Coe-Brown Grad Chosen for Respected Science Internship
Bar Harbor, Maine—Jennifer Whiting, Coe-Brown Northwood Academy class of 2005, has been selected to participate in this year’s installment of The Jackson Laboratory’s Summer Student Program. The prestigious program draws high school and undergraduate students to the coast of Maine for an intensive, hands-on learning experience. For ten weeks, Jen will study the genetics of aging under the guidance of a staff scientist.
Terry Maddatu, Ph.D., Jen’s summer mentor in Molly Bogue, Ph.D.’s lab, works with the Mouse Phenome Database at the Jackson Lab. This new project compiles data on the physical and behavioral characteristics of mice with known genetic compositions. Jen will spend her summer searching the database to look for genes that may be related to aging. She will look for genes that contribute to such varied conditions as heart disease, neuromuscular degeneration, and any clinical disease that may lead to a shortened lifespan.
Jen is approaching her senior year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where she is majoring in biology. As she anticipates graduate school, the SSP is helping her develop a clear idea of more specific future plans. “I am interested in genetics as a future, so looking through these databases will give me an indication of what that would be like,” she explains.
Jen joins 28 other college and high school students in this summer research opportunity. Their individual projects vary from genomics to development to bioinformatics. All participants reside at Highseas, a nearby century-old mansion, and revel in the many opportunities that Mount Desert Island offers. Weekend camping trips, spontaneous hikes throughout Acadia National Park and bocce ball on Sand Beach complement their time spent uncovering new data in the lab. “I want to get outdoors,” Jen says, her eyes widening. “White water rafting—I’m so excited!”
Since its inception in 1924, the Summer Student Program has led students into the world of professional research. Eighty-percent of the program’s more than 2,200 alumni have gone on to successful careers in medicine or biomedical research. Two particular program graduates, Drs. David Baltimore and Howard Temin, received the 1975 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The summer interns are an integral part of the Jackson Laboratory’s operation, providing fresh perspectives and keen enthusiasm.
The Jackson Laboratory (www.jax.org) is a nonprofit biomedical research institution and National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center based in Bar Harbor, Maine. Its mission is to discover the genetic basis for preventing, treating and curing human diseases, and to enable research and education for the global biomedical community
Contact: Joyce Peterson, 207-288-6058
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