Q: Can you provide a short intro to who you are?
A: Hi, my name is Angela. I'm in my 4th year, P2, and currently on my 3rd co-op. I've lived in various places before college; I lived in South Korea until 7th grade, moved to Virginia for 2 years, and then went to high school in West Virginia.
Q: What co-ops have you done in the past?
A: For my first co-op, I was at Harvard University Pharmacy in Cambridge and I still work there as a per diem. And for my second co-op, I worked at the Boston Medical Center inpatient pharmacy.
Q: Can you walk me through what a day looks like for you in the lab?
A: I get into the lab where Abhijit, my lab supervisor, explains the overview of the day and the reactions we are conducting. For any reaction, we start by calculating how much reagents are needed and the measuring of the reagents. This part is crucial because each one is measured in small quantities, in milligram, and the measurement has to be precise. We put the mixture into the microwave synthesizer, take the TLC of the reagents and the product to see if the reaction was done completely, then do the work-up. After that we dry the product via rotary evaporator, and then sometimes purify further in the column machine. We usually do two to three reactions per day. Sometimes if there is an article that I read, Abhijit and I discuss about it and how it relates to what is happening in the lab. I try to read up and learn more outside of the lab to catch up. On Mondays, I attend this journal club hosted by Dr. Thakur with PhD and Master's students. Every day starts out differently depending on where I left off the day before.
Q: Why did you decide to choose to do a co-op with Dr. Thakur?
A: For my third co-op, I wanted to do something different from the co-ops I have done previously. I was interested in research co-op, but not many were offered from the School of Pharmacy. I had Dr. Thakur as a professor for Medicinal Chemistry during the summer semester when I was looking for a co-op and I emailed him asking if he would be willing to create a co-op position for me. He has talked frequently about his research during class and after reading about it more, I thought he would be a great professor to work with and learn from. Thankfully, he was up to take me as a co-op student.
Q: What do you like most about working in his lab?
A: I like how it is a hands-on experience where I get to do every step of the reaction. I have been taking on more responsibilities in lab and I have conducted some reactions all on my own, which is great because I get to see how much I have progressed and learned. I also like how I know what kind of compound I am making and what it is used for and whatnot. Working in a lab is really flexible in terms of work hours, but if you work more hours, then you get more out of it.
Q: What differentiates working in the lab setting versus your other co-ops?
A: At other co-ops, it was more patient-oriented and seeing everyday-used drugs. It was a big shift going from a "traditional" pharmacy workplace to more of a class setting work environment. I know what I do in lab doesn't directly affect patients at the moment but knowing that the products I make can lead to a drug that can eventually help patients when it is available makes what I do every day meaningful. Also, each day in lab is different, so it is exciting to see what I will be doing or learning when I get to the lab.
Q: What are some obstacles you had to overcome while working in the lab?
A: I am the only undergraduate student in lab; everyone else is either a Master's, PhD, or a postdoc (student), so it is obvious that I am not as knowledgeable as others in lab. I felt intimidated when I first started working because I had no lab experience besides general chemistry and organic chemistry lab. Also, I did not have much background about the research. But I asked a lot of questions and read more on my own time. I still have a lot to learn, but I think I'm on the right track.
Q: Any final remarks?
A: I guess I want to tell younger students that they should try to do something new, something different and see what they are really interested.
