Anna

I presented the work that I have done in Dr. Neha Kamat’s lab in an oral presentation entitled “Designing Vesicles for Extracellular Potassium Detection”. Although potassium ions are one of the most abundant ions in intracellular fluid and contribute to pathologies including cardiovascular disease, immunological diseases, and some cancers, current sensors cannot accurately detect potassium when other ions are present. This is why we developed a vesicle-based sensor that uses membrane channels and a fluorescent indicator to specifically detect potassium. We optimized the specificity, reversibility, and kinetics of the sensor and were able to show that it can effectively detect potassium concentrations in bacterial cultures.

Before joining the Kamat Lab, I had the opportunity to participate in synthetic biology research at an internship where I helped prepare a synthetic platelet for clinical trial. Being able to create a product that could have real applications in the field of healthcare made me excited about synthetic biology research and inspired me to find a lab at Northwestern where I could do the same. Dr. Kamat’s lab appealed to me because I admired the way in which her research manipulates vesicle membranes for a broad range of applications. I was specifically interested in this project because I was excited about both the environmental and healthcare related impacts that it could have.

I presented at the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Annual Meeting. Dr. Kamat suggested that I apply to present at this conference after our work was published in the BMES Journal of Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering.

I loved the conference experience. As an undergraduate who has never presented at a conference before, I was initially quite intimidated. I was pleasantly surprised to find an incredibly welcoming atmosphere. The feedback and support that I received following my presentation helped me to feel much more comfortable about my place at the conference. I enjoyed getting to learn from other presentations and found that everyone was incredibly personable and excited to discuss their research experiences. This environment provided a space for me to form relationships with professors, grad students, and undergrads and to gain advice and insight about continuing research in academia.

I highly recommend presenting at a conference as I feel it helped improve my ability to present scientific research, gave me an opportunity to learn from and interact with other researchers in my field, and helped build my confidence. Definitely discuss this interest with your research advisor. There are an overwhelming number of conference opportunities available, it can be nice to receive insight on which ones may be a good fit and how to prepare. Once you are at the conference, my biggest advice is to take advantage of all the available opportunities. As important as the presentations are, events such as luncheons can provide a great space to create relationships and to get personalized advice.