By Yosef Scher, Senior Science and Technology Editor
Yosef Scher (YS): Hi Liora. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. Let’s start by getting to know you.
Liora Rahmani (LR): Hi. My name is Liora, and I am from Long Island, New York. I’m a third-year student at Stern studying biochemistry, and I hope to pursue a career in medicine.
YS: How did you get involved in this research?
LR: After spending a summer in a biology lab focused on psychiatry research, I wanted to get involved in research during the school year as well. I reached out to professors at Stern to see if there were any available research opportunities on campus. I was connected with Dr. Oliveira, the biochemistry professor at Stern.
YS: Whose lab do you work in, and what do you study?
LR: I have worked in Dr. Oliveira’s lab for the past year and a half. We study bioluminescence, which is the emission of light by living organisms. We are working with a novel photoprotein to determine the optimal reaction conditions for maximum light emission. Our goal is to develop an immunoassay that can be used to detect cancer antigens, among other biomedical analytical applications.
YS: What did you hope to gain from this research experience?
LR: I wanted to gain more hands-on lab experience and gain skills that I can use in the future. Furthermore, I was excited to delve into a specific topic, hoping to discover something that can be applied to advancements in science and medicine.
YS: What role do you play in this lab?
LR: This year, I have been studying the effects of various metals on the light emission of a novelly isolated photoprotein. Other students in the lab are studying other parameters that may affect the light emission of the photoprotein. By combining our results, we hope to determine the optimal conditions for the protein.
YS: Is there anything you encountered that was especially difficult during the research?
LR: Often in research, experiments don’t go as planned, and results may not be what we want or expect. I have found that perseverance is essential to the research process. Furthermore, working through problems with other students always resulted in innovative solutions and effective obstacle overcoming.
YS: What did you find most interesting about your research?
LR: It is amazing to see how the concepts I learned in college apply to the experiments we are doing in the lab. It is exciting to see how the principles learned in class can be applied to advancements in healthcare
YS: Lastly, do you have any advice for students interested in lab positions?
LR: I would recommend finding a topic or field of research that really interests you. Then, reach out to professors and others in the research field and express your interest in joining their lab. Participating in research is a great opportunity to explore your scientific interests, so I encourage everyone to get involved!