My 12-week internship at the Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center (VIC) in partnership with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) was a profound experience that reshaped my understanding of the dynamic intersection between research and clinical practice. The bright minds at the VIC played a vital role in shaping my professional growth, as well as my personal development. Professor Mark Poznansky, VIC director, exemplified leadership and dedication to advancing research. His open-door policy allowed interns like me to interact with top-notch researchers and clinicians. Dr. Patrick Reeves was not just a mentor but a guiding light throughout my internship. His expertise in immunology and his unwavering belief in my potential as a scientist motivated me to produce the best possible summer project for the lab. My project focused on the application of multiplex immune cytometry to mesothelioma samples, but it was the invaluable collaboration with clinicians and the insight into the transition between research and clinical care that made this journey truly exceptional. Weekly lab meetings and events made me feel welcome as well as safe to ask questions and discuss experimental findings and data analysis. Boston as a city, has a lot of tourist attractions, but my favourite time spent in Boston is having lunch with the other scientists by the Charlestown Navy yard waterfront. There was a bit of downtime during the data analysis of my project, which allowed me to travel out to Acadia National Park, Cape Cod and New York on three separate weekends. All in all, the internship has solidified my career goal to become a clinical researcher and I am truly grateful to Professor Mark and Dr. Patrick for giving me this incredible experience.
*Nanna and the team in the Reeves lab at the VIC polo event from July. She is pictured first on the right.
