Olivia Oczkowski ’24, Biology Major with Minors in Chemistry, Film and Media Studies, shares about their internship with Whitney Labs of University of Florida
“My research focuses on examining fungi and bacteria obtained globally to explore the natural products they produce. Certain strains in my possession were collected by fellow researchers during their visits to Chile and the Arctic Ocean. I investigate whether these natural products have the potential to develop new pain medications, taking into account the impact of the opioid crisis. Although this marks my first research internship, it has proven to be manageable due to the excellent preparation I received from Whitman.
College life is a thrilling journey where we gain knowledge and skills that shape our future careers. Coursework provides a strong foundation, and internships offer practical experience that complements our academic learning.My organic chemistry course has greatly contributed to building a solid foundation of knowledge for my current research project. One of the experiments I performed in the organic chemistry lab was extractions, which I now consistently carry out on a larger scale. The foundational understanding of molecular polarity acquired during lectures now enables me to comprehend the inner workings of various chemistry machines, particularly those involved in fractionation of different solutions.
The primary objective of my research internship is to gather data for my thesis. Here are several methods through which my fellow colleagues in the lab have been assisting me in my preparations for this endeavor. Every week, my laboratory principal investigator and I convene to discuss research papers that I have discovered. These papers will subsequently serve as valuable resources for writing my thesis, which I plan to compile using the library. As my research nears its conclusion, I will have the task of creating a poster to present my findings and data to the rest of the Whitney lab. Throughout the process of creating it, I will receive assistance from my PI and lab mentor.
An aspect of this research that holds relevance for my future career is gaining knowledge about the utilization and testing of novel pain medications. Considering my career aspirations in the field of pain management, this lab focuses on utilizing zebrafish assays to evaluate the efficacy of isolated compounds against pain. We use mustard oil to inflict pain on zebrafish embryos. The primary rationale behind utilizing zebrafish embryos is their possession of pain pathways that exhibit close similarities to those observed in humans. Furthermore, zebrafish embryos do not experience pain per se, but rather respond to changes in their environment, making them an ideal model for studying pain-related phenomena.”