Here are a few cool things from my lab recently…
I saw how subcutaneous tumors are harvested from mice. Subcutaneous tumors are tumors that form under the skin, and through my mentor, I was able to see how they’re harvested (how they extract them from the mice). I felt a little sad that the mice died, but it’s very important that we have these tumors to study the disease.
This research can help advance treatment for PDAC, which is the deadliest form of pancreatic cancer.
Aside from that, I’ve been doing independent work, and I’ve been doing a form of microscopy called immunofluorescence, where different antigens are added to the tumors. These antigens produce a light so that the tumors glow in the dark, which helps us identify different structures within the tumor.
It’s been going great, the images have been good, and I’m enjoying learning how to do it.
This summer, recent high school graduate Shannoy Fraser is spending two months at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland participating in a competitive internship researching pancreatic cancer tumors.
Special thanks to Hall supporter Jeff Winter and Dr. Jonathan Brody, Ph.D. Professor & Vice Chair, Research, Dept. of Surgery, Associate Director, Translational Research, BCCPC at the STEMPrep-OHSU Internship Program at Oregon Health & Science University for sharing this amazing opportunity and working with Hall to get Shannoy into this exciting program.
Throughout the summer, Shannoy is sharing thoughts about her experiences both in and out of the lab on Hall’s blog and social media channels. Follow along with her journey on our Instagram and website this summer as she takes the next steps toward a future in medicine and research.