Why I Am Interested Of Taking The Chromatin, Epigenetics, And Gene Expression Course

Kendall’s experience as a researcher is not the only thing which makes her the amazing person she is today. She has experienced so many different work environments that it is mind-boggling. Dr. Kendall was a waitress while attending high school, was chair of a Senate Executive Committee, and taught math to prisoners. Through participating in so many different kinds of work opportunities, Dr. Kendall was able to realize that her true passion lay in the field of biochemistry. The first pull towards science was evident in the books that interested her as a child. And one might even say that her parents were what helped to ignite that spark for her thirst for knowledge in the field of biochemistry. Those science coloring books from Filene’s Basement department store and the Time Life science book series that her mother bought her are a very important part of Dr. Kendall’s early inspiration, and it is clear to anyone who listens to her talk that she loves doing research and helping young people figure out what they should do with their

“Education is key,” my mom would say everyday growing up. My siblings and I learned basic arithmetic, reading, and spelling before we even started Kindergarten, because my parents knew education’s importance through experience. To clarify, when my mom ventured to America in her preadolescent years, her and her family had only a several bills in their hands. For years she worked after school to help chip in for housing and food, as well as to pay her college tuition. Years later, she earned her Associate’s degree, allowing her to become an accountant. Through her experiences, my mother knew the utmost importance of education, which she instilled in my siblings and I. I have always pursued knowledge with an insatiable appetite, always pushing myself in school, but fueled with the value of education, I pushed myself to new heights. Now, as a sophomore, I have already taken Physics and am taking Calculus One at The Ohio State University and English 12. But, despite my focus on academics, I know that education isn’t everything. Education is merely a tool that one can sharpen or leave to rust. What truly matters is what one does with the tool. Me? I plan to transform the multi-functional tool into a scalpel capable of medically helping

This article caught my eye because I recently finished a book by the same author, Lab Girl by Hope Jahren. Her memoir detailed how she became a research biogeochemist, and how the struggles she faced have never stopped. Completing the necessary education was easy for her, but receiving the funding to sustain herself, her lab, and her employees is still a challenge.

Growing up, most kids in my generation had Disney Channel or Barbie Dolls. As I was raised with 6 siblings and cousins and having just emigrated from England, my family did not have ample money to expend on cable or fancy toys; subsequently, I resorted to books. As I read more and more, my interests began to broaden, and my keen admiration and curiosity for how and why things work in certain ways progressed. As I grew older, I realized that science could be used to answer many of life’s most complex questions. Once I was accepted early into The University of Georgia, I declared my major as Biology with a pre-medical intent, deciding to further pursue my curiosity about living organisms. I soon realized that I needed to achieve more, and decided

Fresh from Truman, just starting out, I must admit I was at a loss on what to do with my Biology studies. Furthermore, in this economy I had doubts as to whether I could obtain a job lucrative enough to support myself with the degree once I received it. This is why, heartbroken and disappointed as I was to have learned that I had not received my degree, I consciously put it off for a while until I figured out exactly what I wanted to do. It turned out that what I learned majoring in Biology not only gave me the tools to save my own life but helped me to do what I believe I was put on this earth to do.

Moshe Szyf, an epigenist informed us through his Ted Talk, “How life experience is written into DNA,” of our genes and how they are “combined of two components” (15:17). He used rhetorical strategies to engage his audience in understanding the view of DNA through an epigenetics perspective. He provides many examples of experiments performed which show these layers of information. The two layers include the old information from millions of years of evolution and the epigenetic layer which includes the open and dynamic set up of a narrative that is interactive and allows us to control our destiny.

The desire to discover never really left. I’ve always gone out of my way to learn something new. So it was to my disappointment when my middle school advisor in Geneva Switzerland told me that science and math were subjects I shouldn’t pursue. My high grades in Latin and German signified that I was more of a “languages person” and should therefore forgo a pursuit in stem fields and focus instead on classical languages and humanities. I countered their advice by shadowing a biologist who worked on altering genetics in mice. I found myself learning about anything I could despite the Swiss education system and my middle school advisor’s advice. When I transferred to Manhattan Center for Science and Math in New York City, I was encouraged to explore everything and anything. My first opportunity was the Advanced Science Research Program. After mere weeks of moving to a new country, my biology teacher encouraged me to apply. I never regretted the decision once. At the end of my sophomore year, some of my teachers suggested I take a few Advanced Placement courses during my junior year. I craved learning

I plan to major in chemical engineering at UNR. Possessing a thirst for discovering how the world functions through the lense of science, I am interning with Dr. Casey in the Chemistry Department to experience chemistry firsthand. Alongside the heavy workload, I will balance volunteering with Dean’s Future Scholars at UNR, I’ve dedicated 200+ hours to the group and look forward to helping out the lives of low-income, first generation kids like myself. I’ll advance from college into the real world examining life at the atomic level while giving back to the

What makes one individual different from the other? Many have attempted to answer this question- from ancient philosophers and theologists to modern day scientists. Regardless of whether the individual concerned is a cell or a whole organism, the answer is said to lie in the nature vs. nurture debate. Thus arose another, related question- How do individuals with extremely similar blueprints develop an astounding amount of differences? Biological research attempting to settle the debate for once and for all has found that differences amongst a cohort of individuals is established by an interplay of both- genetics (nature) and various environmental influences (nurture).

I am extremely eager to become a Wildcat and to begin working towards and achieving my goals at K-State. Attending medical school is my foremost priority, so with the help of the professors, I hope to excel academically and become a competitive candidate. Due to my deep love for learning, I am anxiously looking forward to the new concepts and ideas I will discover in the classrooms and labs. Additionally, I aspire to be involved in a research project at some point. The process of creating new medications and researching their effects on the body is fascinating to me, so I want to become part of a chemistry team. Speaking with Dr. Culbertson made me so excited for the years and opportunities ahead in the Chemistry Department. The emphasis K-State

If I were to conclude my education after finishing secondary school, there would not be many fruitful paths ahead of me. Without pursuing further education in post-secondary programs, life would be prolific with simplicity; there are those who advocate the concept of simplicity over challenge, but in a life abounding in simplicity, I see a life of tedium. By enrolling in post-secondary programs, I expose myself to novel challenges and opportunities. Furthermore, I have the freedom to explore my passions and satisfy my ambitions. In my case, I have a passion for biological sciences and knowledge, and a fervent ambition to gain as much relevant knowledge as possible. At a post-secondary institution, I am able to choose the degree that is

My personal quest for knowledge has been ongoing since the first day I picked up a science book. I have never been more interested in any subject. It truly spoke to me. At a college level, there is a magnitude of opportunities. I had the opportunity to participate in the Student Dissector program on campus in the Spring of 2015, I visited the Stanford Cadaver Lab with Biology Club this semester, and I traveled to see a talk by the world renowned American astrophysicist, cosmologist, author, and science communicator, Neil deGrasse Tyson.

As trillions of cells incorporate together to make a human work functionally, the problem related to health is never simple. We operate in overwhelming information and our best evidence evolves daily. As such, learning to have a good command of data analysis and critical thinking needs extensive study and practice, even life-long. I have always been in love with basketball and wanted to play well. To achieve that goal I reviewed countless hours of videotape, frame by frame, of favorite players and practiced thousands of times to grasp the skill. For now, my pursuit is different but the principle is the same. By extensive study and practice, I want to become an expert in human genetics. This is my primary professional goal.

The penchant for analytical thinking and the scientific system was prevalent in my upbringing, a by-product of being born to two scientists. Therefore, when I began working on epigenetic research on Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD) at Saint Louis University, I felt comfortable around the slow, systematic approach studded with jargon heavy language. I was excited to experience molecular biology, to work in the same kind of labs I’d visited as a child. When I applied to the job, FSHD was words linked to the epigenetic status of the D4Z4 sequence. In other words an abstract concept. That was the extent of my understanding until I met a 13 year old FSHD patient. If epigenetic changes are the result of environmental factors or

Upon arriving as a student at the University of Kansas, I immediately took an interest in numerous extracurricular activities and organizations. I have established myself as a leader in multiple organizations, including my role as vice president in the Biomedical Engineering Society at KU. These organizations have provided fantastic experiences, but I found myself needing more. I found enjoyment and success in my classes, but I was eager to apply my knowledge. I sought out positions in various research groups on campus, and I eventually pursued an opportunity to partake in undergraduate research involving hydrogels and their characteristics in Dr. Stevin Gehrke’s lab.