Researcher of the Week: Chinwendu Amazu

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:38:11 -0500

Where are you doing research this summer?
I am at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute.

What is your project?
I am working on Malaria, seeing if we can use bacteria already stabilized in the mosquito to secrete effector cells that will stop parasite transmission within the mosquito. I am working specifically with Asaia bogorensis, a bacteria, to see if it can become well-adapted and be passed on to future progeny in the mosquito vector, Anopheles gambiae.

How did you find out about research opportunities for Summer 2011?
I found out through searching universities and institutes that dealt with research summer programs. Also, Meyerhoff Scholars Program, which I am in, helped me search for summer research opportunities.

When did you start looking for a position? How many places did you apply?
I started looking for a position in October of last year. I applied to 17 institutions.

Was this your first research experience? What background did you have before starting this summer research?
This was my first summer research experience, but in my senior year of high school, I worked and interned at United States Department of Agriculture.

Are there other undergraduates involved in the same research this summer? Who do you work with directly each day?
Yes there are other undergraduates in this summer program. I work directly with one of the post-doctoral fellows in my lab.

What did you gain from this experience?
I learned that research is an ocean, filled with different parts and things that you can focus on. It is vast but it is also a place where you don't look at the time often and time goes by very quickly. I gained a great deal of lab experience that I will take on with me to my future lab positions. I now have more networking opportunities and I am a better presentation speaker. This experience has also supported my educational and career goals in a positive way.

What is your advice to other UMBC students about summer research?
Summer research is an awesome opportunity that can open up doors for you, sharpen your mind and technical skills, and can also allow you to delve into topics that are truly important in this world and in our future.

Can you tell us your major and your plans for the future?
I am a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major. I am graduating from UMBC in 2014, and I plan to attain my MD/PhD at an accredited institution.

Read more about Chinwendu's research, “Towards Paratrangenisis: Selection of Bacteria that are Vertically Transmitted by Mosquito Vectors” at the link below.