When I applied to the BRAVO! program, I don’t think I knew what I would be getting into. But now, I’ve been in
Japan for almost a month, and I’ve never had more fun in my life! Everything here is interesting, and the people are all very nice and eager to help. It’s useful if you can speak the language a little, but if not, you can always find someone who knows some English. So far I’ve been to Tokyo, the southern islands of Tanegashima and Yakushima, and to Matsuyama (where I tried a Japanese public bath!). The chance to work in a new lab and to be responsible for completing a project with an imminent deadline is something every undergrad should experience, especially if you plan to pursue graduate work. My project is important to the study of the evolution of symbiosis. I am screening wild populations of Drosophila (commonly known as “fruit flies”) for endosymbiotic bacteria, as a starting point for a larger project between labs in Tucson (Markow and Moran labs) and the lab here in Japan (Fukatsu lab). Even though unexpected problems will arise (and have), things are going well, and I am creating memories that will last a lifetime. Brooke LaFlamme, AIST, Tsukuba, Japan

In just three and a half weeks, I have experienced more in Sweden than I would in an entire summer back home. My decision to take a short sabbatical from my lab in Tucson to further my research interests abroad has been a great one. The level of academia at the
Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm is amazing. I am currently working in the
Integrative Physiology Laboratory, which employs more than twenty researchers. The beauty of the lab lies in its name, integrative. The science here knows no bounds and our team of chemists, microbiologists, surgeons, and biochemists works hard in an attempt to better understand Type II diabetes. In addition to having a great diversity of disciplines, my lab prides itself in being a truly international lab. Although there are eight countries represented, there are no cultural barriers. In fact, I have felt like a member of the family since my first day. I look forward to the coming months and already feel like my time spent here will not be enough. Andy Lemieux, Karolinska Instituet, Stockholm, Sweden

Greetings from London. My research here at the Royal Free Hospital is going great, and we are expecting some good results. London is a huge city with so much to do and see. I have met people from all over the world and it has only been three weeks. I would recommend the BRAVO! program to anyone who wants to experience other cultures and expand their horizons. Cheers! Christine Poach, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, UK

I am busy at the University of Stellenbosch in Stellenbosch, South Africa. I am working in the S.P.A.C.E (spatial physiology and conservation ecology) group of the Chown lab. I am looking at Rapid Cold Hardening, a physiological cold tolerance mechanism, in tse-tse flies (Glossina pallidipes). My projects are progressing nicely and I am working hard but thoroughly enjoying the life and winter weather of the Western Cape. The hiking is wonderful (when weather permits), the wine is cheap and excellent, and the people are friendly. Anyone interested in the work or with any general questions can contact me at: bprital@email.arizona.edu Cheers, Ben Pri-Tal, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

So, my first four weeks in Ghent have been really interesting. The people here are nice and the atmosphere is so different from Arizona. The lab I work in is somewhat like a biotech company. It is huge. There are people in charge of doing mundane things like autoclaving or keeping track of the supplies. It is very different from my lab at the UA where we take care of ourselves. The lab is separated into different aspects of plant biology. I have my own project that I've been assigned. It's like jumping into the deep end of the pool and being told "sink or swim."

It's really neat to see a different part of the world where the sun doesn't go down until 10:00 at night! I am only hours away from London or Paris and even in the small city of Ghent there are sights to see. Adjusting to this new place takes time and effort but I'm glad that I am where EVERYDAY I learn something new about this place AND myself. It's a HUGE growing experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. Who knows what else will happen. I'm still here for nine more weeks. Andrea Aguirre, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

Greetings from Wuerzburg, Germany! A few weeks into my BRAVO! experience, I am happy to report that I've become immersed in the German culture: good wurst (or sausage), good beer, good people and great science! Dr. Wolfgang Roessler and his lab group, all of whom have made for an easy transition into living in another country, have warmly embraced me. Beyond new scientific techniques and methodology, I am learning very much about Germany--its food, people, and traditions--and about the world, outside of the United States. I could not have asked for a more productive or enjoyable first 3 weeks abroad! John Biebelhausen, Wuerzburg, GermanyBRAVO!

In Belfast, Northern Ireland: Home of the Ulster fry, fish and chips, traditional harp music and the land of leprechauns and fairies. Conducting research against a backdrop of rolling green Irish hills in the heart of Belfast City has proven to be both exciting and educational. To add to the chemopreventive properties of curcumin, found in curry, my research investigates a possible mechanism of action of curcumin treated colon cancer cells. Specifically the proteins downstream of c-jun kinase activation, FasL and Bim, are being examined for changes in level of expression in cells treated with curcumin at various time points. Protein expression, measured by western blot analysis, has been ongoing. Dealing with brand new antibodies has taught me to optimize the immunoblotting process as well as to utilize existing literature to find positive controls to run beside my treated samples. Examination of RNA levels of expression through RT-PCR methods, a technique that is new to me, is just beginning. A series of amplification steps of c-DNA made from RNA extracts of treated cells undergo electrophoresis on an agarose gel and the levels of expression of RNA of FasL and Bim can be viewed within the different treatments. The next step in my stay here will be to conduct an investigation of a complete time course as well as to examine the two proteins with introduction of an inhibitor of c-jun kinase and examine changes in level of expression. Once optimization has taken place, the real work can begin and completed that much faster. This experience, in the first month alone, has taught me about myself as a person, European culture, as well as many new scientific techniques that I had no idea existed. It has been a remarkable and memorable experience and it’s only just begun! Aluvia Escalante, Queens University, Belfast Ireland