At age six, I knew I wanted to become a doctor. At age nine, I longed for an elite education. At age twelve, I knew I wanted to major in biochemistry. At age fifteen, I found pleasure in completing a difficult physics problem involving Newton's Second Law, as well as reading Nathanial Hawthorne's work and analyzing his true intent. At age sixteen, I could analyze DNA fragments and run a Tolens' test, as my mind explored the realms of research. At age seventeen, I researched Metabolic Syndrome in order to obtain a better understanding of the molecular events that contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction during the onset of Metabolic Syndrome.
I plopped onto the stool at my lab, scanning an article about Aconitase, an enzyme in the TCA Cycle. The timid purr of the centrifuge clung in the air, and the warm, bitter smell of mice cells drenched in Tris-buffered saline hovered out of the cell culture room. After reading about Aconitase, I verified preliminary data which showed Angiotensin II, a hormone, levels had elevated. My timer went off fifteen minutes later and I pulled the sleeve of a purple latex glove over my bony hands. I shuffled through the boxes of new flasks and test tubes as I made my way to the centrifuge. I opened the heavy lid, and singled out each sample and found my cells, which had been treated with Angiotensin II, had turned into white, glue-like clumps. I added lysis-buffer to each sample, placed each in ice, and strolled towards the other lab. My mentor waited for me with a syringe and my control, and I lured each sample into a vertical gel. The next day I analyzed the gel and found that Aconitase levels had been affected, implying that ATP production during the TCA cycle had been affect as well. I illustrated my findings to my mentor, and we linked my analysis to why people who had Metabolic Syndrome were at risk for heart disease.
Through biochemistry I was able to channel my interests in science, while engaging in research that directly impacted society. Researching biochemical processes allowed me link diseases and disorders of today to molecular processes that have been known for centuries; thus, I have invested myself as a scholar and student of the science world.
Johns Hopkins promotes scholarly growth through the exploration of interests. My interest lies within the field of biochemistry, and I desire to explore this interest further through applied research and classroom learning. I will be the first from my family to pursue a career in the medical field. Krieger School of Arts and Sciences will allow me to further my knowledge and expertise in biochemistry, while I engage in a subject which interests me. This flexibility, provided by Johns Hopkins, will provide me with the elite education I desired at age nine, while I continue on the path of accomplishing the goal I set for myself at age six.
I plopped onto the stool at my lab, scanning an article about Aconitase, an enzyme in the TCA Cycle. The timid purr of the centrifuge clung in the air, and the warm, bitter smell of mice cells drenched in Tris-buffered saline hovered out of the cell culture room. After reading about Aconitase, I verified preliminary data which showed Angiotensin II, a hormone, levels had elevated. My timer went off fifteen minutes later and I pulled the sleeve of a purple latex glove over my bony hands. I shuffled through the boxes of new flasks and test tubes as I made my way to the centrifuge. I opened the heavy lid, and singled out each sample and found my cells, which had been treated with Angiotensin II, had turned into white, glue-like clumps. I added lysis-buffer to each sample, placed each in ice, and strolled towards the other lab. My mentor waited for me with a syringe and my control, and I lured each sample into a vertical gel. The next day I analyzed the gel and found that Aconitase levels had been affected, implying that ATP production during the TCA cycle had been affect as well. I illustrated my findings to my mentor, and we linked my analysis to why people who had Metabolic Syndrome were at risk for heart disease.
Through biochemistry I was able to channel my interests in science, while engaging in research that directly impacted society. Researching biochemical processes allowed me link diseases and disorders of today to molecular processes that have been known for centuries; thus, I have invested myself as a scholar and student of the science world.
Johns Hopkins promotes scholarly growth through the exploration of interests. My interest lies within the field of biochemistry, and I desire to explore this interest further through applied research and classroom learning. I will be the first from my family to pursue a career in the medical field. Krieger School of Arts and Sciences will allow me to further my knowledge and expertise in biochemistry, while I engage in a subject which interests me. This flexibility, provided by Johns Hopkins, will provide me with the elite education I desired at age nine, while I continue on the path of accomplishing the goal I set for myself at age six.
