Rachel Waller
Year in school:
junior
Major degree program/department:
biochemistry
Faculty mentor:
Judy Wall, PhD, biochemistry
How did you get involved with undergraduate research?
During September of my freshman year, I looked at the job postings on the Office of Undergraduate Research Web site. I sent a few e-mails to different professors who were interested in allowing undergraduates to work in their labs. One professor e-mailed me back saying that his undergraduate position was already filled. However, he forwarded my name on to another of his colleagues. Dr. Stewart in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology received my name and invited me to volunteer in his lab. For two semesters I worked in the lab 15 hours a week unpaid. After my freshman year, I applied for the Discovery Fellows program through the Honors College in order to get paid for my research. This program placed me in the lab of Dr. Judy Wall.
On what kinds of projects have you worked?
During my freshman year, I worked in the laboratory of Dr. George Stewart in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology. I assisted researchers in studying two bacterial pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus anthracis, the pathogen causing the disease anthrax. During the summer between my freshman and sophomore year, I participated in an REU internship at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis. I worked under Dr. Claude Fauquet in the International Laboratory for Tropical Agricultural Biotechnology studying viral resistance and post-transcriptional gene silencing (RNA interference) in the crop cassava using the model plant Nicotiana benthamian. My project title was “The Role of Light and Temperature on Viral Infection in Nicotiana benthamian.” From my sophomore year to present, I have worked in the laboratory of Dr. Judy Wall in the Department of Biochemistry. My project is entitled “The Construction of an Inducible Expression Vector in Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough.” During the summer between my sophomore and junior year, I participated in the Summer Opportunities Program at the Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis. I worked in the laboratory of Dr. Jason Mills, MD, PhD in the Division of Immunology and Pathology at the Washington University School of Medicine. My project was entitled “Molecular Mechanisms of Gastric Metaplasia Induced by high-dose Tamoxifen.”
Why is this experience so valuable to you?
Working under the guidance of talented graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and principle investigators has taught me how to address scientific questions and think critically. I have had the opportunity to meet so many interesting scientists who have spent a great deal of time helping me to understand how to perform scientific research. Research has also increased my curiosity and appreciation of the microscopic world.
What advice would you offer to other students considering undergraduate research?
Explore multiple opportunities and different labs before choosing one to join.
