On Cell Culturing Cardiomyocytes: Six Questions for Undergraduate Researcher Dymonn Johnson

Johnson delivers a presentation on her summer research

Johnson delivers a presentation on her summer research.

Dymonn Johnson is a Jackson State University student studying biology who originally hails from East Saint Louis, Illinois. This past summer, she worked in the labs of Drs. Morten and Hanna Jensen along with U of A graduate students, undergrads, and several Brazilian students participating in the Summer Research Internship program. Below, she answers questions on the nature, scope, and challenges of her summer research, and shares how her goals have shifted moving forward.

UArk BME: What were the goals of your research project?

Johnson: The research goals this summer were to cell culture cardiomyocytes, heart muscle cells, and to create a cardiac cell culture. After I am gone, the cardiomyocytes will be placed inside the cardiac cell culture and ischemia will be induced at will, which means to create a heart attack in vitro.

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Balancing BME and German: Lauren Feekin on the Joy of Double-Majoring

Feekin with part of the Berlin Wall during her study abroad trip to Germany.

Feekin with part of the Berlin Wall during her study abroad trip to Germany.

Student Lauren Feekin is a fifth-year senior studying Biomedical Engineering and German Language through the International Engineering Program. Below, she discusses her experiences in pursuing a dual degree, and how she finds connections between BME and German:

Hi! My name is Lauren Feekin, and I am a fifth-year senior here at the U of A, graduating in December 2016. I am from Lee’s Summit, MO, right outside of Kansas City, and ended up at Arkansas because it flew under my radar, and completely swept me off my feet when I saw its beautiful landscapes and opportunities. Through my years here, I have been constantly surprised by the kindness that abounds not only from the students, but also the professors that have cultivated my passion for biomedical engineering, as well as the German language. (more…)

Photo Gallery: Brazilian Summer Research Interns Present Posters

Inside a NASA Internship: Gage Greening Reports from the Johnson Space Center

An electroencephalography (EEG) cap that Greening helped troubleshoot.

This summer, Ph.D. student Gage Greening began an internship with NASA in Houston, Texas. Below, Greening offers a glimpse into his life in Houston:

This summer, I had the honor of participating in an internship at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas. Specifically, I interned for the Project Management and Engineering Branch. This branch supports the Human Health and Performance Directorate (HH&P) and is responsible for developing and supporting human systems hardware for the International Space Station (ISS). When a principal investigator’s research project on the ISS is given the green light, the Project Management and Engineering Branch develops and maintains the necessary hardware and software for transport to the ISS.

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