By CELESTE REMOLINA
Being a SURE intern has been an invaluable experience for my career goals, as I can work alongside prestigious biomedical researchers in cutting-edge investigations. My PI, Ewa Bielczyk-Maczynska, and my mentor, Lucy Diaz, have taught me how to think critically, apply the scientific method, analyze data collected, and understand how findings can lead us to further investigation.
Since I was introduced to the program, I was drawn to Ewa’s lab due to her outstanding professional career and her research focus on functional genomics and metabolic diseases—areas closely aligned with my interests. For this reason, I saw Ewa’s lab as a perfect fit for my interests and career goals.
About the American Heart Association HI-InSPIRE program
Ewa has been an inspiring role model, as she is a foreign woman investigator who has excelled in the biomedical field and helps research the roots of the leading causes of death worldwide. Her work is invaluable, and I have learnt a lot from her during the internship. Her openness to questions, feedback, and guidance in experimental design has helped me grow into a more independent researcher. I will truly miss working with Ewa, but I plan to continue following her research projects as I move forward in my career.
Lucy Diaz has also been an outstanding mentor. Lucy is an outstanding young researcher with a big passion and talent for science, and I learn from her every day. Her approach to teaching—explaining not just how, but why we do things—has deepened my understanding of lab protocols and methodology. She empowered me by allowing me to carry out experiments and analyses independently after initial guidance. This has strengthened my skills in troubleshooting, decision-making, and data interpretation. I hope our professional paths cross again in the future.
Finally, I have also learnt a lot from Francis Perroud, another outstanding young researcher in our lab. His willingness to help, clear explanations, and cultural connection (as we are both from Argentina) made my lab experience even more meaningful. He allowed me to shadow him in procedures I later performed independently, further enhancing my technical skills.
The lab’s welcoming and supportive environment made the transition smooth and the internship deeply enjoyable. It has reinforced my desire to become a biomedical researcher—something I’ve aspired to for a long time. Coming from a country with limited research opportunities, I sought this experience to prepare for graduate studies in the U.S., and it has surpassed my expectations.
Working on a project focused on lipoprotein metabolism opened my eyes to the real-world impact of biomedical research. I gained a deeper understanding of cardiometabolic health by investigating gene mutations in familial hypercholesterolemia —a condition that significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease due to increased LDL cholesterol levels in the blood. This project hit close to home, as my father suffers from cardiovascular disease, and I’ve lost close relatives to it. My goal is to help people like my father become metabolically healthier by researching and understanding the root causes of the condition, and this way, reversing and preventing the leading causes of death related to metabolic dysfunction. The experience at Hormel has further fueled that mission. Through the internship, I’ve gained hands-on experience with techniques such as qPCR, flow cytometry, and siRNA transfection—skills typically reserved for more advanced researchers. These tools are widely used in functional genomics and will be invaluable in future projects. I also contributed to experimental design and developed hypotheses based on data and literature, strengthening my scientific reasoning—something traditional classrooms rarely provide. I look forward to applying these skills with my research projects at Winona State, and I will keep fostering them for graduate school.
The SURE program is an excellent opportunity for students considering a PhD or MD. It promotes critical thinking and application of the scientific method while also offering outstanding professional development opportunities. Weekly seminars with principal investigators broaden our perspectives and guide us in navigating future careers, advising us about graduate school, scientific methodologies, and public presentations. I would deeply encourage other students to apply, as I think this program is outstanding and a unique opportunity to experience cutting-edge biomedical research.
Note: Celeste is participating through our grant-funded AHA SURE In-SPIRE program.