Audrey V. Eshun

October 17, 2014

Picnics, Ultrasound and Cancer

Ultrasound technology has been implemented in a variety of ways in the world of medical physics. One application that has not yet been thoroughly experimented is the use of Ultrasound in the diagnosis of cancer. Great research projects are being implemented all over the world, but I found that in South Hadley in our very own Mount Holyoke College, Dr. Maria Teresa Herd is researching the how's and why's of the different patterns between the ultrasound scans of malignant and benign cancer cells. I had the privilege of working as a research assistant in Dr. Herd’s Ultrasound lab over this past summer. I was introduced to scientific methods I had never encountered and exposed to the world of academic research. In my day-to-day activities, I conducted multiple scans with various transducers, cultivated live cells and performed data analysis. Despite our zeal in lab work, my team members and I still found ways to favorably encompass our surroundings into our experience through enjoying baked desserts at picnics and playing frisbee at barbeques. My presentation will take you through the details of my research and my overall experience working in Mount Holyoke.