TAMIU Students Attend Summer-Long Research Opportunity at Texas A&M

Two Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) students recently completed an undergraduate research opportunity through the Texas A&M University’s School of Agriculture & Life Sciences’ Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology. 

TAMIU students Ana Ramos and Geysira Vela took part in the 2023 Summer Research and Extension Experience for Undergraduates at the Interface of Plant, Microbial, and Bioenvironmental Sciences, held this summer in College Station. Students attending the summer-long research experience focused on learning the fundamentals of biological research while also taking part in independent research activities in a lab setting.

Ramos, a senior Biology major who worked under the guidance of TAMU principal investigator Dr. Susie Dai and post-doctoral student Dr. Bin Long, focused on studying grazing behaviors of cyanobacteria, a common blue-green algae found in freshwater lakes and ponds, to understand biological defense mechanisms.  

This aligned with her future career goals as a future physician-scientist to explore how plants, bacteria, and viruses influence host immunity, Ramos explained. 

“When I arrived at my internship, I was told that I would be initiating an entirely new project on a topic that I was not very familiar with. During the first week of my internship, I delved through numerous articles related to my research to build foundational knowledge while other interns had already started collecting data. I felt behind and discouraged because I knew my time there was limited, and I wanted to make the most of it. Despite grappling with these sentiments, I remained resolute, showing up every day, including weekends, to diligently advance my experiment,” said Ramos.

She continued, “In just a few weeks, I was collecting data that, in the end, approached the standards required for eventual publication. This journey taught me not just analytical skills in data collection and organization. I also learned that patience is a virtue in scientific research and the ability to self-discipline, meet high expectations, and care about work performance is essential to complete any project.”

Her readiness for this internship was bolstered by undergraduate research experiences at TAMIU, including undergraduate research under the guidance of Dr. Sharmin Hasan, assistant professor of Biology; Dr. Michael Kidd, associate professor and chair of the Department of Biology and Chemistry, and Dr. Amanda Muñoz, assistant professor of Biology.  

Vela, a TAMIU junior Biology major, started her college journey as a research volunteer due to her enthusiasm to be a part of the scientific community. She was first informed of the opportunity by her University research mentor, Dr. Ruvini Pathirana, assistant professor of Microbiology.

This summer at Texas A&M University, Vela worked in the molecular plant virology research lab of Dr. Jeanmarie Verchot, studying plant-virus interactions. She worked both in the research lab assisting the Verchot lab members to grow viruses, and in fields injecting different virus types to cucumber plants as her ‘live’ experimental models. The chance to work in a dynamic research environment in multiple projects helped her fully engage with the scientific community in College Station.

“During this internship, I learned how skills and techniques can be transferable from one lab to another.... The dialogue established with peers and professors played a pivotal role in shaping my understanding and refining my research questions,” said Vela. 

She continued, “Altogether, my internship was a dynamic journey that equipped me with a multifaceted skill set of hands-on work, analytical depth, transferable skills, and a genuine passion for advancing scientific knowledge.”

The collaborative atmosphere that extended throughout the research environment resonated with Vela.

“Being surrounded by professionals who shared their insights and encouraged me to explore new avenues of thought was truly inspiring. Engaging with these professors has motivated me to pursue my passions with the same dedication and enthusiasm they have for their own,” Vela noted.

She is working as an undergraduate research assistant at TAMIU under the mentorship of Dr. Pathirana studying complex metabolic adaptations in a disease-causing yeast. Her current and previous undergraduate research experience in various disciplines of biology provides not only foundational research skills but also strong mentoring support from University professors to gain additional learning opportunities. 

Dr. Pathirana emphasized the value of engaging in different learning opportunities to get the maximum from college life.

“Undergraduate research can be valuable to all students – students will learn the classroom topics and concepts by being involved in it through research. Undergraduate research experiences hone the skills that all employers seek in college graduates such as teamwork, time-management, effective communication skills, analytical skills and critical thinking skills to generate novel ideas and will make you a competitive candidate. This also encourages undergraduate students to pursue advanced degrees and research career pathways particularly in STEM,” said Pathirana.  

Students interested in undergraduate research through the TAMIU Department of Biology and Chemistry are encouraged to reach out to their professors and explore research opportunities available in their research lab, either paid or volunteer positions in different sub-disciplines such as analytical chemistry, biochemistry, biodiversity, cancer biology, development biology, ecology, environmental science, genetics, geology, molecular biology, microbiology, and physiology.

Students interested in studying Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences can learn more about these degrees and opportunities for research by visiting https://www.tamiu.edu/coas/biochem/index.shtml. Currently, the University offers bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Chemistry, as well as a master’s degree in Biology.

University news and information can also be found online at tamiu.edu and on TAMIU’s social channels on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, Twitter, and YouTube.