During my junior year of high school, I had the opportunity to shadow a professor at the University of Kentucky, which introduced me to laboratory research and sparked my interest in the field. After this experience, I continued my involvement by volunteering in the lab, where I am currently finishing my second semester learning alongside professional researchers and scientists.

As a volunteer in the lab, I assist with a research project investigating gene expression during axolotl tissue regeneration. I have learned to isolate RNA from frozen tissue samples, perform quantitative real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction, design primers, and train in essential laboratory techniques, such as precise pipetting, weighing materials, preparing dilutions, and setting up PCR and Q-PCR reactions.

This opportunity has been a privilege, and volunteering helped me realize that research is something I genuinely enjoy, and I hope to continue exploring this path throughout my college years.