This summer I had the privilege of participating in one of the best undergraduate research programs in the country, the Exceptional Research Opportunities Program (EXROP), funded by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). The program allowed me to choose from a number of different HHMI mentors from California to New York. My chosen mentor was Dr. Randall T. Moon, Howard Hughes Investigator, Department of Pharmacology at the University of Washington, Seattle.

As soon as spring semester was over, HHMI flew me and the other EXROP students from around the country to the annual EXROP Conference at HHMI headquarters in Chevy Chase, Maryland (Washington D.C. area). There were approximately 200 students there, half of whom were prior EXROP students and others like me, were “new” students. We learned more about the program and what other HHMI opportunities are available for graduates. There was a panel of speakers encouraging us to continue with our current studies and to further our career in research. The many social activities allowed us to get to know each other and the faculty speakers. Before departing the prior EXROP students presented their work from the summer of 2004. This gave us a chance to ask questions about their experiences and to learn what they had worked on. Next May I will again be flying to Maryland, only this time I will be presenting my work from the summer of 2005.

Dr. Moon’s laboratory focuses on Wnt signaling pathways in Zebrafish and Xenopus (frogs). Wnt signaling is responsible for normal development in all vertebrates, and has been shown to have a role in various diseases. For example, serious diseases such as colon cancer are mainly due to mutations or loss of proper Wnt signaling. Thus understanding Wnt functions will be useful in developing safe and effective therapies for such diseases. My project dealt with Wnt signaling and gut development in Zebrafish embryos and with the effects of small molecules on the development of the embryos. The summer research focused not just on getting results but also on learning. I learned many new assays and techniques and was able to apply my education and prior knowledge and skills to an entirely different situation. Being in the laboratory was not unlike prior experiences, but the environment I was in changed the whole experience.

Seattle is very different from Tucson in many ways. As a native resident of Arizona, I had never been out of state for that length of time prior to this summer. While in Seattle I was able to look around and enjoy the scenery. The city is located on Puget Sound and is scattered with hills and lakes. There are many natural places around Seattle that are a wonder to see, waterfalls, mountains, and a rainforest. There are also many islands in Puget Sound that can be easily reached by ferry. The city has many natural food markets and has plenty of culture. Seattle is home to many folk, music, and art festivals, which take place during the summer. I attended these events and visited unique sites such as the Pike Place Market, the International District, and many of the tourist attractions such as the Space Needle as well as some of the greatest science and art museums and centers in the country.

The university area was also beautiful. Grass and flowering plants just seemed to grow, without any help. The campus is very open with plenty of grassy areas and fountains to relax around. I often saw people practicing martial arts, playing instruments, or just sitting and reading. The University of Washington houses many summer program students, so in addition to the people in the lab there were many other students with whom to interact. The medical center was gigantic and like our campus, constantly under construction. It was located right on the edge of Lake Union near many of the water activity centers offering boat and kayak rentals. The university itself has many student centers, but the surrounding area has much more. Just across the street there is the University Village; which is a collection of stores and eateries often found in a mall. Like UA there is a main avenue that is home to many more conveniences and social places. There are of course, several coffee shops, the main bookstore, pubs, a movie theater, music shops, a post office, and various restaurants ranging from Thai to pizza.

Overall the city, university, and laboratory combined to form a very unique summer experience. I will remember it for years to come. I am very lucky to have done something out of the ordinary and to have learned what it is like being at a different university and city. I encourage all of you to do something different and to travel to somewhere new. The application for EXROP and many other programs can be found on the UBRP website at: http://ubrp.arizona.edu/. Information on HHMI can be found at: www.hhmi.org. For more information on the work done in Dr. Moon’s laboratory visit the home website called “A pond in Seattle” at: http://faculty.washington.edu/rtmoon/. If you would like more information on my experience feel free to contact me via email at: abegaye@email.arizona.edu.

Adrienne Begaye, UBRPer in Dr. Josephine Lai’s lab, Department of Pharmacology