated our hPSC-SNs with a cocktail of inflammatory mediators (inflammatory soup, IS) to mimic inflammatory conditions. We then assessed protein expression through Western blot and immunocytochemistry, while also analyzing mass spectrometry data to identify proteins linked to pain-related pathways. This approach allowed us to observe changes at the molecular level, providing a window into the mechanisms that drive chronic pain.
Our results showed that DCC was upregulated following 24 hours of IS treatment, with increased expression observed in both the somal and axonal regions of hPSC-SNs. Interestingly, we found differences in molecular weights between the human embryonic (WA09) and induced pluripotent stem cell (NCRM5) lines, suggesting that different isoforms of DCC were being expressed. Additionally, DCC upregulation appeared to facilitate axonal sprouting, a process associated with pain progression. These findings suggest that DCC may play a critical role in inflammatory sensitization, making it a potential target for developing more effective analgesics with fewer side effects. Future work will focus on characterizing DCC’s downstream signaling pathways and conducting high-throughput drug screening to validate its role in mitigating chronic pain.
How does research fit into my mission?
My mission is to revolutionize global healthcare through research that advances low-cost, first-in-line regenerative medicine, particularly in underserved regions like Ethiopia. Working within the NIH’s Regenerative Medicine Program, I aim to master the production of human iPSC-derived in vitro organs for applications in drug discovery, organ transplants, prosthetics, & neurodegenerative treatments. By bridging the gap between scientific discovery and practical, accessible healthcare solutions, I seek to address critical disparities in healthcare infrastructure. My research is a means to create a harmonious world—where innovation, justice, and relationships flourish, grounded in my faith. As a physician-scientist, I am driven to ask novel, clinically relevant questions that restore what has been lost or broken. I intend to leverage my research to influence policy, ensuring that the innovations I help create are accessible to those who need them most, aligning my scientific endeavors with my greater purpose of spreading the gospel and fostering world harmony.
What were my most Impactful Conversations outside of the Lab? (chronological)
- Dr. Jeanita Clay Pritchett – Being Assertive and Developing Self-Improvement Habits
- Dr. Annica Wayman – Envisioning a Global Approach to My Clinical Research Mission
- Dr. Webster-Cyriaque – Bolstering my Ambitious Goals and Future Connections
- Mr. K (Konstantinos Afratis) – Having Faith in The Impossible; Planning Accordingly
- Dr. Manu Platt – Building Community Programs while Maintaining Research Focus
Who do I want to acknowledge in the lab?
Everyone! A critical lesson I learned by shadowing and having conversations with about everybody who was willing is every aspect of the translational drug discovery pipeline that NCATS focuses on, as well labs focused on basic sciences or clinical research, is necessary. From the engineers on automation team who know how to program and use the highly complex machinery that enable high throughput functional and drug screening assays, to the building security team who keep facilities accounted for and dangerous strangers from entering, to the lab manager who stock up materials and are in close contact with the PI to know what the labs has the funds for and working through options for purchasing new equipment, antibodies, and other lab materials. I have more personal acknowledgements on my Linkedin Post.
Where do I plan to do research in the future?
Qualifying for work-study this year, I’ll be a research assistant in the Alexis and Japsers Lab in the Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology. It’s my first campus research position! Drawn by techniques like sputum processing and genetic sequencing in the former and ht machine learning and 3d bioprinting in the latter, I will do this alongside my extracurricular commitments (I’m an executive for the Ethiopian Eritrean Student Associaiton, Minority Associaiton for Premedical Students, Helping Hand Project, and Voices of Praise: Gospel Choir). In the future, the UNC R25 Kidney Research Program seems to be a solid opportunity to do a self-led project in regenerative medicine while collaborating with other institutions like Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine for 3d bioprinting kidney organoids.
With that, thank you for choosing to read about my broader lessons! If you are interested in my days at the NIH Center for Advancing Translational Sciences and more of the people/experiences that inform this final conclusion, visit any one of the weekly blogs under “Current Events/Research.”