Pathochemistry
Miles Sarill | Sunday, February 6, 2011 Educational Goals
Siegfried Hoyer is a brilliant scientist at the University of Heidelberg in Germany. His work demonstrates that the molecular pathology involved in Alzheimer’s disease parallels that of diabetes. Streptozotocin, which is normally used in vivo to produce a model for diabetes, was injected into the cerebrum. The resulting disruptions in glucose brain energy metabolism produced behavioral and chemical changes akin to Alzheimer’s disease. This discovery can provide huge insight into the nature of a disease which affects so many of the elderly.
The department that Siegfried Hoyer works in is the Department of Pathochemistry and General Neurochemistry. Pathochemistry is an interdisciplinary science that examines the molecular mechanisms of disease. It stems from biochemistry and meets pharmacology, toxicology, pathology, neuroscience, and immunology at a cross road. The ingenuity and creativity in pathochemistry no doubt is derived from its synthesis of many domains of knowledge.
How might such a concentration manifest itself within UMass as a BDIC major? The pathochemistry major would take relevant courses from the department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with classes that include general biochemistry; the department of Psychology for the benefit of taking courses related to neuroscience; the department of Biology for courses such as endocrinology and molecular medicine; the department of Food Science for the and the department of Nutrition for the study of bioactive food compounds and their role in pathology; the department of Microbiology and the department of Animal Science for courses relating to immunology and virology. In this way, a blend of courses from these multitudinous departments are all entirely relevant to the scope of pathochemistry. Obtaining a major from one existing department cannot even come close to constituting to unique and intelligible field of pathochemistry.
Experiential Background
At the end of my freshman year of high school my mother died of breast cancer. My high school was a high tech vocational institution where I studied and became certified in biotechnology. I feel that in some ways my mother's death led me to enter the biomedical field. Moving forward a few years, I began independent research for the Massachusetts Science and Engineering Fair. My studies examined the synergistic neurotoxic effects of caffeine and aspartame in neuronal cell cultures. I wound up taking 3rd place 3 times in the various science fairs over the course of two years. However, more importantly, this research introduced me to the ideas of apoptosis and excitotoxcity, which are two important concepts in the field of neurochemistry and pathology.
In the summer between my junior and senior year of high school, I began work as an intern in the neuropharmacology labs at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Boston. This work involved examining the neuroprotective effects of various lipophilic phytochemicals in both animal and cell culture models. Ultimately, this led to me being included as the second author for an abstract presented at the Experimental Biology Conference of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology in 2008.
However, up until this point, I had only really been interested in pharmacology and neurochemistry. It was the multitude of relevant courses that I enrolled in at UMass that gave an appreciation for kinases, intracellular signal transduction and the pathways involved in molecular pathogenesis. The work of Siegfried Hoyer also fascinated me, and understanding the data that came out of his lab in the Department of Pathochemistry pushed was the final straw and I was hooked into the idea of following this path.
Continuing Aims
Unlike many at this age, I have a clear idea of what I want to do with my life and feel that my BDIC concentration will bring excellent preparedness for that. I hope to be an academic and scientific researcher. In order to accomplish this, I will have to enroll in graduate school and ultimately obtain a PhD or Dr. rer. nat. The road to this will likely include an MSc on the way. There are many Masters degree programs taught in Europe which are top notch for biomedical research such as The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich, Freie Universität Berlin and the Karolinska Institute. Upon obtaining a BSc with my BDIC – pathochemistry concentration, I would be eligible for and apply to the aforementioned schools and more. The courses included in my concentration include the core courses that graduate admissions committees like to see such as General Biochemistry as well as the ever critical laboratory research experience BDIC affords me.
However, if I were to pursue a field other than academia, BDIC – pathochemistry would allow prepare me to begin work in Massachusetts' burgeoning biotechnology industry. Despite the global economic downturn, the biotech industry is in need of many skilled technicians and scientists. Another option is that the valuable skills in creativity and leadership learned from my BDIC concentration would prepare me for continuing my father's small private nutraceutical company. Regardless of the path that life takes me, BDIC will be able to train me for all of the destinations I have outlined and more.
Reader Comments (2)
Very high level thinking and the inspiration coming from your mother is profound. Dan Gordon
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