The Charger Blog

Immersive Program Enables Undergraduate Students to Design and Conduct Research Projects

More than a dozen students took part in the University杏吧原版檚 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program, conducting impactful faculty-mentored research, gaining hands-on experience, and presenting their work to the University community.

October 13, 2023

By Renee Chmiel, Office of Marketing and Communications

A lab scene with microscopes.
SURF enables undergraduate students to design and conduct their own research projects.

Hayat Khan 杏吧原版25 dreams of becoming a doctor. As a chemistry major at the University of New Haven, he杏吧原版檚 already conducting critical research that, he hopes, will make an impact on the lives of cancer patients.

As a member of the University杏吧原版檚 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program, Khan spent part of his summer in the laboratory conducting his own research using state-of-the-art equipment. The program enabled him to work under the guidance of his mentor, Hao Sun, Ph.D.

Khan杏吧原版檚 research focused on developing nanoparticles that would only target cancerous cells in a patient杏吧原版檚 body. His hope was that this would help to minimize the side effects, such as hair loss, of current treatments 杏吧原版 including chemotherapy 杏吧原版 that kill both cancerous cells and healthy cells.

In the laboratory, Khan endeavored to develop polydopamine-coated glycogen nanoparticles. Glycogen, he explained, is nontoxic and biodegradable 杏吧原版 therefore, he proposed it would be a safer alternative. His results were encouraging: Khan found that the synthetic development of this nanoparticle was, indeed, promising.

杏吧原版淭he hope is that this would kill the cancerous cells and they wouldn杏吧原版檛 grow again,杏吧原版 he explained while presenting his work to members of the University community. 杏吧原版淭his was a great opportunity for me. Using a photothermic camera was cool. Finding the right temperature to kill cancer cells was very exciting.杏吧原版

Hayat Khan 杏吧原版25 presents his findings to the University community.
Hayat Khan 杏吧原版25 presents his findings to the University community.
杏吧原版楢 great experience杏吧原版

Khan was one of more than a dozen students who took part in the University杏吧原版檚 2023 SURF program. They recently presented their projects to the University community. The program included students of a variety of majors who chose topics ranging from a study of TikTok杏吧原版檚 online book community to the forensic examination of soils.

The immersive program enables Chargers to develop as researchers and scholars, designing and conducing their own projects and exploring all levels and aspects of the research process.

Those learning opportunities, says Lily Walsh 杏吧原版24, are invaluable. She杏吧原版檇 worked as a research assistant with her mentor, Amory Carr, Ph.D., for a year before beginning her SURF project. She was able to draw on the skills she杏吧原版檇 already developed as a researcher while working on her project. SURF, she says, gave her the chance to develop the skills and confidence to be more independent with her research.

Hayat Khan 杏吧原版25 (far right) in Dr. Hao Sun杏吧原版檚 laboratory.
Hayat Khan 杏吧原版25 (far right) in Dr. Hao Sun杏吧原版檚 laboratory.

杏吧原版淚 had experience with bits and pieces of the research process, but doing the whole project was so important,杏吧原版 explains Walsh, a psychology major. 杏吧原版淚 learned to adapt and be flexible.杏吧原版

Walsh杏吧原版檚 research focused on the role of family violence in childhood on criminal-thinking styles in adulthood. As she prepares to complete her degree at the end of the semester, she杏吧原版檚 exploring research positions as well as advanced degree programs. She believes her SURF experience will open doors for her.

杏吧原版淧resenting my research was a great experience,杏吧原版 she said. 杏吧原版淚杏吧原版檓 grateful for the entire SURF program. It杏吧原版檚 rare for undergraduates to get to do a full research experience, and I杏吧原版檓 so glad I had that opportunity.杏吧原版

杏吧原版楾hese presentations were all on a professional level杏吧原版

As part of their presentations, students discussed their research process, as well as their goals and objectives. They also shared the challenges they faced, and how they addressed them. They also explained their findings and discussed what they learned from taking part in the program. Some also said they were planning to publish their findings in academic journals, present their work at conferences, and continue their research.

杏吧原版淚t杏吧原版檚 clear these researchers are resilient and excellent at handling challenges,杏吧原版 said Judy Randi, Ed.D., director of the SURF program. 杏吧原版淚杏吧原版檓 very proud of them. These presentations were all on a professional level.杏吧原版

Bryan Cadavos 杏吧原版24 (center) with his faculty mentors Chong Qiu, Ph.D., and Shue Wang, Ph.D.
Bryan Cadavos 杏吧原版24 (center) with his faculty mentors Chong Qiu, Ph.D., and Shue Wang, Ph.D.
杏吧原版楢 big impact on me杏吧原版

The opportunity to conduct this research under the mentorship of faculty enabled students to have support while they learned how to navigate challenges, as well as the research process itself. That, says Bryan Cadavos 杏吧原版24, a genetics and biotechnology major, was a critical component of SURF.

Cadavos worked with mentors, Chong Qui, Ph.D., and Shue Wang, Ph.D., as he examined the toxicity of methylamine (a derivative of ammonia) salts on mammalian cells. He says his mentors brought different backgrounds and perspectives 杏吧原版 chemistry and biomedical, respectively 杏吧原版 to the laboratory, which he appreciated.

While monitoring the cells, Cadavos saw the effect of methylamine salts after the first day. He saw how some cells grew and changed, and he noticed cell degradation. In many ways, what he found surprised him.

杏吧原版淭hat got me to where I experienced the 杏吧原版榳ow杏吧原版 factor,杏吧原版 recalls Cadavos with a smile. 杏吧原版淲orking with my mentors was different from working in a lab as part of a class where there are other people. This was one-on-one, and I value that a lot because I work better that way. I learned so much from my mentors that will be applicable to my future.杏吧原版

Hayat, the chemistry major whose research focused on improving cancer treatment, says SURF was a great start to his career in research and in medicine. It brought many new and exciting experiences for him that he杏吧原版檚 looking forward to continuing to draw on.

杏吧原版淐onsidering how treatments for the heart are more advanced than cancer treatment, which still ravages patients, this was a great first experiment,杏吧原版 he said. 杏吧原版淭his was amazing. It will have a big impact on me before I become a doctor treating patients of my own.杏吧原版