Describe your favorite academic subject and explain how it has influenced you (350 words)
Biology, specifically genetics, has been my passion; it is a gateway I believe will constitute the future of medical sciences. This subject has led me to Biomedical Engineering, a dynamic field through which I hope to make my mark in society.
My interest started in the summer of 2010 when I read an article in National Geographic Magazine describing the possibility of “de-extinction”, a process where scientists revived recently extinct species by acquiring viable fragments of their DNA. Of course, my mind went straight to Jurassic Park. In the coming weeks, I pored over articles on de-extinction, leading me to a treasure trove of information on genetics and cell biology.
The following summer, I lost my grandfather to cancer; this life-changing event drove me towards medical research. My once innocent interest in genetics suddenly became a serious passion, as I decided to act on it. In 2013, I started an internship at a biotechnology company called Molecular Devices. For the first year, I worked on data reporting and learned how to culture cells and use proprietary advanced imaging systems. During this time, my interest turned to research. I worked long hours, starting right after school and leaving long after my mentor left. I began to run my own trial experiments, and supplemented my knowledge through advanced courses in the classroom, such as Biology Honors and Chemistry Honors. Within a year, I had the study down.
The following year, I started working on a joint publication with my mentor Dr. [name] that was presented at SLAS 2016. It looked at structural characteristics of cancer spheroid cultures through 3D image analysis. This experience revealed to me the possibilities of biomedical research. This past summer, I decided to conduct my own independent research.
I developed a point of care biomedical device that diagnoses degenerative diseases using auto fluorescent biomarkers and smartphone technology that won second place at the California State Science Fair. It symbolized the culmination of a journey I had embarked on in 2010, and the beginning of a career in Biomedical Engineering in college and beyond.