Meg Dillingham:
Spring 2020 Graduate
"During my first semester at WKU, I discovered, characterized, and named the bacteriophage Lunahalos through the Genome Discovery and Exploration Program. The experience at WKU introduced me to the excitement of research, and now, I cannot imagine pursuing any other career."
"Through WKU, I became connected with alumnus Dr. Johnathan Whetstine, a Harvard Medical School Associate Professor who studies cancer epigenetics. He agreed to let me research in his lab for the summer after my freshman year. During those three months, I learned several complex techniques, contributed to a scientific review article, and performed experiments that have been acknowledged in two publications."
"At WKU, I get to work one-on-one in on-campus labs with experienced researchers. I get to learn techniques and skills that are directly applicable to a range of biotechnological fields, gain valuable mentors, and dive into my topics of interest. On-campus research at WKU has been a fantastic immersion into this exciting field of molecular biotechnology."
Sayo Aromiwura: Former Student
"I can genuinely say that I have enjoyed my experience starting from my freshman year. The professors truly challenge the students to reason and still manage to retain the students’ excitement through their own genuine interest in the subject."
"I initially started research with Dr. Srivastava out of sheer curiosity. Going in, I was excited to learn more about molecular biology, but I ended up learning much more than that.'
"Being a part of Joint Undergraduate-Master's Program (JUMP) has been a great experience. The program prepared me for the rigor of graduate school and helped me transition seamlessly from the bachelor’s program. I saw it as an opportunity to learn how to ask the right questions and it has definitely challenged me to reason. It made my research experience more fulfilling."
Briana Markham December 2020 Graduate
"In the Genome Discovery and Exploration Project [BIOL 212] discovering the phage was really fun. I liked the investigative aspect. I liked that everyone was on their own pace. It wasn't a set thing you got to do every day."
"In the Bioinformatics course [BIOL 312], we annotated the genome of the phage. So it was cool to see what happens after you isolate genomes."
"Recombinant Gene Technology [BIOL 450], that's my favorite class I've taken in my entire college career at WKU. Dr. King and Dr. Rinehart are so passionate about it. And it's like a continuation of the Genome and Bioinformatics course. You are trying to find the function of certain genes in the phage genome."
"I love when professors are passionate about what they're teaching because it makes it easier to learn. A professor, and I mean a good professor, can change the way you feel about a course."
"I'm going to be moving to Jacksonville, Florida, for a new position at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Springer said they do a lot of PCR and techniques I've learned through the biotechnology major."
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