Growing up in the northern part of Nigeria, my native land, I watched people who suffered from different illnesses. As you may agree, the human body is complex, and as mortal beings we become ill and recover. Although we rejoice when we recover, but the curiosity of how we became ill still remains. I possess this curiosity and wish to venture into the aspect of science that deals with the understanding of how the human body functions. In gaining this understanding, I intend to positively impact lives by the development of drugs and therapy that target diseases. I am most interested in the development of new antibiotics that can accelerate wound healing process. The aspect of science that I have chosen to accomplish this goal is a career in …show more content…
Pumtiwitt McCarthy. The research in the McCarthy laboratory focuses on understanding more about how the enzymes that synthesize carbohydrates surrounding Neisseria meningitidis function. This bacterium is one of the leading causes of bacterial meningitis worldwide and these enzymes may be used as potential new tools for vaccine development. During my nearly 1.5 years in the laboratory I have gained experience in protein purification, chemoenzymatic synthesis of enzyme substrates and enzyme activity assays. Being a part of the McCarthy laboratory, has enabled me build good communication skills. I have acquired the skills of fluently communicating my research projects to both students and professionals from different educational backgrounds and this is critical to becoming a successful biomedical scientist. I have given four research presentations locally and nationally and I have received four different research awards. My most recent awards include the “Glow up” Eminent Undergraduate Poster Oral Presentation Competition winner and the Colgate-Palmolive Undergraduate Poster Presentation winner from the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCCHE)