When Starting Small Wins it All: Internship Research Project Lands Scientific Publication
Feb. 2, 2026 | Austin, Minn. — Every summer, The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota welcomes undergraduate interns who participate in the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE). These students are placed in research labs across the Institute, where they gain hands-on experience and participate in professional development activities that prepare them for careers in biomedical research. For SURE Intern Noah Zimmerman, what began as his summer internship research project led to new discoveries and publication in a scientific journal.
The recent paper, authored by researchers in the lab of Associate Professor Vijay Reddy, PhD, analyzed the strengths of various viruses using their 3D structures. The method they developed can be used to quickly evaluate the stability of viruses without ever handling any of them, nor doing any experiments with them.
Today, Zimmerman works full-time as a biochemistry researcher on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus; during his 2023 SURE internship, he joined the lab of Dr. Reddy.
One aspect of the Reddy Lab’s work involves maintaining a large database of information on spherically-shaped virus structures: viperdb.org. The team analyzes these structures based on various characteristics, such as the strengths of their protective outer shells (capsids) or particular surface features. Their data science approach with this study allowed them to identify which of these viruses might be able to persist on outside surfaces for extended periods of time — without having to grow any of them in the lab.
One of the many benefits of this research is that by understanding more about viruses and how they work, it’s easier to find ways to keep them contained.
Zimmerman’s analysis began with combing through data, including the total amount of surface buried between the building blocks (viral coat protein subunits) that make up virus shells. Then, their research team compared this information across virus families, specific virus architectures, and altogether. The analysis comprised a total of about 630 viruses.
“It started small, but we soon realized we could take this project to a much larger level and potentially pursue a publication,” Zimmerman said.
Dr. Reddy went on to explain that Zimmerman was able to identify the stronger virus shells among their respective virus families and uncover details on virus structures in both strong and weak states. The lab is using this information to select capsids as nano-capsules, which have applications in areas such as effective vaccine design and bioengineering.
“Virus particles are strong — until they find their target cell,” Dr. Reddy said. “Once they invade the cell, they weaken and disintegrate, which allows them to release its genome and hijack its host cell’s machinery to make copies of itself. This is all part of the virus master plan aided by evolution.”
Dr. Reddy made the decision to keep Zimmerman on for an extra month after the internship ended to write the paper’s first draft. As he wrapped up his senior year and graduated, the lab made final revisions to get the paper ready for submission.
Ultimately, the paper was accepted and published in the scientific journal Protein Science. Its authors, all researchers in the lab of Associate Professor Vijay Reddy, PhD, include 2023 SURE Intern Noah Zimmerman, Researcher 2 Oscar Rojas Labra, and Dr. Reddy himself.
This project has uncovered plenty of new information about the strengths of different virus structures, and it’s only the start.
Greater understanding of virus properties like this has wide biomedical applications and could hold keys to identifying strategies that keep larger groups of viruses contained.
For example, if two viruses are found to be similar, and virus A interacts with a protein in a certain way, virus B might, too, and a single treatment or prevention strategy could work on both viruses.
These virus structures could also be analyzed in terms of the diseases they cause — like the differences between a virus that infects plants and a virus that infects animals, or a virus that causes the common cold and one that causes vomiting and diarrhea.
“As more and more structures become available, it will be interesting and useful to compare them, within the same family and across different families to know how they are similar or different,” Dr. Reddy said.
A SURE-ly Great Experience
For Zimmerman, the SURE internship was his first taste of how it felt to work in research full-time — without having to manage other academic commitments, like additional classes or clubs. He says his summer experience made it much easier to transition from student to full-time employee, allowing him to hit the ground running when he started his new position.
Zimmerman calls his time in the Reddy Lab an “eye-opening experience”. He appreciated the lab culture’s “fun and collaborative” atmosphere, and how they were able to connect more generally and unwind over routine tea breaks.
In turn, Dr. Reddy appreciated the enthusiasm Zimmerman brought to the research group made possible by the Institute’s education programs.
“Noah is no shy lad!” Dr. Reddy laughed. “He showed his unbridled energy and enthusiasm throughout the three-month period, which was pretty contagious, I must say. It was fun to interact with him.
“These programs are incredibly important for training the next generation of scientists, doctors, and engineers,” Dr. Reddy continued. “These internships are gateways to a student’s future, providing new perspectives and opportunities for them. Someone gave me that opportunity a long time ago. I know how important it was for me, and I believe it would be the same for interns as well.”
Today, Zimmerman’s research involves investigating the potential to use existing, approved drugs for a new purpose: combatting harmful microbial infections often seen among immunocompromised patients in hospitals.
“The SURE internship prepared me immensely for my current role,” Zimmerman said.
While typical lab experience in undergraduate coursework is important for learning key concepts and proper methods, Zimmerman explained, the process often looks like following a series of steps with known outcomes — like working from a “cookbook”.
In contrast, SURE gave him real-world lab experience that offered more opportunities to build critical thinking skills.
“Figuring out why an experiment failed or how to analyze your own data to find trends and insights is something we do on a daily basis as scientists. The SURE internship addresses curriculum gaps and allows students to see the full process of research,” Zimmerman said.
An added layer that made Zimmerman’s SURE internship experience particularly special was being an Austin, Minnesota, native himself.
“It was a lot of fun. My parents really enjoyed having me back for a whole summer,” Zimmerman said. “It really felt like something special: being from Austin, being selected to work at the Institute, and being familiar with how much the community supports the work at the Institute through various fundraisers like Paint the Town Pink.”
Next on Zimmerman’s horizons: He’s currently in the process of interviewing for a PhD program.
Some final advice from Zimmerman for up-and-coming scientists: “As an undergraduate or high school student, if you’re interested in research, reach out to some labs! Most labs have their contact information available online and love to participate in outreach, especially for the next generation of scientists.”
You can read the paper here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pro.70257
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Founded in 1942 by Jay C. Hormel and The Hormel Foundation, The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, makes scientific advancements that enhance wellbeing and extend human life. For more than 80 years, we have pursued our mission to conduct research and provide education in the biological sciences with applications in medicine and agriculture. A part of the University of Minnesota's Research and Innovation Office, The Hormel Institute partners with the region's leading biomedical research facilities, including Mayo Clinic.