Week 10/30-11/3

This week in ISM I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Andrew Koh at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Knowing Dr. Koh had his own lab, I was hoping to gain an understanding of the research aspects of the career as well as what his research in stem cell transplantation consists of. From the interview I learned the importance of having a great understanding of infectious disease as a pediatric oncologist. The number one cause for children diagnosed with cancer is not the cancer itself but the diseases they catch after treatment. Because the child's immune system is suppressed during treatment they attract many rare and highly deadly infectious diseases. I am fascinated with the research that I done within the lab and the technology that Dr. Koh and his researchers use. I am excited to begin exploring the possibility of working within a lab and focusing on the research skills I learned from Dr. Andrew Koh. I will use the information I gained through Dr. Koh to continue expanding my knowledge and specializing in the pediatric oncology field. This upcoming week I will reach out to more doctors and start planning for my original work that I will then begin working on within the next month.