I spoke to Janice Tran, a rising sophomore at Weslyan University, about her experience with the Biological Interactions Summer Research Program organized by WISCIENCE. During this 10-week program, Janice did research in the Jason Peters Lab while joining a diverse cohort of students in professional development activities, science communication projects, and more (including exploring Madison and kayaking on the lakes).
To start, could you tell me a little bit about yourself?
I’m originally from Oakland, California, but now I go to school in Middletown, Connecticut, at Wesleyan University. I’m majoring in molecular biology and biochemistry. I jumped across the country.
So what led you to apply to this program?
Because Wesleyan University is a small liberal arts school, I wanted to have research experience at a big research university. So that’s what led me to apply here. But I was also interested in the fact that the BI program is really inclusive and that they want to have a lot of different ways they represent science, so like people of color and more representation of women.
What’s the program been like for you so far?
It was an easy transition, surprisingly. I had a bit of a research experience beforehand, so that made being in the lab a little bit easier. But it’s been really nice to be able to connect with my peers who have different backgrounds from mine, especially their different struggles being in STEM as people from minority backgrounds. So I really enjoy talking to them, learning about their experience and what they hope to do in the future. It’s very inspirational in many different ways.
What kind of research have you done in the past?
In the past it was a little different. In my junior year of high school, I did virtual research because it was during COVID times, but it was really interesting. It was based on a ribosomal protein called RPL41, and it was looking at its effects in reproductive health in mice and how it can be applied to fertility in women. So it was really cool to see how your research in this mice model can really impact people and women’s health, and how they can improve IVF. That was really eye-opening for me as a junior in high school, and that’s what led me to continue wanting to do research.
Does the research you do here relate to that at all or is it completely different?
No, it is different. I do want to continue doing research and looking at other labs that have more related impacts on human health, but I was interested in this lab because of what Jason [Peters] is doing with different CRISPR techniques.
And what is your research project that you’re doing?
I’m working on a bacteria called Zymomonas mobilis and how it can be used as a biofuel producer. They found that it’s really efficient in converting sugars into ethanol. I’ve been really interested in environmental justice and things like that, so I thought it was important for me to learn more about different ways research has been impacting our move away from fossil fuels into biofuels.
What were you looking at earlier on the plate in the lab, and how does that tie in to the research you’re doing?
So we found that when Zymonomonas breaks down plant material, it turns it into this plant mush that has sugars and toxins in it. These toxins are making Zymonomonas’ ability to convert those sugars into hydrolysate into biofuels less efficient. So we’re trying to figure out how we can combat these toxins. So on those plates, we knock down important genes that we believe help in fighting these toxins. But we want to see what would happen if we knock them out. Will they perform worse or not? So those are what those plates are.
Wow, that’s cool. And then when you put it into the incubator, what does that do?
It helps it grow, so you put it in liquid media with this bacteria, you put it on the plates, and then you let it grow overnight, and then you get to see colonies, if they form or not.
What’s one of the most interesting things you’ve learned or experienced so far in this program?
I think it is the CRISPR technique—they’re using CRISPR interference. I think it was really cool learning about how we can use it. Usually CRISPR is for gene editing, but in this case, it’s CRISPR interference, where we use a catalytically inactive Cas9 protein. So instead of cutting the gene, it just stops it, which stops transcription. So we would expect there wouldn’t be any of the target gene that we want. There’s different ways we can manipulate how much gene expression we’re getting. I thought that was really cool—we can knock down stuff for essential genes. Because for the essential genes that we’re looking at in Zymonomonas, we can’t knock them out or it will die. So we have to find different methods where we use CRISPRi to get gene knockdowns instead. So you get different levels of the amount of gene that’s out to see how the bacteria is affected by that.
Is there anything that was surprising or unexpected for you in the whole experience here?
I think it was how excited I was to be able to present my research at a poster session. I was scared at first, but then once you get into it, you’re really excited to tell people what you’re doing and the impacts it has!
What excites you about doing research?
For me, research is exciting because I get to be a part of something that’s possibly a breakthrough. I guess what I wrote in my essay was that in my sophomore year of high school, I had a prognosis for androgenetic alopecia. So going through that process and seeing how there isn’t a cure for it, and there’s some research being done towards that. So I feel a sense of hope that if there’s more research being done in new applications for different medications for endogenetic alopecia, that I feel a sense of hope. And I hope that through whatever research I intend on doing in the future, I can extend that hope to other people who are facing incurable illnesses. So that’s my reason for wanting to do research.
Yeah that’s a pretty big deal. Doing this kind of work and the work you did before with mice, it seems like you can really see the impact.
I think it’s cool to be able to be a part of something that can help your loved ones and also people in your community in improving their health.
What’s it been like in the lab? Like what’s sort of the day-to-day life?
I guess people usually have this image that a scientist is in the lab 24/7, always running experiments, and that’s what I thought at first, too. But it’s a mixture between doing your experiment and sitting back down, thinking, analyzing your results, and then thinking, what can I do next? And there’s also a lot of reading papers and writing papers. There’s a lot of sit-down and being in the office. There’s a mixture of both. Which I think is a good thing, instead of being busy all day and having to do experiments constantly. But, there’s a bit of a learning curve when you’re first learning all the equipment, how to use it, and how to not break it—it’s expensive!
And how about working with your mentor? What’s that relationship been like?
Oh, I think she’s amazing. She’s really made for this kind of a role. She really helped me acclimate. She showed me step by step, she’s very observant. If I don’t understand something, she’ll take a step back and re-explain or ask me if I need help understanding something. She always does a demonstration beforehand so I can see how it’s done and then do it myself. She always makes sure I know what I’m doing before she steps out and gives me some independence in what I’m doing.
How do you think that your experience here is going to impact your goals and plans for the future?
I was a little wishy-washy before coming here, like, do I want to go to grad school? Do I want to continue education? But I think through the faculty lightning talks we had during our cohort meetings, where different faculty members talk about their research and their journey, and the recent grad fair that we went to, I think I do. I think it’s further confirmed that I probably do want to go to grad school and further my education, hopefully get my PhD. I want to continue doing research, and I think this is the way, this is the path I’m going to take to do that.
How do you think your approach to science, research, or education might change from this program?
I think it’s important to be able to make science accessible and communicate it well. So I hope in the future I can be more confident in the way I present my science and make it so that a lot of people who aren’t in the lab with me know what I’m doing and how it can be applied to them or help them in some way.
Another takeaway for me—and this might seem really weird—is note taking! I realize that I have to take down everything that they’re saying or I really will forget.
I guess another takeaway is that, I guess through my experience with my mentor, I hope that I can be a mentor to someone in the future as well. I think she impacted me in a very positive way, so I hope to do that for someone else, too.
Did you get to go out and explore Madison at all while you were here?
Yeah. Kayaking was on the top of my list, that was for sure. That was pretty fun. Exploring the new gym, going ice skating. That was fun, ice skating during the summer. We did a lot of different things. Going to the movies, or just walking around. Madison’s a really nice city. Like State Street, like trying all the different restaurants here, the stores.
What would you want other students to know about this program if they’re thinking about applying?
I guess to always be curious. You never know what can be a learning opportunity or who you can network with. So it’s being open to everything and not closing off to any opportunities. If your mentor asks you, are you interested in going to this undergraduate lab meeting or going to this meeting, just say yes. You never know what’s gonna happen. You might be interested in what is going on there. Just be open.
Have you made friends with people in the cohort, or is it more just like, you see each other and that’s it?
I think I’ve made pretty good friends here because you are all like very like-minded individuals where you’re all very interested in research and you hope to do something positive with that in the future. We bond over that and we’ve made good connections. I think we will stay in touch in the future, because it’s very cool to see where you are in five years after being in the program together, and where other people are at.
Did you have anything else you wanted to share or talk about?
I think it’s cool that there isn’t an age restriction, and you don’t have to be a sophomore and up to apply. You can apply your freshman year like I did so you get research experience really early on.
