What a journey (or a TRIP?) it's been for the past couple of months. The weeks have flown by, and I’ve learned so much – from micropipetting to how to give flies head trauma (and killing some in the process...).

​For my independent project, I tested whether omega-3 fatty acids could counteract the negative effects of head trauma on memory. I was initially nervous about the new memory assay I had designed with the help of Dr. Valdes, but it turned out to work perfectly! Week after week and assay after assay, the data began to fit together like puzzle pieces for my conclusion. I ended up finding that omega-3 can alleviate the effect of head trauma on memory! After quantifying developmental data, specifically the development of pupae in my replicates over 21 days, I found that omega-3 was safe and beneficial to take in moderate and controlled doses. I’m excited to do more work in the world of science and I’m sure this is just the start.

​Speaking of my peers, I’m beginning to realize that I will miss them a lot – even after a slow start in getting to talk to one another, eventually we all felt like friends working together and talking the hours away. I’m especially thankful to the entire TRIP family – my mentors, Dr. Austria, Dr. Valdes, Dr. Nick, who made me look forward to coming into the lab every Saturday, my TAs Hannah, Sabina, and Martie, who were always there to help me out and laugh with me, and like I mentioned my fellow TRIPsters.

​I’m eternally grateful to the experience gained during my time at TRIP (thanks to both WTHS and FCCC). Finally, reader, thank you for sticking with me throughout my vlogs. This isn’t the last “TRIP” I’ll take!

​Welcome back! With the punny title aside, it truly is weird to think that this is the last chance I’ll get to chat with you guys.
It’s unreal to think back to the fall, as I sat at my table with my parents looking over my shoulders, mulling over my application. I recall being so nervous during the interview that I was praying that the instructors interviewing me couldn’t hear my chair aggressively rattling as I shook. I remember having the dumbest smile on my face for a solid hour after hearing that I was accepted into TRIP. I remember being really, really conscious of how loud my pencil case was as it was jostled around in my bag as I hastily made my way to the classroom on the first day. I look back and see how far I’ve come- how much I’ve changed from the scared kid looking through the classroom windows at students and instructors I’d never met, and worrying about how many flies would scatter out of my hoodie if I dared take it off. I would say it’s hard to believe that I’m the same person, but truthfully? I’m not.

I developed my own research project! While unheard of in something like my high school chemistry class, the opportunity to ask and answer my own questions was amazing, to say the least. I immediately knew that I wanted to look into the benefits of goji berries- these little red fruits had been floating around in my bowl for as long as I remember, and I needed to know if they were any good. To sweeten the deal (pun not intended), I wanted to look into how the berries’ impact differed between adults and teens. I mean, do I really need to eat all of this stuff all the time? Turns out I don’t really need to. The positive effects of goji berries only really extended to adults, barely affecting teens. Furthermore, I found that only about 10 grams of berries was ideal- I suppose there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Not to stop you from indulging in a few extra, of course. 

My project would have never existed, were it not for the immense support I received. I figure that it’s only right to thank the instructors who found time to help me as nine other kids asked for the same, my fellow TRIPsters (I refuse to refer to them as merely my ‘labmates’) who I worked with to navigate the program, and the teaching assistants who guided me (and filmed my first Instagram reel) for putting so much time into making this program something that I’ll recommend to everyone I know. Possibly too much- one classmate asked me if I was being paid to advertise for TRIP. If only…

As this program comes to an end, I will forever hold the invaluable memories and crochet fly close to my heart. Although TRIP is now over, my journey has only begun. Sorry, I had to end this off with a good line.
I’ll see you later down the road.

​I can’t believe it’s already been a week since the symposium! I know I will continue to reminisce about the happy memories I made at the lab this past year. I met like-minded TRIPsters who share my passion for science, received guidance from nurturing mentors, and gained lifelong skills for critical thinking and presenting. I will especially miss working at my Claire-nado (a workspace of organized chaos consisting of three classroom desks pushed together—one desk for my vials and developmental data, one desk with my female fertility collection cages and a bucket of ice to count my flies, and one desk with a notebook to record my data)!

​For my independent project, I researched whether fiber could shield future generations from PFO. PFO is a type of "forever" chemical that has been used in consumer products worldwide since the 1950s for non-stick coatings and durability. Humans have nearly universal exposure to PFO through contamination of the world's water, soil, and food resources. PFO is linked to a plethora of health issues, such as reduced fertility, high blood pressure and cholesterol, developmental delays, and increased risk of cancer. 

​For each vial, I ran the female fertility assay to determine reproductive health, conducted the negative geotaxis assay to assess overall physical health, and collected developmental data. I used inulin (a common fiber supplement) as my source of high fiber. Once I completed my assays, I moved the parent flies and allowed them to lay offspring in new vials. The purpose was to determine whether the effects of PFO would be transmitted across generations and whether taking inulin could counteract these effects. I often stayed during both Session A and B to complete both my assays, given the number of vials I had and the length of my assays, but I hardly noticed. Time flies when you’re having fun! I concluded that while PFO decreases female fertility, physical health, and development, either the parents or both the parents and the offspring may have these effects counteracted by consuming inulin. I was beyond excited to present my results at the symposium, and I loved seeing everyone else’s research and results!

​Lastly, I would like to close my blog by giving a shout-out to my instructors, Dr. Austria, Dr. Valdés, and Dr. Maskalenko, alongside TAs Sabina, Hannah, and Martie, and my fellow TRIPsters, all of whom were invaluable in my learning process in the lab. Throughout the program, they were always willing to help out, provide advice, and answer any questions. I loved every second I was in the lab, even if I stayed for nearly the entire day! Participating in TRIP has fostered my love for science, and I am beyond grateful for this opportunity. Thank you so much for everything! Although this leg of our journey may be over, I am excited to see where the next stop on everyone’s TRIP will be.

Hi everyone!  I think it’s about time I gave an update on what's happened in the past few months.  To reiterate, my experiment focused on the ability of natural vs. pharmaceutical drugs to reduce inflammation.  For my natural and pharmaceutical substances, I used epigallocatechin-3-gallate (the JAK inhibitor found in green tea, otherwise known as EGCG) and heparin, respectively, with hydrogen peroxide as my stressor.  I had predicted that the heparin would greatly decrease inflammation with some sort of adverse effects, whereas the EGCG would be less effective at reducing inflammation but pose lower risks to overall health.  To test this hypothesis, I used the Melanization Assay (an assay I developed myself) to measure the immune response and the Larval Locomotion Assay to assess overall health.   

First, the Melanization Assay: Since the production of melanin is part of the Drosophila immune response, you can measure the level of inflammation by seeing how light or dark they get after being subject to a certain stimulus (i.e., pain).  This involved heating larvae in a saline solution and observing their subsequent color change.  However, the first time I ran this assay, I noticed that all the larvae looked almost identical before and after heating.  Nevertheless, after leaving to run my Larval Locomotion Assay, I returned several hours later to find that some had darkened completely!  I would later find that it takes around two to three hours for the larvae to fully melanize.

Moving on to the less exciting, but equally stressful, Larval Locomotion Assay, I learned that larvae are much more energetic than I thought.  This assay involved allowing larvae to wander freely on pieces of blank paper while tracking their movements with a blue dye.  However, my larvae frequently traveled off the paper, underneath the paper, and sometimes even as far as the edge of the table (they’re surprisingly fast).  Regardless, they created some cool artwork, even though all the blue squiggles made it a little difficult to track their movements.

As for my results themselves, the Melanization Assay demonstrated that, contrary to my hypothesis, EGCG was actually more effective at reducing inflammation, as it frequently resulted in lower immune responses than in the heparin-treated larvae.  Additionally, the Larval Locomotion Assay showed that the EGCG did not reduce energy as much as the heparin, indicating that those larvae had better overall health.  In fact, the EGCG was even able to restore energy in the inflamed larvae compared to those without EGCG.  While this is by no means a sign to start taking green tea supplements, the results of my experiment might indicate that EGCG holds promise for future anti-inflammatory treatments in conditions like eczema.

​Lastly, I would like to thank Dr. Maskalenko, Dr. Austria, and Dr. Valdes for their help in my project.  It is not easy to create a new assay, and my work was the result of many a frantic email and countless questions.  Also, I would like to thank my amazing TRIP-mates.  It was great to meet so many like-minded people in the lab (especially as we bonded over all the times we stayed late).  TRIP has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, and I am truly grateful to everyone who has helped me thus far.  Thank you for coming along on this journey (or shall I say TRIP?) with me. 

​Hi again! Thank you for joining me on my final blog post for TRIP.

​These 3 months have flown by quicker than I could react. The months spent in TRIP have been nothing short of transformative, informative, and fun! I genuinely have nothing but positive words to describe this program. Over my time in the lab, I can confidently say that I have learned so many new skills. From micropipetting to the malevolent forced swim assay, this program has taught me so much about science, research, and experimentation. I also learned how to manage my time effectively because of how much we were talking in the lab…

​I am happy to say that my independent project was successful in answering my question. My independent project answered the question of whether or not green tea could ameliorate the negative effects of alcohol on locomotion and mood. For this project, I performed the larval locomotion assay to assess the locomotion in juveniles, and I performed the forced swim assay to assess the mood of adults. 

​Initially, I struggled a lot with the forced swim assay because it required me to work with conscious flies. During the first few times I tried this assay, I struggled to catch the flies with my paintbrush, and I lost many flies during this time. However, I found a strategy to simply make the flies go unconscious and then hold them on the paintbrush until they wake up. Some of my flies were also unfortunately squished along the way, so some of my developmental data was abnormal. To solve this, I accounted for the dead flies in each vial, and I made a note in the data that some flies died. These challenges encouraged me to always be ready to find solutions and showed me the reality of experimentation.

​As I am writing this blog, I realize that I am going to miss coming to TRIP on Saturdays. I am going to miss having goofy conversations with the TAs, the very meaningful lectures, the flies (I can’t believe I am admitting that I am going to miss the flies…), and the great friends that I have made at TRIP. I would like to give shoutouts to TRIP’s inspiring mentors, Dr. Austria, Dr. Valdes, and Dr. Nick. I would also like to thank the super fun TAs, my fellow Session A + Session B TRIPsters, Fox Chase Cancer Center for providing us with this incredible opportunity, and William Tennent High School for letting us use the space to work in. I am also going to give my parents an honorable mention for driving me almost an hour every week, just so that I could work in the lab. I feel extremely honored to have had the opportunity to work with such inspiring and amazing individuals, and I cannot wait to see where we are all going to fly next! Thank you so much for reading this last TRIP blog, and I cannot wait to continue my TRIP exploring the vast world of science!

​Over the past two months, I have not only gained valuable skills and knowledge, but also witnessed others around me experiencing the same thing. Within the lab I learned to manage my time effectively through my assays, be able to work in a lab setting in an organized manner, and to grow from my mistakes! 

​With the help of Dr. Austria, Dr. Nick., and Dr. Valdes, I was able to go through with my project and be able to execute it correctly. Additionally, from the support of the TAs and my peers in the lab, I was motivated and excited to complete my project. 

​Through my last blog, I mentioned my focus on the effects of chromium picolinate on a high-sugar diet with life span and metabolic health. Because of how prevalent diabetes is in the United States, I chose to look at this diabetic model to see if this supplement could mitigate the negative effects high-sugar may hold. While I did face a few challenges along the way, specifically with this complexity in the glucose metabolism assay, I did find interesting results! Particularly, after performing the glucose metabolism assay on 5 replicates, I saw that chromium picolinate lowers glucose levels when seen with a high sugar diet. As glucose levels increased in flies consuming a constant high sugar diet, when chromium picolinate was paired with the high sugar diet, glucose levels decreased. This presents how chromium picolinate increases or allows for the improvement of metabolic health. Furthermore, I observed lifespan in all experimental conditions and found that in the control and high sugar vials, there were only 2 flies left, but in the chromium picolinate vial there were 3, and even more significantly, in the combination vial, there were 10 flies still alive. This shows chromium picolinate’s ability to bring greater lifespan. With the increase in lifespan and metabolic health when combining chromium picolinate and a high sugar diet, it’s evident chromium picolinate positively impacts these aspects of life!

Now, although the results and completing my project was an immense accomplishment, the lessons, skills, and relationships I gained through this experience will be unforgettable. Although my TRIP is now completed, the journey will remain forever engraved in my mind. Thank you to everyone involved in this opportunity and those who helped me get where I am today!

My TRIP experience has come to an end, and I can wholeheartedly say it has changed my life. Through the kickoff experiment to the independent project and all the skills I learned in between, I am a better scientist and person because of it all. My research question and the rationale as well as my overall experience with the program are so important to me currently and in my future

To start, my independent project was discussing the generational effects of manganese poisoning and if milk thistle can mitigate said effects. I researched this because as humans amp up the creation of renewable energy, more batteries are created to store said energy. Because of this, more people are mining for the necessary materials to create these batteries, potentially subjecting themselves to heavy metal poisoning. Many metals used in batteries have only begun to be mined to such a high degree recently, meaning that the generational effects are yet to be seen. One of these metals, manganese, could have negative effects on the overall health of offspring. Additionally, milk thistle has been seen to help the effects of heavy metal poisoning because it is an antioxidant. Milk thistle, particularly its active component silymarin, has been studied for its potential effects on heavy metal toxicity.  I was interested to see the effects of each of these things and how they interact. Overall, I concluded that manganese induced hyperactivity, which disagreed with my hypothesis that poisoned flies would act more lethargic. Milk thistle mitigated said effects, but overall did not return levels to normal. This project allowed me to express my own ideas and create a study without a curriculum like in school.TRIP allowed me to explore my mind, making my research project key to my overall timeline in the science world.

Secondly, my experience with the program as a whole was life changing. The TRIP experience taught me things ranging from physical skills like how to use a pipette, making solutions, etc., to general life skills, like receiving feedback, presenting to my peers, and so much more. I have more knowledge to move further in the STEM field and now have a firsthand lab experience under my belt. One of the most important things I learned was how to work with others in setting but alone on work, bouncing ideas off of my peers while still maintaining my own thoughts. Problem solving was another key skill that I had to learn in the TRIP lab, especially when my hypothesis didn't match my conclusion. Finally, and probably most importantly, I learned time management. For the program, I timed so much of what I did that now I know what I can complete in a certain amount of time. All of these skills will positively impact my future in the most positive ways.

Overall, the TRIP program was momentous and I am so happy I participated. The amazing peers, TAs, and instructors I had will forever alter my life. A special shoutout to my amazing TAs, Martie, Sabina, and Hannah, as well as my instructors Dr. Austria, Dr. Nick, and Dr. Valdes. I thank all of the people and flies that allowed me to get where I am today.

Right now, I find myself sitting here writing my blog on a Friday night, which was typical with many of my TRIP assignments. The only difference now is that tomorrow, on Saturday, the lab that was formerly brimming with energy will be empty. It almost feels as though TRIP ended when it feels as though before it even barely began. This is not to say that each day was not eventful; it was quite the opposite. Between sorting the pesky fruit flies, conducting assays, and, best of all, interacting with your peers and instructors, everyday in TRIP was memorable. I can almost feel the vacancy in my life; when something used to take up so much time within your life, to the point that it feels like a routine, abruptly cuts off, an empty, lingering aftertaste emerges in its place. That sums up what I feel about TRIP ending after about 4 months of sessions and lab time. Although I can now fill in the time it took with other activities and plans, it’s sad to think that the people who were once so integrated with my day won’t be there. 

From that, it is clear to say that out of all the things I enjoyed about TRIP, the people were the best part. Although I initially applied believing I would gain relevant experience in a laboratory setting, TRIP ended up being much more than that. I was overjoyed to meet so many nice and inquisitive people that shared so much of the passions I held. The small chats we engaged in within laboratory time lightened the mood and certainly reduced the stress I felt whenever an assay did not go well. I'm sure that everyone felt the same, between the temperature-finicky fruit flies and planning of the independent projects, hiccups were bound to arise. Having skilled instructors, such as Dr. Austria, Dr. Nick, and Dr. Valdes, along with  supportive TAs, such as Sabina, Hannah, and Martie, was very helpful; however, there is a different comfort found between shared stress and troubles among peers. I’m beyond glad we were all able to rise to the occasion and successfully conduct our independent projects. 

To take a closer look at the independent projects, I was surprised to learn about the level of flexibility there was when choosing what to research and how to design your experiment. The general experiment would be designed by yourself, which may seem overwhelming, but the discussion that follows with the instructors stabilizes the foundation that you established. As for me, my independent research was based upon how exposure to green light may potentially mitigate the effects of blue light. I did not know how exactly I would implement this, but after a discussion with Dr. Nick, it was determined that I would code circuits with different daylight cycles for my flies. This decision left me pleasantly surprised as my interests in engineering were integrated into my experiment. I do not know if this was on purpose or simply a happy accident; nonetheless, I was delighted to establish connections between TRIP and the future career I want to pursue.

Now, with the end, I will find myself questioning what to do on Saturdays with my newfound liberty, wondering what my fellow peers and instructors are engaged in at the moment. TRIP has had a substantial impact on me, teaching me new skills in research and experimental design, as well as enabled me to forge new friendships and connections for the future. I will certainly miss everyone and hope I can see them again at some point!

​Hello everyone! Thanks for following along with me throughout my time in TRIP and joining me on my final blog post to end this magical, fruit-fly filled journey! These last few months in TRIP have been nothing short of incredible, and gradually I’ve seen myself grow as a person and as a scientist with each careful stroke of my paintbrush to assist me in handling our delicate flies.  I’ve made so many memories and met so many amazing people through my experience in TRIP, and yet it feels like just a few days ago I was packing my backpack with my notebook, calculator, and the fear of venturing into the unknown of TRIP and what would come along with it. When I walked in, I was a curious student full of wonder about science and conducting research, and now I’m walking out with invaluable and unforgettable knowledge about what it means to be a scientist and all of the components that truly go into it. Every step of the way taught me something new regardless of what it was; whether it was making my replicate vials, preparing the food for my flies, performing my assays, or presenting my information, I learned something new that taught me more about not just how to be a scientist, but also how much there is left out there! 

​After carefully thinking about my experiment, I decided on refining the focus of my research through my question since the last blog I wrote. Originally, my focus centered around seeing if Chamomile tea and Ashwagandha tea could mitigate the impacts of sleep deprivation on adult and adolescent anxiety levels, and I planned on simulating sleep deprivation through constant blue light exposure. After closer research though, I found out that sleep deprivation is just one of the many routes I could take through testing with blue light. While it does cause sleep deprivation, it also does so much more, like increasing long-term risks of chronic disease and eventually contributing to cognitive decline. These factors made me interested in broadening my focus, leading to my adjusted experimental question: Can Chamomile tea and Ashwagandha tea mitigate the effects of blue light on anxiety levels? 

​This switch allowed me to not only broaden the scope of my research but also to consider blue light in its full-depth, neurodegeneration and all. With our growing screen time epidemic, it becomes more and more important to understand the alarming impacts of blue light on the well-being of adults and adolescents, as blue light’s present everywhere at all times through smartphones, televisions, tablets, and so much more! The harmful impacts of blue light have been found to contribute to anxiety and research has also shown anxiety becoming a greater mental health issue in recent years, especially for adolescents that still have developing brains. To go about my vision to consider all of these factors, I used 6 vials, one control, one blue light, one Chamomile tea, one Ashwagandha tea, one Chamomile tea combined with blue light, and one Ashwagandha tea combined with blue light. I hypothesized that in both the adults and the larvae blue light would increase anxiety, with both teas mitigating its impact by bringing anxiety back down, under the assumption that Ashwagandha would be more effective.

​To test adult anxiety, I performed the Centrophobism assay, which directly translates to “fear of the center”. Fruit flies, as natural prey animals, tend to be afraid of the center since that’s where they are most vulnerable in nature. In the assay, I carefully placed 3 flies of each condition into their own set of 2-D confinements, where I recorded their movement for two minutes and analyzed how many times they crossed the center as well as how long they spent in the center. Center crossings are like flashes of bravery among the flies to cross dangerous territory, and center time is the willingness of the flies to remain in that territory. Higher amounts of these metrics show decreased anxiety, since more anxious flies are too fearful to cross the center nor spend time there. Despite this, both metrics don’t usually show up together since a fly that crosses the center a lot won’t be spending long in the center and vice versa. My results for this test showed that both Chamomile and Ashwagandha tea mitigated blue light’s impact on anxiety, with Chamomile doing so to a greater extent than Ashwagandha. Blue light made the flies more anxious, and while neither tea increased crossings further in response, they ended up increasing center time which indicated a decrease in anxiety, with Chamomile shockingly shooting up the average center time massively, surpassing all other conditions!

​In the realm of testing adolescent anxiety, I performed the Larval Locomotion assay, where I took 5 larvae of each condition and carefully placed them on a piece of thermal paper corresponding to their condition, and painted each with blue dye. I watched as they squirmed around the paper and illustrated paths composed of swirls in hues of cerulean and cornflower as the blue faded over time. I measured the average distance they travelled in centimeters and measured distance digitally to make it easier. A farther distance travelled indicates less anxiety while a shorter distance indicates more anxiety since they’re not as willing to move around much which could be attributed to fearfulness. My results showed that blue light surprisingly seemed to decrease anxiety in the larvae by increasing distance, and Chamomile tea further increased the distance, lowering anxiety more while Ashwagandha tea brought distance back closer to normal. This test is usually used to assess activity and isn’t perfect for anxiety, since anxiety also has the potential to express itself as hyperactivity. 

Through my five trials, I was able to conclude that both Chamomile and Ashwagandha tea can mitigate blue light’s impact on anxiety but may do so differently in adults compared to adolescents, which only interests me further. What I’ve gained throughout TRIP isn’t defined by my results, but rather my entire process of experimentation, research, methodology, and thought process. The process of science fundamentally relies on experimentation, and this program’s been an eye-opening experience for me to dip my toes into the ocean of scientific research that I hope to dive into later on in my career. I’ve learned that in science it’s more than okay to be incorrect and that sometimes that’s what pushes us further and actually helps us learn more and advance our understanding further. It’s been such an honor to have had the opportunity to be a part of TRIP, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking to expand their interests, learn new things, and grow not just scientifically but personally as well. I’d like to give a massive thank you to my instructors: Dr. Austria, Dr. Valdes, and Dr. Nick, for being the best instructors I could’ve ever asked for, teaching me so much every week while fostering my curiosity through kindness and guidance. I’d also like to give a huge thank you to our wonderful TAs, Sabina, Hannah, and Martie for always helping us through our experiments, and to all of my amazing classmates who were always a pleasure to be around and made time in the lab feel like home. I’m so excited to take what I’ve learned and see where it takes me as I venture further into science and research down the road. Life may get stressful at times, but withstanding it is what counts, and sometimes all you need is a great community and a soothing cup of tea to make it through and follow your dreams.

We are finally at the end of this program! This has been a wonderful time, filled with educational experiences and fun. Through this program, I have learned what scientific research in the lab is like, and what it means to conduct your own fully fledged scientific experiment. I have developed confidence in various lab techniques and assays that will no doubt benefit me in college and beyond. The TRIP community is so supportive and I am so happy to have been a part of it. The final symposium was extremely fun, I really enjoyed listening to what all my labmates have been working on over the past 3 months. Each project was very well put together and interesting.

My research project investigated how chamomile tea and decaffeinated green tea impact chronic anxiety disorder. I found that chamomile tea and decaffeinated green tea lessened chronic anxiety, but increased acute or situational anxiety. It was inconclusive whether chamomile tea or decaffeinated green tea better lessened chronic anxiety. Throughout my entire journey, the TRIP instructors have been very supportive and helpful in guiding my project and myself through the lab.

​I immensely enjoyed the career talks, although I wish there were more of them, and I’m happy to have been exposed to what lab science is like. I will miss TRIP a lot, and I can’t wait to get into the lab again and to conduct more experiments!