The Next Generation of Brilliant Scientists: Summer Undergraduate Research Interns at PNRI

Summer 2024 marks a milestone for PNRI: We just wrapped up our Summer Undergraduate Research Internship (SURI) with the largest cohort of interns we have ever hosted. Ten students joined us this year, and we are honored to expand this program and include more talented young people in the opportunities available at our institute.

The SURI program at PNRI provides undergraduate students in an array of scientific disciplines the chance to work in a state-of-the-art research lab. Interns build skills and lead a research project under the mentorship of postdoctoral fellows and our Principal Investigators (PIs), who helm each of our labs.

Photo: Rituparna Sinha Roy, PhD, Staff Scientist (left), and her supervisee, Harshini Iyer, Research Intern (right)

Discovering How Genetic Variants Cause Disease

Harshini Iyer of Woodinville, WA is entering her third year at the University of Washington (UW) studying Biology and Physiology. She spent her internship in the Carvalho Lab researching Robinow Syndrome, an area of expertise for PI Cláudia Carvalho, PhD. Learning molecular biology procedures for the first time, Harshini investigated genetic variants linked to Robinow Syndrome, and how they can cause disease. But she says her education this summer didn’t stop at the bounds of her research.

“I really like working in the lab,” says Harshini. “Beyond the project I am working on, I have been pushed to think about new ways to create experiments and understand the problem at hand. The lab members are really supportive and there to help.”

Also in the Carvalho Lab was UW senior, Nene Kondo from Vancouver, WA. Nene will receive their Bachelor of Science (BS) in General Biology this December. Nene works as a Certified Nursing Assistant and is grateful for the opportunity SURI provides to develop research skills. This summer, Nene learned to use computer programs to analyze DNA from an undiagnosed patient in hopes of finding the genetic mutation that caused their disease.

“I’ve gained insight not just into genetics and research labs, but also about myself and potential career paths,” says Nene of their SURI experience. “There are many kinds of people at PNRI, with different backgrounds and expertise. Having the opportunity to talk to them broadened my understanding of a scope of careers I didn’t even know about before.”

Photo: Nene Kondo, Research Intern, presents their summer research project at the annual SURI Symposium.

Taking Yeast Genetics Beyond the Classroom

PNRI’s Dudley Lab hosted Samir Faruq from St. Louis, MO, who is entering his third year at UW. Samir majors in Biology on a Pre-Med track, and minors in Human Rights and Chemistry. Samir’s work with Aimée Dudley, PhD, furthered his experience with yeast experiments and expanded on his interest in medicine, as the Dudley Lab focuses on improving diagnosis for metabolic disorders.

This summer, Samir particularly loved going to the annual Pacific Northwest Yeast Club Conference. “It was so much fun hearing about how research in yeast has been done in other labs,” he says, adding “I didn’t realize the importance of rare disease research to patients’ and families’ lives. I have a newfound interest in rare disease research.”

Joining Samir in the Dudley Lab was Rennie Jane Dupar. When she wasn’t sure what to major in at Seattle Pacific University (SPU), she tried some biology courses and discovered she loved it! At PNRI, Rennie Jane used CRISPR to edit yeast genes, building upon work she had done at school. This summer she frequently referred to notes from her classes and used her experiences in the lab to form new and deeper connections to her coursework than she would have gotten from classes alone.

“I’ve learned new lab techniques that will be useful in my future career,” says Rennie Jane about her work in Dudley Lab. “I’ve learned how to handle the frustrations and setbacks that come with doing basic science, as well as how to troubleshoot issues.”

Photo: Saralyn D.A. Ferrero presents their summer research project at the annual SURI Symposium

How Movies and Videogames are Inspiring Young Scientists

Amelia Garrido González grew up in Humacao, Puerto Rico. During the pandemic, she watched the movie Outbreak and caught the “microbiology bug.” Now Amelia is studying Microbiology with an emphasis on immunology and infectious disease at UW. In PNRI’s McLaughlin Lab, she investigated genetic mechanisms human genomes use to defend against transposable elements (TEs), genes that jump from place to place in the genome, sometimes causing disease. Her research contributes to the goal of Rick McLaughlin, PhD, and his team to improve our understanding of autoimmune diseases. “This hands-on research allowed me to use advanced molecular biology techniques to observe how these interactions contribute to immune defense mechanisms,” says Amelia. “This experience gave me a deeper appreciation for the complexity of genetic regulation and its impact on human health.”

Hailing from Lynnwood, WA, Saralyn D.A. Ferrero also found opportunities for learning and growth in the McLaughlin Lab. A recent transfer to UW, Saralyn is majoring in Medical Laboratory Science with a minor Microbiology. Their experience in SURI helped them to understand how a “research first” lab functions, as they consider whether to focus on research or diagnostics in their future career.

“I’ve really loved caring for my own set of cells,” Saralyn says of their lab experience this summer. “How well I take care of my cells determines how well my experiments run. While it isn’t necessarily the glamorous act of running groundbreaking experiments, it’s the daily work that makes everything else run smoothly that I think is the coolest part of a laboratory.”

Originally from Auburn, AL, Ryan Tenu Ahn moved to the Seattle area as a child. He attributes his early interest in microbiology to time spent playing the videogame SPORE, where players begin their journey as a microbe and grow to conquer worlds. Ryan studies Biochemistry and Microbiology at UW and is an EMT. This summer he applied all of that experience to the McLaughlin Lab’s research into TEs. His experiments focused on isolating TEs, enabling researchers to trace diseases such as cancer.

Ryan laments the tendency of other internships to assign students menial tasks without offering enrichment of their careers. “I really appreciate how PNRI prioritizes fostering a friendly, academia-focused lab environment while providing the equipment and mentorship that allows interns to leave this summer feeling more confident.”

Photo: Michael Metzger, PhD, Assistant Investigator (left), and Annika Laberge-Shusterman, Research Intern (right)

Marine Life and the Evolution of Cancer

In the lab with Michael Metzger, PhD, interns are tracing cancer lineage from a completely different angle. Annika Laberge-Shusterman from Pleasanton, CA is double-majoring in Computer Science and Biology at University of Puget Sound (UPS). Her intersection of skills made her the perfect candidate for an internship in bioinformatics, a field that uses software tools to understand biological data. The goal of her research was identifying genetic mutations that may be responsible for the progression, latency, or regression of contagious cancer in clams and cockles.

“I’ve learned more these past two months than I can enumerate,” says Annika, delighted by the opportunity to combine her two majors for the first time. “The most important skill I’ll take away from this internship will be confidence to persevere and see a problem through.”

Claire Johnston accompanied Annika into the Metzger Lab to learn more about cancer evolution. While this internship was close to home for Claire as a Seattleite, she attends university farther afield, now entering her third year as a Biochemistry student at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Claire spent her summer in the lab examining what tissues in a clam first become infected with cancer, and also how that cancer affects a clam’s ability to spawn.

“I’m very lucky to have been so well supported by the lab technicians in the Metzger Lab,” says Claire. “They took the time to teach things at my level while giving me the space to develop techniques independently. It’s fast-paced at times, but it’s an exercise in planning ahead and scheduling downtime for yourself between experiments – there’s always more to do!”

Photo: Fiona Garrett, Research Technician (left), with her supervisee Claire Johnston, Research Intern (center), along with Sydney Weinandt, Research Technician (right)

The Future of Brilliant Research

The advice that every intern had for future participants in SURI was “Don’t be afraid to ask questions.” At PNRI, our scientists know that curiosity is at the core of basic science. “Mentoring undergraduate interns is about guiding the next generation of scientists,” says Ming Yin Lun (Cliff), a Bioinformatician in the Carvalho Lab, going on to emphasize the importance of “sharing knowledge and fostering their curiosity and passion for research.”

Access to research opportunities is paramount to ensure equity and inclusion across scientific disciplines. Part of PNRI’s commitment to accessibility is providing SURI participants an hourly wage for their research.

Dudley Lab postdoctoral fellow Michelle Tang, PhD, shared “We want any student who is interested in research to be able to participate. Our undergraduate interns help generate valuable data and results, and they should be compensated for their work.”

Ultimately mentorship opportunities at PNRI benefit students and supervisors alike. “I love the summer energy,” says Dr. McLaughlin. “There is a buzz of science discussions coupled with excitement and nervousness about the awesome experience that both the interns and their mentors have. It’s intense and fun and stimulates creativity and drive.”

We are so grateful that these young, enthusiastic students spent some time with us this summer. From all of us at PNRI, we can’t wait to see what you do next!