We have our second undergraduate up for this week's spotlight and it's Leah Eller! She's an environmental science major who currently works in Dr. Bruce's lab studying the effects of diesel exhaust particles on microglial cells.
What inspired you to pursue a degree in STEM?
I have always been interested in science, but a particular experience led me to want to conduct science research. In high school, I had the opportunity to shadow a cancer researcher, Dr. Javed Khan, and his lab at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, MD. Their work in cancer genomics and the immune system has led me to want to pursue a science degree and hopefully conduct cancer research in the future.
How would you describe your work to the public?
I work in Dr. Bruce’s Environmental Health and Toxicology lab researching the effects of particulate matter, specifically diesel exhaust particles (DEP), on the blood brain barrier. Particulate matter has been known to cause heart and respiratory problems, but recent studies have shown that it can cause neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease. I’m looking at the effects of DEP on microglial cells and how it affects phagocytosis.
What do you enjoy doing the most?
I enjoy going into the lab during the week and working on growing my cells and performing assays under the supervision of my grad student Grace Aquino. In my free time, I like to paint and draw random pieces when I’m inspired.
What is an accomplishment that younger you would have thought unachievable? Younger Leah would never have thought she would be conducting research this early and trying to get published. I’m proud of myself for getting into the Baylor University Summer Science Research Program freshman year which got me into a research lab. I started off working in an organic chemistry lab under Dr. Pinney synthesizing anticancer agents. I helped my grad student in the Pinney lab synthesize a new compound which he later published a paper on.
If you can give advice to the younger generation, what would it be?
My advice would be to never give up and to be yourself. Since coming to Baylor, I’ve struggled with balancing classes, research, and my mental health. Since switching my major from biochemistry to environmental science, I’ve found my niche. Being an introvert and fighting anxiety has been hard in the STEM field, but I’ve learned to just be myself and try to worry less about tests and presentations.
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