LLF's First Life Sciences Fellow
Meet Kyle Magro
Kyle is LLF’s first Life Sciences summer student, coming to us from UC Merced where he is currently a senior in the Biological Sciences Department. This past summer, he was mentored by Dr. Brent Segelke, and was involved in two projects. The first, Understanding the Molecular Mechanisms of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease), is directly linked to much of the research LLF has funded to date to help advance collective understanding of neurodegenerative disease. The second project, Characterizing the Binding Mechanisms of Novel Antibodies Against the COVID-19 Antigen, contributed to LLNL’s ongoing research and response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here’s what Kyle has to say about his internship and future plans:
I participated in a variety of experiments and assays such as sodium dodecyl-sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), biolayer interferometry, protein assays (Qubit and QuantIT), chromatography, and cell culture/maintenance. These biomolecular methods are useful, as SDS-PAGE is commonly used to obtain high-resolution separation of complex mixtures of proteins, and protein assays are used to determine the amount or concentration of a specific protein or an array of different proteins in a sample. We purified our samples with chromatography techniques to separate organic and inorganic compounds so that they can be studied.
By analyzing compounds in these ways, we obtained a lot of meaningful data about the molecules we were researching. I think the most unique part of my internship experience was getting to work closely with staff scientist and mentor Jacky Lo. He taught me nearly all the technical skills that I gained at LLNL. Learning about his laboratory ability and methods was enlightening; it felt as if I was a young artist learning from a master. Not only did he impart scientific knowledge, but he also gave me life lessons that made me rethink how to market myself in jobs, interviews, and other professional opportunities. This experience stimulated a deep love for working on impactful bioscience projects, and I hope I can continue this as I apply for graduate programs in California.
Working as the Life Sciences Fellow for the Livermore Lab Foundation and LLNL placed me around some of the world’s greatest biological scientists and it was both humbling and inspiring to meet and discuss technical scientific topics with some of the brightest minds. In addition, I was able to participate in projects that I am deeply passionate about, and it is incredibly refreshing to realize that the work we do makes a difference in the world. For example, in a single assay that we designed, we were able to test the binding mechanics of a novel antibody that the Lab had created to be used in research to counter COVID-19.
Overall, this fellowship was my foot in the door to a vast scientific community, and I’m grateful for the network I have developed throughout my time at LLNL. The entire experience inspired me to one day return to the Lab as a staff scientist to work on various bioscience projects that promote national security. I am so grateful and appreciative to LLF for this opportunity.
A Special Thanks to Our Donor Community
Unique STEM fellowships and programs are made possible via the generous philanthropic support of our donor community. Join us in making an impact — thank you for your consideration!