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Biology major Alison Huggins ’09 (Narberth, Pa.) is working with fellow biology major Casey Vasta ’09 (Woodstown, N.J.) and Robert Kurt, associate professor of biology, on research focusing on cancer cell genes.
As a small liberal arts school, Lafayette provides its students with a multitude of opportunities for individual research. Students are able to work one-on-one with their professors and have the flexibility to design projects that interest them. This was one of the most appealing things to me about attending a smaller school for undergraduate study, and it has consequently motivated me to become involved with cancer research in the biology department under the direction of Dr. Robert Kurt.
I find this research interesting for two primary reasons. First of all, Professor Kurt has provided me with the opportunity to play a central role in his projects. It is unique to be able to execute all aspects of a laboratory research project yourself at an undergraduate institution. Secondly, much of my family has been affected by cancer, and it is important for me to be working on a project that seeks to find new courses of treatment for this disease.
Now in my third semester of independent research, I am looking to explore the tumor promoting effects of the 3.3 gene. Dr. Kurt’s investigation of this gene led to his discovery of its potential to encode a tumor-associated protein. My laboratory partner, Casey Vasta, and I have recently been able to successfully clone the 3.3 gene. We hope to gauge the effects of the 3.3 gene on the metastasis of the moderately aggressive breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Dr. Kurt believes that the protein products of this gene will confer a more aggressive nature to this moderate cell line. While this gene has been implicated in many different types of cancer, its precise role is still unclear, and thus we hope to contribute to the understanding of its function.
Working with Professor Kurt has been nothing short of a positive experience; the amount that I have learned in my research has permeated my studies as a biology major and has certainly helped my success in many of my classes. For instance, my study of human physiology was greatly supplemented by my research. Many aspects of our immune system were manifested in the laboratory, and seeing in practice what I read in my text greatly aided the understanding of my lecture material
Professor Kurt has allowed Casey and me to be at the forefront of his research, and he has afforded us the opportunity to learn how to perform a multitude of different laboratory techniques. With plans to attend medical school next year, I feel that my proficiency in the laboratory, as a result of this research, will certainly be helpful at the graduate level.
Not only have I been able to learn a range of laboratory techniques, but I have also had an opportunity to perform this research alongside another very talented student. Learning to work with others, particularly in a research setting, is an invaluable skill. I think that experience goes hand-in-hand with knowledge, and Lafayette certainly does not underestimate the importance of this relationship.