2011/12 Summer Vacation Cadets

LIWA’s Summer Vacation Cadetship Program sees outstanding science and medicine undergraduates complete eight weeks paid full time employment with LIWA on a current research projects.  Selection into this program is highly competitive.  This year a total five cadets were selected.

Ashleigh Punch

Course: 4th year MBBS at UWA (Medicine)
Which research group at LIWA are you working within?:
The Tissue Repair Group.  My supervisor is Dr Bahareh Badrian. 
What project are you working on?:
Investigating the presence of particular MicroRNA in malignant mesothelioma
What sort of tasks are you performing each day?:
Cell culture, RNA isolation, cDNA synthesis, real time PCR.
Have you learnt anything new?: (please elaborate)
I had no idea of the advances we have made in the study of MicroRNA over the last few years! I have also learnt lots of new processes and techniques which I have never previously encountered.
In what ways has your cadetship been a positive experience?:
I think it may be shorter to describe what has not been positive: I have so far failed to build a time machine. Seriously though, I get to work with a truly amazing supervisor, use pieces of machinery that I will never afford, learn about the latest discoveries in a fascinating area of science as they are found, and even get to do a bit of discovering of my own. Not to mention all the other little pieces of knowledge that I can pick up along the way and the fact that I have never been able to do something like this before.
What do you hope to do once you finish your degree?:
With some luck, I will eventually graduate as a doctor sometime in the next century and be able to apply what is being discovered now (as well as the research since) to actual patients. I also intend to do some form of postgraduate research.
Any other comments?:
I get paid to learn and have a great time along the way. How does it get better than that?

Sarah Henn

Course: BSc (Laboratory Medicine) Curtin University
What research Unit at LIWA are you attached to?:
Stem Cell Unit.  My supervisors are Yuben Moodley and Dino Tan.
What project are you working on?:
I am studying the association of endothelial progenitor cell deficiencies (in number, proliferative capacity and angiogenic potential) with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
What sort of tasks are you performing each day?:
The majority of my laboratory work has been focused on Ficoll Gradient Centrifugation, Flow Cytometry and Cell Culture Techniques.
Have you learnt anything new?:
I have learnt a number of new laboratory techniques, namely Ficoll Gradient Centrifugation, Flow Cytometry and Cell Culture Techniques. I have learnt how to set up Flow Cytometry protocols with isotype controls, and how to use FlowJo software to analyse my data. I have also learnt how to analyse cell cultures with immunofluorescent microscopy. Other skills I have started to develop are scientific writing and presentation delivery.
In what ways has your cadetship been a positive experience?:
My cadetship has taught me a number of new skills that will be greatly beneficial in future research projects and also in my final two years of study. I have gained a fantastic insight into what a career in research would mean, and worked with wonderful people throughout my cadetship.
What do you hope to do once you finish your degree?:
I hope to continue into an Honours Program and a PhD.
Any other comments?:
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as a LIWA Cadet. I have met some amazing people and learnt a lot more than I could have from just studying at University. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who was considering research, as I believe the skills that I have gained will set me up well for future research endeavours.

Michelle Reinders

Course: Bachelor of Science (Genetics & Biochemistry) at UWA
What research Unit at LIWA are you attached to?:
Genetics Unit
Who is your supervisor?:
Dr Svetlana Baltic.
What project are you working on?:
Interactions of ProstaglandinE2 and Prostaglandin D2 and Their Receptors.
What sort of tasks are you performing each day?:
Cell culture, Cell stimulation, RNA Isolation, Protein Isolation, RNA Quantification, Protein Quantification, RT-PCR, ELISA, Data Analysis.
Have you learnt anything new?:
Almost all of the techniques I have learnt have been new. I have also learnt that I really enjoy the field of medical genetics much more than plant genetics.
In what ways has your cadetship been a positive experience?:
It has shown me that research in the field of medical genetics is what I really want to do. And it has also allowed me to learn many new and useful techniques.
What do you hope to do once you finish your degree?:
Once I have finished my Honours year, I hope to work for a while, travel and then do a PhD.

Carly Longbottom

Course: Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery UWA
What research Unit at LIWA are you attached to?:
Clinical trials.
Who is your supervisor?:
Prof Phil Thompson.
What project are you working on?:
Hypereosinophilia in severe asthmatics.
The aim of this study is to describe hypereosinophilic asthma using clinical observation and laboratory testing in order to characterise hypereosinophilic asthma phenotype subsets and provide preliminary work into the mechanisms behind these conditions.
What sort of tasks are performing each day?:
Besides conducting a thorough literature review, I have been busy reading through patient files and test results tubulising results and looking for trends in the data.
Have you learnt anything new?:
I have learnt a lot of new things, including the mediators involved in hypereosinophilia and asthma, and I have a greater knowledge of asthma medications and the side effects of long term prednisolone therapy and the importance of new drug therapies in improving quality of life.
In what ways has your cadetship been a positive experience?:
Improved my understanding of chronic disease and quality of life, and it has improved my understanding of how clinical trials operate and some of the day to day challenges involved with conducting clinical trials. Additionally it is greatly improved my research skills.