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!
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