Time Won’t Fly: Paralyzed by Fruit Flies and Discovery by Delina Gebremichael

Hello everyone! As I reflect on the incredible week I have spent at TRIP, I realize how much I have grown both as a researcher and as a learner. This program challenged me to think critically and work carefully through each step of my experiment. For my experiment, I tested the effects of a high sugar diet stressor and the drug fenugreek on fly mobility.
It took time for me to fully understand each assay I did, even when reading instructions. However, I found visual representations, either from videos or demonstrations by my teaching assistants in person, to be extremely helpful. Once I watched a visual representation of what I would be doing for each assay, it allowed me to feel more confident in performing it independently and refer to the instructions from time to time if needed. Furthermore, the career talks we had throughout the week covered different career aspects that are a part of the Fox Chase Cancer Center. Although I found it all to be eye-opening in ways that I had never thought of, what resonated with me the most was the emphasis on the patient experience. When Brice Corbin emphasized this in his talk, it was a good reminder of why I became interested in medicine. I respected the integrity and culture at Fox Chase, which was welcoming to everyone. An environment that fosters building relationships for healing is essential for patients, allowing them to be more trustful of their healthcare providers. So overall, I admired the dedication to facilitating the holistic approach that Fox Chase makes for its patients.

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When I think about the most memorable parts of the program, it was most likely the hands-on lab work and being able to design and carry out my own experiment. It helped me build confidence in my ability to think critically and solve problems. Coming into TRIP was completely out of my comfort zone, but with the help of Dr. Austria, my teaching assistants, and my peers, I managed to learn a lot. Communication is a factor I prioritize greatly when it comes to improving myself, and in doing so with everyone, it allowed me to genuinely enjoy the process. I came in with the curiosity and humility to be willing to learn in depth while sometimes admitting that I did not know everything. Keeping that in mind throughout the program allowed me to handle the challenges that came along and made the end results more rewarding. An instance where I embraced failure was mainly when transferring flies. Once I figured out how to transfer them more efficiently by placing a vial on a tube rack with a funnel to hold it in place, I was able to preserve more flies. Learning along the way came naturally throughout the week, especially as I gained hands-on experience and support from my mentors. On the other hand, learning how to use a micropipette for the first time, or even differentiating male and female flies, was easy for me. So, there were times when I knew what I was doing and other times when I did not, but I embraced every moment as a part of my understanding.
My overall takeaway from this journey at TRIP was that I took the time to learn and be open to trying new things. Fox Chase was the most welcoming environment for me to do so, and I will forever appreciate the opportunity that I had to experience that.

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