Working in an Immunology and Microbiology Lab

This summer I participated in the Dartmouth MD/Ph.D. Undergraduate Summer (MPUS) Fellowship, which is an opportunity designed to expose students to the career pathway of a physician-scientist by conducting medical research and participating in shadowing with the clinical faculty at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC).

In Dr. Joshua J. Obar’s lab at the Geisel School of Medicine’s Department of Immunology and Microbiology, my research focused on the V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) and its role in interferon response. Tissue-resident alveolar macrophages are part of a host’s innate immune system and play a critical role in responding to external, inhaled stimuli. My primary project involved exposing fetal liver-derived alveolar-like macrophages to the antagonistic VISTA antibody and quantifying their interferon protein concentration with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). ​I shadowed four different specialties: Medical Oncology, in-patient Pediatrics, an OBGYN clinic, and Infectious Diseases.

Through this fellowship, I learned about the intersection between research and medicine, the responsibility of care, and patient advocacy. As someone interested in pursing a career in medicine, being exposed to the day-to-day work was enlightening and informative. I gained experience in an immunology lab and a highlight would absolutely be all the amazing people I had the opportunity to work with. 

Internship funded by the Peter Buck Internship Fund​.