Mattie Bovis ’28, a molecular biology major and psychology minor, spent last summer working in an oncology lab as a step toward her dream of a career in veterinary medicine. With funding support from the Career Services Summer Internship Funding program, Bovis was able to spend the summer working as an intern under Chunling Yi, PhD, at the Yi Lab at Georgetown University Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Bovis studied how certain cellular pathways may lead to cancer. Specifically, she examined a pathway called Hippo-YAP/TAZ and other similar systems that can cause cells to grow out of control and progress into pancreatic, kidney, liver, and lung cancers.
Bovis said her interest in veterinary medicine began at a young age. “I’ve always loved animals and discovered a passion for medicine when I first shadowed at an animal hospital in elementary school,” she said. Later, she performed high school lab work in cancer research which sparked her fascination with oncology.
Her summer internship at the Yi Lab exposed her to laboratory techniques such as immunohistochemistry (IHC), western blotting, and gel electrophoresis. She worked with mice to measure tumor growth and inject treatments to gather data. “Every day felt exciting,” she said.
Bovis prepared for her summer experience through her coursework and cites Professor Engda Hagos’ biology class Critical Analysis of Health Issues: Cancer Core as a key factor that set her up for success. Bovis said, “Professor Hagos’ course deepened my knowledge and greatly strengthened my passion for cancer research, treatment, and related biological pathways.”
Her pathway to veterinary medicine has always been supplemented by her coursework, and now she has completed even more hands-on experience.
“This summer gave me invaluable insight into the medical field, and it was a pivotal experience for me as I continue to pursue a career in medicine,” Bovis said. Adding essential lab experience to a passion years in the making has established that Bovis’s medical path is just beginning. Her summer experience at the Yi Lab gave her invaluable insight into the medical field, putting her well on her way to fulfilling her dream.
Colgate and its generous donors offer grants to support students’ living costs and supplemental expenses to pursue unpaid and underpaid summer experiences. Learn more about Colgate Summer Internship Funding.