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Regular updates from students in TRIP

Hi There! by Georgia Flego

7/28/2019

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I believe that TRIP will provide a comprehensive look at what research science entails, and will allow for a better understanding of not only how to function in this environment, but how to collaborate with others, appreciate and combat failure, and procure an understanding of what it takes to create an independent project.
Hello! My name is Georgia Flego, but everyone calls me Gigi. I’ve lived in Doylestown, PA for the past five years and I go to Central Bucks East, where I am headed into my senior year this fall. As far as favorite classes, my interests have always been a bit scattered; I’m just as happy studying filoviruses as I am crafting rhetorical essays. I just find such a fascination in the different ways that we are able to filter the world, and love how such filters often find a way to overlap. 
In addition to academics, I am a bit of a music nerd; I have played the piano since I was five, and sing in my school’s select women’s ensemble. In a sense, it is my catharsis, whether that is through playing/singing, or taking the long way home so I can loop Billy Joel’s “The Longest Time” for the third time in a row. 
For the better part of my time, when I’m not knee-deep in schoolwork, you’ll find me costuming for my school’s theatre group. On a whim, I joined the program this fall and now will be head costume crew chief this coming school year! My first show as chief will be in the school’s summer production of Nightfall, a collection of Edgar Allen Poe works. During the fall, I manage the girls’ varsity volleyball team. I cannot play to save my life, but I’ve got a knack for recording player stats, and have quite the repertoire of cheers. I also love taking a moment to breathe by hanging out with friends, watching Law and Order: SVU, and spending a copious amount of time with my dogs.
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​It is crazy how we are essentially a fifth of the way through with the program, and I can hardly wait to begin a project of my own!
I wanted to be a part of TRIP, as I am not sure what type of future I see myself in. Most likely, I will be pursuing a career in STEAM, but have never had an experience where I can explore such interests in depth. When I found TRIP, I was relieved to find individuals who recognize that we are still students exploring our passions, and that our futures do not need to be defined just yet. I believe that TRIP will provide a comprehensive look at what research science entails, and will allow for a better understanding of not only how to function in this environment, but how to collaborate with others, appreciate and combat failure, and procure an understanding of what it takes to create an independent project.
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The Beginning of a Great Summer! by Urmi Choudhary

7/27/2019

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Hi everyone! My name is Urmi Choudhary and I’m going to be a senior at Wissahickon High School in the fall. This past year, I participated in a biotechnology program where I learned to love experimentation in the lab. This made me want to continue working in a lab setting and learning about research techniques which is why I am really excited for TRIP this summer! I am particularly interested in cellular biology and, in college, I hope to study biomedical engineering to learn how to practically apply scientific knowledge in bettering people’s lives. 
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Aside from academics, I am volunteering at Kindred Hospice and completing my EMT certification this summer. In my free time, I play piano, read, and travel with my family. I also love to play volleyball with my friends and babysit at our local community center. 
It’s only been a week, but I’ve already learned so much at TRIP! I am beyond excited to continue learning about various assays and fly behavior. I am honored to be a part of TRIP and it’s going to be a great summer!
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So, Basically, I Keep Fruit Flies Alive Until the Appropriate Time to Kill Them. Poor Things. by Cailean Cavanaugh

7/26/2019

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I’m Cailean Cavanaugh, 17, a rising senior at William Tennent High School, and, as you might imagine, a member of the TRIP initiative. Some boring personal details: I’m interested in math and science, but I’m also a musician (bass and saxophone), history nerd, short story writer, robotics team member, artist, professional amateur photographer, and avid Dungeons and Dragons fan. None of that matters now, though, at least not until I find a way to apply one or more of my other interests to the fruit fly experiments that TRIP is all about. I’m looking for ways to do that right now, and just you wait until I write a dungeons and dragons campaign based on my experiences here!
I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can about fruit flies, conducting independent research, and getting to know what it’s like to work in a lab. I will do all this while trying to avoid accidentally killing dozens of fruit flies through excessive CO2 exposure in order to intentionally kill them later to perform a microbiome assay and measure the effects of senna and sugar intake on the flies’ gut bacteria...
That was a lot, so let me properly break down my first experiment in a format easier to make sense of than a confusing run-on sentence. I put 60 unsuspecting flies (30 male and 30 female) into four separate vials, and will expose each one to different conditions. One vial is a control; the flies eat their normal food. The second vial was given high-sugar food. The third vial was given a laxative herb called senna, while the fourth vial was given high sugar food and senna. On the next class day, I will perform a microbiome assay in order to determine what effects (if any) the high-sugar food and senna had on the flies’ microbiome. Unfortunately, this will require killing the flies.
Even though the flies will eventually need to die, they need to be kept alive long enough that any effects of them eating altered food become noticeable. This presents several problems, the most immediate of which is how to transfer the flies between vials. As you probably know, flies fly, so we can’t just dump one vial into another without getting flies everywhere and making Dr. Purdy wonder why she ever let us past the interview. 
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The solution to this is to knock out flies by using a CO2 gun to fill their vials with carbon dioxide, then move them to a small pad where they are kept unconscious with yet more carbon dioxide. This also provides a convenient location to sort the males from females to keep the experimental vials balanced between sexes—an all-male vial would provide poor experimental data and make too many depressed fruit flies. There’s a catch, though. CO2 can be harmful to the flies, and they can die if left on the CO2 pad for more than 20 minutes. This goes against my stated mission of keeping them alive until the proper time to kill them, so I naturally had to sort them quickly. ​
Stay tuned to hear more about the exciting world of flies’ gut bacteria! It’s a blast, I assure you.
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Week 1 in TRIP by Julia Morris

7/25/2019

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Hello, I’m Julia Morris!
I’m 17 years old, and I’m a rising senior at J.R. Masterman High School in Philadelphia. I want to pursue a STEM career that pertains to biology and engineering. 
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I love to watch TV shows and movies on Netflix, but I can’t pick any favorites because I like so many different ones. During the school year I am involved in many extracurriculars. I’m in my school’s H.Y.P.E (Healthy You, Positive Energy) club where we promote healthy living, exercise and a positive mindset. I’m in the robotics club, which takes up most of my time during the school year, and we build robots for competitions. I’ve tried many different sports but I consistently stay with the badminton team. I also volunteer at Tacony Creek Park with my family and participate in a women in STEM program that meets on the weekends during the school year. Fun fact: I have 1 cat, who is adorable. ​
This summer in the TRIP Initiative I hope to figure out what specifically I like to do. I also hope to learn new things about research and conducting experiments, and most importantly, I want to have fun! So far everything has been so informative and interesting... I am learning so many new things! We learned how to identify the gender of a fly and how to describe different fly phenotypes. We looked at flies under microscopes, and we have also started conducting our own experiment, where we will collect research and data. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the summer has to offer!!
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About Me! by Tara Al-Saleem

7/17/2019

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Sure, in class I've been given experiments to explore and draw conclusions from, but there was always an answer key. In TRIP, I'll be given the tools and be taught the skills to craft an experiment, but from then on I make the big decisions.
Hey guys! I'm Tara Al-Saleem.
​I have lived in the Lafayette Hill/Plymouth Meeting area for as long as I can remember and I go to Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School. I’m entering my senior year there in the Fall of 2019. 
This upcoming year, I will serve as my school’s National Honor Society coordinator. In the past, I’ve helped organize a Red Cross Blood Drive at my school, and I look forward to being able to run the drive this year. Earlier this summer, I competed with my school’s chapter at the National Technology Association Conference in Washington, D.C.. I placed top 10 in three of my events (including one individual speaking event, a biotechnology project, and an engineering design project). This was my first year in TSA, but I’m so glad I found this organization and will have another year to compete. In the fall, I'm the Boys' Varsity Soccer team manager. This is probably my most entertaining and favorite extracurricular I participate in. I've been playing the violin for 8 years and play in my school's chamber ensemble. 
Some of my favorite classes this year included anatomy & physiology, microbiology, and AP Language. While I consider myself a STEM-driven student, English has a special place in my heart. I will always find a way to tie science topics into my writing AND tie beautiful writing into my science projects. I’ve never had space in my schedule to fit in art classes, but I boast a very color-coordinated note collection to make up for it. I'll be applying to college this summer, and am looking to stay in the Philadelphia area. I’ve also volunteered at Fox Chase Cancer Center for the past few years and will be there again this summer. You can find me on Monday mornings at the Clinical Support Desk!
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I don't think I consider TRIP to be "school" because it's going to be teaching me things I want to learn anyways. I am eager to learn more about how to work in a lab, and even more eager to take on an independent project. I applied for this program because I think it's a good way to get a taste of what real research is like. Sure, in class I've been given experiments to explore and draw conclusions from, but there was always an answer key. In TRIP, I'll be given the tools and be taught the skills to craft an experiment, but from then on I make the big decisions (with a little help from my advisors, of course!). 

So far, I have had a blast getting to know my peers and advisors, sorting flies, and thinking about what I want to achieve in my independent project. I can’t wait to see what TRIP has in store for me!
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What a Great Few Weeks It has Been! by Veronica Zhang

7/14/2019

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Just a few weeks ago, I formulated a question regarding the effects of atorvastatin on memory and fertility.
​Little did I know about the grand journey I would take to chase after the answers to this question. 
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Statin drugs have always been a prevalent medication in my life as many of my relatives suffer from hyperlipidemia. One of my relatives has been taking a particular statin drug called atorvastatin for quite some time. I have previously already heard of certain concerns regarding statin drugs. For example, I knew that the FDA had recently released a warning that atorvastatin may decrease cognitive function and impair memory. This brought me into a state of frenzy, since I definitely did not want my loved one being exposed to a potentially harmful substance. 
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After scouring the Internet for more information, I determined that more research needed to be done to help clear up the murky waters that surrounded the side effects of statin drugs. After all, statin drugs are used by 28% of Americans who are over 40, so it is fundamental to learn more about this relevant drug.
Every following week of TRIP, I spent two hours conducting the larval memory assay. At first, the idea of training fruit flies to learn was just mind-boggling and even comedic. However, I soon grew to realize the striking similarities between larvae and humans. The fruit fly larvae were able to associate a banana scent with sugar, and a pineapple scent with no sugar. The larvae definitely enjoyed the banana scent more, since sugar added a nutritional advantage to their diet. After successive rounds of training larvae on separate scented agar plates, I tested their memory by placing them on a sugar-free agar plate with a pineapple scent and a banana scent side. To my surprise, most of the larvae in my control group actually were able to recall that banana meant sugar! Unfortunately, my data also supported the claims made by the FDA. Larvae that were exposed to the statin drug had as much as a 12% drop in cognitive function!
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 In addition, the fruit flies also experienced detrimental hits to their fertility, as the number of embryos per female dropped by as much as 90% with the intake of atorvastatin! Clearly, atorvastatin had negative impacts in both the aspects of cognitive function and female fertility. However, statin intake also results in great gains, such as a decreased potential of getting cardiovascular diseases. My research aims to shed light on the possible consequences of ingesting statins, but the benefits must also be weighed in.
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Throughout the fourteen weeks of TRIP, I have learned far more than just laboratory techniques. I have learned to look at problems and questions from different perspectives in order to reach a resolution. However, most importantly, I was further able to experience the power of teamwork. Three of my fellow TRIP classmates and I formed an unimaginably close bond as we examined our own questions. All four of us were active researchers performing the larval memory assay. Every single week, we would start out with making agar plates together as a team. One of my favorite TRIP moments was pouring agar plates with my fellow labmates. We would then work as a team to navigate the seemingly complicated steps to the memory assay. It really was an exceptional partnership that transformed the way I perceived lab work. 
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​Science is not an independent endeavour; it involves teams that support each other through failure, and also help resolve conflicts, just like the larval memory assay group did. I was able to see myself grow exponentially throughout TRIP as I learned from my instructors, peers, and myself.
Three of my fellow TRIP classmates and I formed an unimaginably close bond as we examined our own questions... It really was an exceptional partnership that transformed the way I perceived lab work. 
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These past fourteen weeks of research with TRIP was truly revolutionary. I enjoyed the experience so much that I look forward to many future research opportunities down the road!
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Fasting Finale by Rebecca Thomas

7/13/2019

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​It’s all coming to an end. It’s been 15 weeks of a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. The last time I wrote, I was just beginning my independent project, and now I’m getting ready for my final presentation.
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Figuring out my project was really difficult for me because I had no clue where to start. I knew I wanted to do something different from the projects I had read about in the past, but I had zero ideas. For our project, we were allowed to pursue any plausible idea. That type of open-endedness really stumped me. For inspiration, I tried to think about things that my family and I do daily. I tried out a few ideas on my friends and family, and began to focus in on diet as my general topic. While discussing possible project ideas with my parents, they presented the idea of fasting. I thought it was really interesting, a little difficult to execute, but really interesting, so I ran with it. Also, after looking into it a bit further, I realized there weren't many strong conclusions about the effects of fasting, so I thought it would be fun to research!
My project called for work outside of class, since I had to fast the flies at different times a day, but the support of my instructors and family made this seemingly daunting task much much easier. It’s been interesting to observe how an initial vague idea about different types of diets evolved into testing legitimate fasting schedules that people really use. I loved studying something so relevant, popular, and relatable. My final experimental question was: How do different types of fasting affect the activity and gut microbiome of an organism?
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After about 6 weeks of experimentation, I have concluded that fasting in the evening, or skipping dinner, is more beneficial than fasting in the morning and intermittent fasting. This schedule promotes the most activity, and although all fasting drastically decreases bacteria in the gut microbiome, fasting at night promotes the most of the three schedules. These results were very shocking to me because of the satisfaction that seems to surround intermittent fasting, but also good for me because I am always skipping dinner!
At the beginning, it was hard for me to get a single assay done with all the other tasks I had to complete, but by the end, I was finishing 3 assays on time. Looking back, it is crazy how much Dr. Purdy, Dr. Leystra, and Dr. Gardiner taught me in such little time. Even crazier is looking back at how our relationships have changed over the weeks, and how much we were able to learn about each other.
Everything about this program has been geared towards helping us explore our personal interests and working towards our independence in the lab. ​
I never imagined myself performing real experiments, let alone as a sophomore in high school, and it has made me so much more confident about my scientific knowledge. It’s been so much fun meeting my classmates (now friends) and learning about what they are interested in.


​Being a part of the TRIP Initiative has exposed me to amazing people and careers... valuable encounters aside from science. I can’t wait to see how I can contribute to the program as an alumni and I hope to continue building relationships. I entered the lab to delve into my passion for science, and I am leaving it aware of so many more opportunities through which I can utilize my newfound knowledge.
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A “TRIP” to Remember by Kaeli Kaymak-Loveless

7/10/2019

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I can’t believe TRIP is coming to an end!
​The final symposium snuck up on me so fast. I’ve had a fantastic time participating in this wonderful program, and I now feel prepared for future independent research opportunities... all because of TRIP! TRIP has instilled in me countless essential virtues required for scientific research, and I couldn’t be more grateful. 

I now know how to work through failure, explain the layers of my ideas to audiences, effectively present data, design my own experiments, and much more.
The experience of developing and conducting my independent project has been incredibly beneficial. I now have hands-on experience in a lab, and my experimentation was even related to what I would eventually like to study in college (genes and how they are expressed)! 
As you may remember from my previous post, my project involved feeding adults flies drugs that inhibit DNA methylation and then observing the inherited effects of the drugs on offspring. However, in my last post, I mentioned that I was planning to use the drug Hydralazine. Unfortunately, the only way I could have obtained any Hydralazine was by having a heart attack and then acquiring a prescription for the drug (which can prevent heart problems as well as inhibiting DNA methylation). I couldn’t induce a heart attack, so I just chose a different drug instead! I settled on EGCg: an antioxidant found in green tea. EGCg was much easier to obtain ― I just bought it from the Vitamin Shoppe! 
Now that my project has come to a close, I have concluded that EGCg does in fact have a negative effect on the health and activity of offspring, as shown through poor performance of offspring from drugged parents during the negative geotaxis assay and the % hatching portion of the female fertility assay. Thus, my hypothesis was supported!
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I wasn’t able to definitively prove that EGCg’s effects on methylation were accountable for my observations, but that would definitely be my next step in this experiment. I hope to do this by analyzing larval polytene chromosomes (found in salivary glands), also known as “giant chromosomes”. As the name implies, these chromosomes are very large and can be easily viewed under a microscope. They can be stained using various techniques that reveal regions of highly methylated DNA. By comparing the staining patterns of chromosomes from different flies, I can directly determine the effect of EGCg on methylation. I can then draw connections between these conclusions and my initial observations that EGCg decreases offspring health and activity.
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​Anyway, TRIP has been one of the best academic experiences I’ve ever had, and I couldn’t be more pleased to have been a part of it!

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‘Tis Just the Beginning by Remi Zheng

7/8/2019

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​Twelve weeks.
What seemed like years passed in just a second.
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They say that time flies (sorry) fast when you’re having fun, and truer words have never been spoken. For the last month and a half I’ve had a chance to see my project blossom into something that is worthwhile to not just me, but to an audience. Even though I know I’ll be nervous, I am excited to present myself at the final symposium. Sure, the results aren’t what I expected, but as I have come to learn in the lab, using the word “expected” is just jinxing yourself in the future!
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For me though, TRIP isn’t about the fly sorting or data collecting. We all know it’s an important part of the job - but what’s even more important is the environment we’ve created. We’ve all had our fair share of stumbling points, yet here we are, ready to present for the final time. I’d really like to take this opportunity to thank my instructors, TAs, and peers for a truly awesome time. We’ve shared laughs and hugs, but also criticism and pointers. I couldn’t have succeeded without you guys.
So, in a sense, this isn’t the end. TRIP has served as a springing board, a great opportunity for the future that lies ahead. Not only have I learned new skills in lab techniques or data presentation, but also in looking to constantly refine and improve my work. I’ve had the pleasure of being in the 2019 Spring TRIP Squad, and I can’t wait for our reunion in 5, 10, 50 years! But for now, I’ll get back to work, and ready up to present one final time with all of you guys!
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Scientifically Equipped - My Time in TRIP by Mia Downs

7/3/2019

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​From start to finish, TRIP is rigorous, academic, motivating, and incredible. In just 13 weeks, I went from being apprehensive over the thought of working so closely with fruit flies to now having spent countless hours designing, implementing, and analyzing my own research question. I wanted to come up with an independent project that many people could relate to – we all have cell phones, and we all sleep.

​Figuring out if our cell phones, through the blue light they emit or the yellow light in night mode, can impact our sleep and circadian rhythms seemed like a great project to fit my curiosity. Our cell phones are always in our reach (especially for teens), and our demanding schedules limit our sleep. We all want to wake up and feel rested to take on the day’s challenges, but our phones may be interfering with our ability to achieve restful sleep.
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In my experiment, I performed the negative geotaxis assay on my flies after they were exposed to blue and yellow light for a full week. What did I find? I found that fruit flies’ activity levels are in fact impacted by blue light and yellow light. Both male and female flies showed the greatest reduction in activity levels in blue light followed by measurable decreased activity levels with yellow light. In addition, through the use of the social space assay, I found that both blue and yellow light slightly affect the flies’ sociability (measured through the distances they kept from one another). 
So, yes, I now have some insight as to how to achieve better sleep (aside from going to bed earlier which I find impossible to do), but I have also found great, long-lasting rewards from my time in TRIP. I worked with amazing instructors whose dedication and sincere interest in all of the students was beyond impressive, and I met new friends who helped me through the process. We all faced challenges in our projects and assignments and learned a lot navigating through them. Guest speakers introduced me to careers in science and increased my interest in scientific research. I started the program with zero lab experience, and now, I can maneuver through a lab with added confidence. Definitely, without a doubt, a TRIP worth taking!
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