Some might assume that undergraduate biological engineering students are just kept around to clean mouse cages and perform insignificant tasks. But Christine O’Brien, a December 2010 grad, is far from your stereotypical science nerd.
Christine gave a presentation at the Council on Undergraduate Research’s prestigious Posters on the Hill event in Washington, D.C. last April. She presented groundbreaking research on techniques that improve early melanoma detection. She and civil engineer Kyle Ervin were among 60 students in the U.S. chosen to participate in this event, as well as the only two from Mizzou.
Christine’s accomplishments and her dedicated attitude make her a role model for all Mizzou ladies and undergrads. With spring break right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to take Christine’s research to heart. Her findings stress the importance of staying safe in the sun.
Her Campus Mizzou: What specific research have you done involving early melanoma detection?
Christine O’Brien: What I was working on was focusing on trying to detect melanoma before it spreads. Melanoma starts on the skin and breaks off and travels throughout your blood system. The way we test patients is by taking blood samples from them and scanning them. The scans will detect if a patient has melanoma or not. However, the problem with these scans is the tumor must be large enough to be visible by the scanners, and by the time the tumor is large enough, it is much harder to treat. I have been working on eliminating the waiting process of the tumor to grow so the patient can begin treatment earlier to increase their chances for survival.
HCM: What inspired you to do research with melanoma in particular?
CO: My father actually has skin cancer. I remember as a child having him chase me around the house with a bottle of sunblock. Also, every year the rates of melanoma are getting higher and higher. I really enjoy doing research that benefits so many people.
HCM: What information did you present to the Senators and Representatives in Washington, D.C?
CO: I went to D.C. to speak with our legislators about why undergraduate research is so important. Undergrad funding is crucial because undergraduate students need firsthand experience because we are going to be the ones curing cancer in the future. Undergraduates are perfectly capable of productive work. Giving undergraduates more opportunities is a great use of money.
HCM: What was the result of your presentation?
CO: The summer after my presentation, The America Competes Act was passed. This Act was one of my main points in my presentation. This Act tries to put more tax dollars into research so the United States can better compete against other countries like India or Japan because right now, they have more engineers in their countries.
HCM: Wow. That’s very impressive! How did you prepare for such a large presentation?
CO: All of the students selected for this program had to go to through workshops to practice speaking in front of an audience. I went to Jefferson City. The most challenging aspect was to put things into simple terms my audience could understand easily. We had to learn what was important and what was too in depth for our audience. I was extremely nervous to present my work in front of legislators. I expected them to be very serious, but they were actually really kind, and I felt very comfortable!
HCM: How has Mizzou helped you succeed with your work?
CO: The faculty at Mizzou has helped me enormously. The staff here provides so many great opportunities for everyone. There are so many different fellowships and programs. In particular, Dr. Viator was really inspiring to me. There were 15 of us who worked in his lab. It was such a great environment to work in. Since I really enjoyed going to work, it made me more productive. Mizzou has so many options and has something for everyone, and it is so easy to get involved here and do something that you’re really interested in.
HCM: What activities were you involved in as a student here?
CO: Sophomore year I was involved in a group called Sustain Mizzou. This was an environmental group, and we did activities like stream cleanups, recycling, local food drives and community gardening. I was also an officer for a biomedical engineering society. I did some work as a volunteer with a science club that does activities with children ages 7-9.
HCM: Now that you have had so much experience, what are some of your future plans?
CO: Even though I graduated last semester, I still plan on working with Dr. Viator in his lab. I am also currently teaching Biological Engineering 2000, which is a professional development course. I was accepted into graduate school and will be leading a Ph.D. program at Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn., next fall. I hope to continue diagnostic research under a new professor and do more work with lasers and get more experience. I eventually hope to be a professor for a biomedical engineering program.
HCM: What interests you most about becoming a professor?
CO: I really enjoy working with new students. I find it to be very rewarding mentoring younger students and watching them progress. Being a professor requires a lot of patience and is something that I find to have great importance.
HCM: What is your fondest memory of being a student at Mizzou?
CO: I would have to say getting to know my professors and working with my fellow students. Sometimes we would have sword fights with Styrofoam in the hallways! The memories and relationships I have developed here are definitely unforgettable.
HCM: What advice would you give to students at Mizzou?
CO: I would tell them to get involved. Mizzou has an environment that allows students to be surrounded by opportunities. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help because at some point or another, everyone gets stuck, and the best thing to do is to ask for help.