Meaghan Griffin's Research Testimonial

Just now entering my senior year here at Fredonia, I’ve already gained so much experience doing research at a wide variety of institutions. The summer after my sophomore year I had a wonderful shadowing experience at CPSI Biotech in Owego, NY learning about cryosurgical procedures to treat solid tumor cancers, heart arrhythmias, and chronic pain diseases. During my junior year and my upcoming senior year at Fredonia I’m researching under Dr. Nicholas Quintyne; in Dr. Quintyne’s lab I’m studying the mechanisms and patterns involved with the clustering of extra centrosomes in cancer cells in order to generate normal bipolar division for these abnormal cells. And this summer before my senior year I’ve been given the amazing opportunity to do an REU project under Dr. Michael Glotzer’s lab at the University of Chicago where I’m studying drosophila neuroblast polarization with optogenetic tools such as TULIPs -which was developed here in the Glotzer lab just a few years ago.

I love doing research because it makes you feel really involved with what you’re learning. Rather than just practicing techniques in a learning laboratory class setting, you really get to see the application of those tools to a real research project and you’re encouraged to be much more independent. Research students often get experience with advanced techniques and equipment that you can’t get anywhere else. Being proficient in skills such as cell culture, flow cytometry, western blotting, and much more enhances your chances of building a successful career after graduation. Another thing I really enjoy, and is very important to career building, are the professional relationships you form with other undergraduates, graduate students, and professors while doing research. As a research student you are more like a colleague than student and these connections can be important in the years to come. Doing undergraduate research also develops your skills in thinking critically and designing experiments in a way that is rarely achieved through classes. These research experiences have helped me recognize that even though I have yet to receive my diploma, I’m already a scientist!

Meaghan Griffin
Molecular Genetics major