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STUDENTS & SCIENTISTS UNITED FOR BREAST CANCER PREVENTION
RESEARCH
Tehreem Rehman
I
was fortunate enough to receive the opportunity to intern
at one of the most prestigious cancer research laboratories
in the nation over this summer – Fox Chase Cancer Center. And
this was all possible thanks to the supportive faculty at
my school and the Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition.
My
experience at FCCC was truly amazing. Not only did
it enable me to gain tremendous experience in working in
a lab, but helped me mature on a more personal level. At
the lab, I was taught how to extract RNA from rat tissue,
as well as how to isolate RNA and DNA. I also learned
to measure the concentration of RNA and DNA in a sample using
the nanodrop and to do cell culture of breast epithelial
cells. In addition, I was able to assist in gel electrophoresis,
preparing whole mounts of rat tissue, mircroarrays that measure
gene expression by the amount of mRNA present on the slide,
and using the bioanalyzer.
However, working in a lab taught me something more than
simply how to follow protocols. I learned that researchers,
contrary to popular belief, are not constantly running around
frantically and isolating themselves from everyone else. Research
is actually more laid back, and researchers are always communicating
with each other for new ideas or advice. They are able
to perform their research pretty independently and at their
own pace, without having a mentor constantly breathing down
their neck. Unfortunately, in our society, young people
are not encouraged to pursue a career in research. They
are not told of the immense personal satisfaction research
brings as well as how beneficial their work would be to others. After
all, the medicine and instruments that doctors are using
today are all applications of research.
My
stay at FCCC also helped me realize what a precarious state
our earth is now in. We are all constantly eating,
breathing, and yes, storing, chemicals - many of which are
suspected to be carcinogens. There is not one person
on this earth who doesn’t have chemicals, such as DDT,
still in their body fat, or in cases of women, breast milk. The
fact that DDT can still be traced in our bodies even though
it was banned decades ago, depicts how these chemicals are
even more detrimental due to their persistence in the environment
and our bodies.
I was also confronted with the harsh reality of how prevalent
cancer, especially breast cancer, is in our nation. Not
only are the rates of cancer constantly going up, but sperm
counts and fertility keep going down. With many researchers
continuing to adamantly funnel their research towards the
genetic components of disease, the more overt environment
causes often end up being overlooked. While working
at FCCC, I was given a rude awakening of the endangerment
of the human race and how we are fully responsible for this. Over
the past several years, more and more animal species are
becoming extinct or developing abnormal behavior and physical
characteristics, such as deformed genetalia. Correspondingly,
ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, and infertility keep becoming
more common among humans. If more and more of our fellow
mammals are becoming extinct, why can’t the same thing
eventually happen to us? |
