{"id":17654,"date":"2021-08-13T10:11:07","date_gmt":"2021-08-13T14:11:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/?p=17654"},"modified":"2021-08-17T14:44:46","modified_gmt":"2021-08-17T18:44:46","slug":"transylvania-student-values-multifaceted-art-of-science-during-summer-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/1780\/2021\/08\/transylvania-student-values-multifaceted-art-of-science-during-summer-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Transylvania student values \u2018multifaceted art\u2019 of science during summer research"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Bojang working in professor Kathleen O’Connor’s lab (photos: Ben Corwin, UK Research Communications)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Transylvania biology<\/a> major Omar Bojang \u201922 recently presented the results of his work as part of the STRONG Summer Research Program at the Markey Cancer Center at the University of Kentucky. One of eight undergraduates chosen for the program, Bojang says he was fortunate to join a lab that is at work repurposing a diabetes drug, Metformin, to make it toxic to cancer cells. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The drug on its own has an insignificant effect on cancer cells, Bojang explains. But when compounded with gold, for example, the toxicity increases by 100 fold. His research spins off of that idea.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy work has been focused on creating similar, metal-metformin compounds that will show similar effects on mitochondrial respiration and, ultimately, cancer cell death,\u201d he says. He gratefully acknowledges Kathleen L. O\u2019Connor, a UK professor of molecular and cellular biochemistry who is the associate director of cancer education and mentoring at the Markey Cancer Center, and Erin Oakley, the education program coordinator. His goal is to continue the research and publish his findings.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bojang first learned about the STRONG opportunity when Transylvania chemistry<\/a> professor Eva Csuhai forwarded the application to him. Upon being accepted, he was able to build on what he\u2019d already learned in Csuhai\u2019s organic chemistry labs and put his liberal arts training to work. By the end of the summer he had learned many lab techniques and gained confidence in the entire process.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow,\u201d he says, \u201cI feel like I can walk into a lab, have an idea and draft an experiment that is sensible and will prove the idea right or wrong. I can set up something that is actually valuable information for other people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Part of the daily learning, he notes, came from being able to work alongside professionals and see how they think. \u201cIt showed me how to think like a scientist, how to think in intellectual ways and actually do significant things that hold significant purposes.\u201d Having these professionals value his ideas, too, \u201cwas really big,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout the eight-week experience in scientific research, Bojang says he felt the impact of Transy\u2019s liberal arts at work \u2014 the \u201cdabbling in multiple forms of intellectuality.\u201d He learned that being successful in science requires similar multiple proficiencies: being accomplished in the science, but also in the ability to write and communicate information and to collaborate with colleagues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are so many facets to being a researcher other than just the actual research,\u201d he explains, \u201cthat I feel like it\u2019s a multifaceted art. You definitely need multiple skills for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n