The co-op experience: From Boston, Massachusetts to Hanover, Germany

This blog has allowed me to share everything I have experienced from my perspective and what I have been working on in the laboratory. However, I thought it would be a good idea to be able to also know the side of the other co-op students as well. Like I mentioned before, I am one of five co-op students in Hanover. The other four students are working in separate laboratories conducting their own research. They wanted to also share a bit of their experience in Hanover.

Meet Elise Armstrong

Major: Biology

Year: Fourth

From: New Hampshire, United States

“Hello Ana's blog followers! My name is Elise and I am currently cooping at Leibniz University at the Institute for Plant Genetics and Proteomics under the supervision of Professor Hans-Peter Braun. 

The research I am assisting with involves a unique, symbiotic relationship between a legume plant, Vicia faba, and the bacterium, Rhizobium leguminosarum. Root nodules develop on the legume to host the bacteria that fix nitrogen into ammonia in exchange for dicarboxylates. The objective of this study is to investigate the mitochondrial proteome to further understand plant metabolism and the relationship with the bacteria. My weekly responsibility is to ensure that my supervisor has all of the bacterial, plant and mitochondrial material needed to perform her assays. I have additionally been assigned an individual project to create a protocol that quantifies nodule growth via spectrofluorescence. Reflecting on my research experience so far, I feel fortunate enough to say that the type of research I am involved with and in such great capacity has truly made this coop experience unforgettable.

The decision to do research abroad was at first daunting. However, I must admit that my favorite aspects of coop were the challenges I faced both at work and when traveling. Because a majority of my colleagues do not speak English as their first language, it has given me the opportunity to improve my confidence, communication and social skills when working with other scientists. In an effort to fully immerse myself within their culture, I have been able to connect and form a network of mentors that can support me. The challenges I have faced when traveling (i.e. getting on the wrong train, not double checking signs, not saving reservations etc.) have positively affected my character and personally growth. Learning to transfer my feelings of confusion and culture shock into sympathy when travel plans go poorly has been another important skill I will carry with me for the future. Overall, this has been a memorable opportunity and I cannot wait to share my experience with other undergraduates.”

Meet Rohan Sharma

Major: Chemistry

Year: Fourth

From: New York, United States

“I'm working in the Institute of Technical Chemistry cultivating mesenchymal stem cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells to create vasculature in vitro.  Also, creating 3D scaffolds from synthetic polymers to mimic in vivo conditions for cell growth. What I have liked about my experience so far is getting to know the other coops/spend time with them and putting myself in a brand new culture and learning a different lifestyle.”

 

Meet Anusha Din

Major: Behavioral Neuroscience

Year: Third

From: Dhaka, Bangladesh

“Although I’m a behavioral neuroscience major, I want to work in drug discovery or pharmaceutical research post-graduation. Because of this my co-op is at the center for biomolecular drug research (BMWZ in German). I work on my own project to uncover the biosynthesis of a fungal metabolite called terrain. Basically the end goal is to discover which one of the genes is responsible for a unique ring contraction step in its pathway. So far I think the most important skill I’ve developed is being able to do bacterial, yeast and fungal transformations solo.

Sounds like a lot of biochemistry? Honestly it is! Which means it’s very different from the theory I’ve covered in class and sometimes that’s hard. However, this means that I get to learn a lot of new concepts and lab techniques which has been what I like most about this co-op. The second thing has been learning from my supervisor and coworkers who are always friendly and willing to answer my questions.”

Meet Sarah Cushman

Major: Biochemistry

Year: Fourth

From: Connecticut, United States

Sarah is actually back in Hanover for a second time. She loved Germany so much she came back and she talked about both of her co-op experiences! (She was also my savior when the whole luggage situation happened)

First co-op

“I work at the Institute for Multiphase Processes which specializes in Biomedical Engierring. For my first co-op I designed and performed experiments to determine the epigenetic modifications of H3K9 in stressed cells that had been cryopreserved. I utilized cryoprotective agents such as dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) with varying concentrations and then inspected and collected data on three biological replicas of marmoset monkey bone marrow stem cells using immunofluorescence techniques.”

Second co-op

“For my second co-op I performed optimization experiments to determine the most favorable voltage and height to electrospray volvox spheres. We were able to determine an ideal ratio of inner beads to outer beads that could grow stem cells and contain growth factors. I also electrosprayed fibermats that were a mixture of gelatin and PCL. By dissolving the gelatin with ethanol the mats would become porous and serve as the structure of artificial arteries between which the volvox spheres containing cells could be held.”

Ana: “Why do you love Germany so much?”

“Germany was one of the easiest countries to adapt to. Germans are some of the funniest people I have ever met, extremely hard workers, and helpful if necessary. I have grown as a researcher in Germany because in the lab here you are expected to be very independent after you have read the literature on your topics and have been shown once or twice what to do in a laboratory. With so much independence, you learn how to organize and prepare your own work as well as fix your own mistakes. Another cultural difference is that it takes a lot of work to win a German’s true friendship. In the US, the term “friend” is often used loosely. My first three months in Germany I turned 21 and half of my lab shook my hand for my birthday, because they didn’t “know me well enough” for a hug. When you ask a German how their weekend was, they won’t just say fine or good, they will usually tell you about their weekend. Small talk is not very common here, you either know people well or you don’t. The people I have met here were worth getting to know and are some of my closest friends now. The lab work and the people are why I just keep coming back. There is always something new and innovative and exciting to learn and you get to do it with the best people and it doesn’t get much better than that.”

Group picture of co-op students in Hanover, Germany. 

I am so glad I have had the opportunity of sharing this experience with the other co-op students. I am so grateful to have met them and it has been so fun to travel with them and spend time together. We do something almost every week and they have become my family here in Hanover. We all come together as a group and it is pretty amazing because we are all so different. I am glad this experience brought us together and the best part is that I will see you all in Boston when I come back. Meanwhile, we still have a few weeks left together. I can assure you we will definitely make the most out of them!