Collaborative experiences in the lab foster curiosity and train undergraduate research student for career in medicine
As an undergraduate research student working in a hospital research lab, Jasmine Vo spent hours practicing how to manipulate tissue under a microscope, a lab technique that would prepare the sample for flow cytometry data acquisition.
Vo joined the Phoebe Lin Lab at the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute over the summer and was determined to learn the technique under the guidance of Lin, postdocs and a lab technician.
"At first, I could not even hold my vision on the ocular lens of the microscope, and by no means knew how to manipulate micro-dissecting tools," said Vo, a fourth-year communications sciences major. "However, the lab has such a supportive environment that everyone encouraged and helped me to practice the technique."
Eventually, the team entrusted Vo to prepare tissue during the real experiment. She remembers excitedly texting her mom after she completed the technique for the very first time.
Like most undergraduate students, research has been a core part of Jasmine Vo's experience at CWRU.
During her second year at CWRU, Vo scoured a list of research opportunities compiled by the Undergraduate Research Office to find a systematic review project on cardiovascular disease.
Interested in gaining wet lab experience, Vo found the opportunity in Lin's lab through her network. Learn more about the research in the lab at the end of this story.
"I believe that the habit of being curious and mindful at every step of the lab process has helped prepare me for a career in medicine and science that I hope to pursue," Vo said.
Read on to learn more about what Vo has gained during her time as an undergraduate research student.
What have been the benefits of getting involved with research?
One of my favorite aspects of being in a research lab is the opportunity to meet so many interesting, resilient and driven individuals. I've had the chance to connect with doctors—both of medicine and of philosophy—as well as graduate and undergraduate students, lab technicians, and coordinators. Each person brings their own talent and passion to the lab bench, and their dedication is truly inspiring. …This has been a motivation for my own study, whether in science or non-science classes, to ask more questions and be less afraid of being wrong.
How has research shaped your experience at ӰƵ?
After doing research, I felt more ‘in-tune’ with the environment. I realized how many professors in classes that I can talk to about my research project, the questions that I have about the basic sciences, or even discuss some lab techniques.
Growing from a passive recipient of knowledge, I can now participate in a discussion regarding science, even with only a little bit of experience I acquired through research.
What are some of the lessons you’ve learned through these experiences?
I’ve gained numerous valuable experiences from working in Dr. Lin’s lab, many of which were surprising to me.
Before joining the lab and working directly with scientists, I didn’t have a complete picture of what scientific research truly entails, even though I had taken basic science courses throughout high school and college.
I hadn’t realized how much uncertainty exists in science, or how much time, effort and dedication are required to produce high-quality, publishable results. I came to understand that even when our research findings are consistent across trials, many variables—such as environmental conditions or inconsistencies in manual lab technique—can affect whether the same results can be reliably reproduced in a different setting or at another time.
What would you tell other undergraduates considering getting involved with research?
I think there are numerous opportunities on campus to be involved in research, especially at an institution renowned for research such as CWRU. However, that doesn’t mean we don’t have to work hard to find those opportunities. There were also moments of doubt and anxiety that I encountered while seeking a research project, but I can testify that CWRU is a place where, if you don’t give up, you will find an open door.
I was also extremely fortunate to have wonderful friends and mentors who were so willing to support me. That being said, I think letting others know that you have an interest and a desire to contribute is necessary for them to provide the support you need.
About the Research: Phoebe Lin Lab
Meet a clinician-scientist who investigates how the gut microbiome affects blinding eye inflammation
Editor’s note: Jasmine Vo, the author of this story, is a student employee in the University Marketing and Communications department. She is a fourth-year student majoring in communication sciences.
Phoebe Lin, MD, PhD, an ophthalmologist-scientist at Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute, has spent years researching the cause of autoimmune uveitis, a condition that causes inflammation of the uvea—the middle layer of the eye.
Autoimmune diseases occur when one’s immune system mistakenly attacks its healthy cells. In the case of autoimmune uveitis, the immune system attacks the uvea, which is responsible for supplying blood to the retina and regulating the lens. This can lead to eye pain, redness and, in severe cases, permanent vision loss. The specific mechanism underlying autoimmune uveitis, however, is not yet well understood.
Lin has contributed to more than 100 publications over the years, many of which led her to identify a potential link between eye inflammation and the gut microbiome.
To better understand this relationship, her lab is investigating the pathway that white blood cells migrate from the gut to the eye when autoimmune uveitis occurs, and the influence of the gut microbes in regulating the immune system in this condition.
“The two salient questions that patients often ask me are: ‘Why did this disease happen?’ and ‘What can we do to make it better?’” Lin said. “In the case of autoimmune uveitis, the answers to these questions are limited by our general understanding of the disease. As a physician-scientist, I can investigate its cause and potentially develop better treatments for my patients.”
As an attending physician and researcher, Lin also engages in mentoring fellow physicians, post-docs, and undergraduate students.
“To each trainee or student, I am most interested in supporting their individual goal, whether it is academic or career-related,” Lin said. “For students and post-docs working with me in my lab, I also hope to cultivate their curiosity and hypothesis generation, while deepening their scientific thinking.”