After touring many labs last fall trying to pick a stream, I finally decided to tour the DIY Diagnostic lab. I had heard a lot about it and was eager to learn more after being introduced to the stream during the picnic. As I went through the tour, the mentors were very friendly and answered questions very honestly. The projects seemed very interesting as they ranged from diagnostics for zika virus to melanomas. What appealed to me most about the stream was the freedom that was present in the individual project and the fact that the stream would teach and incorporate coding.
In the spring, we mostly worked on wet lab techniques, including how to micropipette and utilize instruments such as the Qubit and nanophotometer, among others. I enjoyed the fact that everything we did in the spring was not just about teaching us lab techniques, but also about us being able to contribute relevant data to the ongoing Waller Creek project. The skill developments ranged from basic skills such as micropipetting to skills such as using the 3D printer. I strongly felt that I was able to learn from both the skill developments and the mistakes I made on them to create a truly enriching experience for me. My favorite skill developments would have to be the coding ones. Through my experience in this stream, I was able to discover my affinity for coding. I didn’t think that it would be something I would enjoy doing more than wet lab, but I really enjoyed creating the apps and discovered a new interest of mine.
In the fall, I decided to pursue the route of working on a diagnostic application. I wanted to do something that was a medical diagnostic. Inspired by my shadowing experiences at a pediatrician’s office, I decided to work on an app that would diagnose diseases caused by rashes similar in appearance. With my lab partner, we were able to develop the project to be a survey application that would ask the patient questions about the unique accompanying symptoms of the rash. Generally, I feel like the fall semester was harder as it was more representative of a true research experience. There were many reroutes that needed to be done with the project and it was harder to independently establish a direction with the project.
After going through the entire experience, I have learned a lot of essential skills, however, I also learned that research is not well suited for me. Being an extremely organized and goal-oriented person, it was hard for me to establish a proper direction and then deal with it having to be changed or rerouted. As such, the independent project was difficult for me to do. Despite not being committed to the idea of research, I am glad that I was able to come to this realization in the manner I did. DIY not only helped me discover my true interests, but it also helped me uncover new interests such as coding. I am confident that I will use these valuable skills in another field and I am glad I was able to be apart of such a great stream!