Research program sparks student’s transfer to CU ��Vlog�ƽ��

Susan Glairon — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 22:21:52 +0000

Research program sparks student’s transfer to CU ��Vlog�ƽ�� Susan Glairon Thu, 02/13/2025 - 15:21

Susan Glairon

Kate Lamb stands between YSSRP participants Paloma Suárez Davila (left), who attends Colorado Mesa University and Runa Kersten-Guiler, who attends the University of New Hampshire.

After a summer in CU ��Vlog�ƽ��’s Young Scholars Summer Research Program (YSSRP), Kate Lamb was inspired to change her path, transferring from community college to CU ��Vlog�ƽ��’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering as a biological engineering major.

YSSRP’s nine-week program prepares undergraduate students for research careers and graduate study through hands-on experience and professional development. Open to all qualified applicants, the program strongly encourages participation from students underrepresented in engineering and those from schools with limited research opportunities.

You started classes at CU ��Vlog�ƽ�� in January. How’s it going so far?

It’s good! I took chemistry, physics and biology at Arapahoe Community College (ACC), so I am well-prepared for upper-division coursework.

How did you learn about this program?

After reviewing my classes and interests, my career counselor at ACC thought I might like engineering and recommended the YSSRP. I feel really fortunate that I was accepted to the program.

What were your academic plans before participating in the YSSRP?

I was planning to major in math, though I wasn’t sure where I wanted to study. I really love math and biology and have an interest in medicine, but I wasn’t sure how they connected. That’s what drew me to biological engineering at CU ��Vlog�ƽ��—it brings everything together.

What did you enjoy about your YSSRP research project?

My project introduced me to synthetic biology, a field that combines biology and engineering, which I find fascinating. It involves designing and building new biological systems or modifying cells to give them new traits or to produce useful products.

I worked with two PhD students to optimize a biosensor—a protein that detects biological substances, and converts that detection into a measurable signal. Biosensors have the potential to be used as non-invasive medical diagnostic tools and even as therapeutic devices. Our goal was to improve T7 RNA polymerase biosensors, and after extensive troubleshooting, we finally got results that worked. That moment was incredibly gratifying and showed me how much persistence goes into research. Our results formed the basis of a paper that was accepted for publication.

How did participating in the YSSRP influence you to switch from math to engineering?

It opened a door to a way that I could combine all my different interests. Previously I thought I had to choose one specific discipline like biology or math or chemistry. After I started working in the lab, I began learning about the degrees offered at CU ��Vlog�ƽ��. Now I'm taking differential equations and organic chemistry—different areas of study that I didn’t know could fit together in one degree program.

Why did you decide to attend CU ��Vlog�ƽ��?

The graduate students who mentored me, and Dr. (Rob) Davis and Dr. (Tim) Whitehead took the time to discuss what studying at CU ��Vlog�ƽ�� would be like and how the degree programs are structured. The opportunity to continue doing research was a big part of my decision to attend CU.

What was your favorite part of participating in the YSSRP?

The research was exciting, but there were other elements of the program that I really enjoyed. We had lunches with professors and weekly talks on different topics such as working in industry, intellectual property and graduate school opportunities. It made me think how cool it would be to be sitting in one of those professor’s classes.

As a group we had regular outings, for example, we went hiking, whitewater rafting and bowling. I made a couple of close friends in the program who worked in labs down the hall from me, and we had a really fun time exploring ��Vlog�ƽ�� together. I only have good things to say about the program and its impact on me.

What are your plans for the future?

I’d like to stay in research, and graduate school seems like a strong possibility. I have ideas that I want to explore, and I hope to contribute meaningfully to developing diagnostics and therapeutics that will improve patient care.

To learn more, visit the YSSRP website.

After participating in CU ��Vlog�ƽ��’s Young Scholars Summer Research Program (YSSRP), Kate Lamb discovered her passion for biological engineering, leading her to transfer from community college to CU ��Vlog�ƽ��.

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Research program sparks student’s transfer to CU ����Vlog�ƽ��

You started classes at CU ����Vlog�ƽ�� in January. How’s it going so far?