Diliana Stoimenova
Year in school:
junior
Major degree program/department:
biological sciences, economics, chemistry minor
Faculty mentor:
George Davis, medical pharmacology and physiology
How did you get involved with undergraduate research?
I first got involved in research the summer after my freshman year. I found a mentor who offered to take me to South America and conduct an independent project in tropical ecology. In my sophomore year, I applied for the Life Sciences Undergraduate Research Program (LSUROP) and found a mentor in a molecular biology lab at MU. In both cases, I e-mailed a few professors and found most of them to be fairly responsive and supportive.
On what kinds of projects have you worked?
My first project focused on the thermoregulatory patterns of a common neotropical lizard, Tropidurus hispidus. I measured ambient, lizard body and substrate temperatures throughout the day and analyzed factors that contributed to change of body temperature. The goal of my current work is to isolate embryonic quail endothelial cells and assay them to analyze 3-D tube formation in collagen matrices.
Why is this experience so valuable to you?
Research has provided me with the opportunity to apply knowledge gained in various courses to real-life problems. It has taught me to be independent and led me to establish a great rapport with my mentor.
What advice would you offer to other students considering undergraduate research?
I would encourage anybody interested in research to not hesitate to ask professors about openings in their labs. Most professors are very nice and will help you if they can. Don't be afraid of rejection; just be persistent until you find a position in a lab that works for you.
