A Trip Down Memory Lane by Alan Meng

​Over the past 12 weeks, I have had nothing but delightful experiences at the TRIP Lab. I never could have imagined how what started as an interest in science turned into an experience full of problem-solving, persistence, and exploration of a world of science that deeply interested me. For my independent project, I tested how increasing doses of sodium nitrate, a common preservative found in many processed foods, can ultimately damage the gut and overall health. This research question and the drug were inspired by the rising consumption of processed foods in America and my mom’s concerns about preservatives and additives. I also wanted to explore gut health because it is a heavily discussed topic today, and because I had found a gap in the current literature. Overall health was assessed to determine whether these shifts in the gut microbiome led to a decline in overall health or indicated other potential damage.

---

​To do this, I used the gut microbiome assay and the negative geotaxis assay, and I collected developmental data. With the gut microbiome assay, I quantified bacterial colony counts by crushing the flies, adding an MRS Stock (to facilitate bacterial growth), spreading the gut and stock solution onto an MRS agar plate, and incubating the plates. When I analyzed my results, I found a significant drop in bacterial counts in flies fed a diet higher in preservatives. This demonstrates that eating more processed foods is harming your gut health. I found a similar result when assessing overall health using the negative geotaxis assay, in which flies with higher sodium nitrate levels in their systems were less willing to move, indicating worse overall health. 

---

​Despite the incredible results that I found from doing the assays and experiments, my biggest takeaways from TRIP will all be about the process of achieving those results. Not only did I learn laboratory procedures, how to graph and analyze data, and how to present my findings, but I also developed a new understanding of how to approach large, complex tasks. There is always a benefit in thinking critically and asking questions, even if something may seem too obvious. Also, despite facing many setbacks, I learned to bounce back from these issues, and that it is through those moments that you grow the most. As Dr. Valdes constantly reminded me, “mindfulness.” That idea has stayed with me, as it has become clear now that taking things one step at a time is the best way to avoid becoming overwhelmed by what lies ahead. 

---

​Even though there were many early mornings and many more late afternoons, each weekend spent at TRIP gave me a glimpse of how valuable passion and commitment were. Even when some Session B’ers began to leave, I (and more often than not, Brandon) stayed to get all of our assays done. These long hours made me realize how easy it had become to fully invest myself in something I had grown extremely fond of.

---

​All in all, TRIP has been one of the most meaningful experiences during my time in high school, not only because it expanded my knowledge of science and potential career paths, but also because it fostered many skills and helped me grow in so many ways. I want to thank my mentors and instructors, Dr. Theresa Austria, Dr. Nick Maskalenko, and Dr. Silvia Valdes; my TAs, Hannah Tong and Sabina Tulendinova; my TRIPmates; Fox Chase Cancer Center and William Tennent High School; my family; and my chemistry teacher, Mrs. White. 

---