Rebecca Soo-yeon Han

October 17, 2014

From Han Solo to Han Duo: The Redefining Independence

Researching in a biophysics lab for the first time can be intimidating. Researching in a lab having not taken the upper level courses necessary to even moderately understand the theory behind the research is even more intimidating. This summer, under the supervision of Dr. Maria-Teresa Herd, we looked into ways of improving techniques to accurately detect and diagnose colon cancer cells via quantitative ultrasound as well as understand the fundamentals of why ultrasonic tissue properties between malignant and benign tumors exist. However, with my limited knowledge of not only the theory behind the research, but also the equipment and programs used to collect and analyze data, the ability to collaborate with others comfortably proved to be an integral part of learning. In my presentation, I will focus on the importance of collaboration within independent research in order to effectively learn and improve in the lab.