By David Yagudayev, Science and Technology Editor
David Yagudayev (DY): Hi Sapir. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. Let’s start by getting to know you.
SA: I grew up half of my life in Israel and half of my life abroad (traveling between countries as a diplomat’s son). I attended the International School of Panama for high school, then served in the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) for a full service. After that, I graduated from Yeshiva University with a pre-med degree and am currently pursuing a master’s degree in Biotechnology and Entrruepeurship at YU. I finished both High School and YU in academic recognition and my IDF service in honorable recognition. I plan to become a physician in the USA.
DY: Whose lab do you work in and what do you study?
SA: I work at Dr. Agalliu’s Lab of the Urology and Epidemiology Department at Albert Einstein School of Medicine, studying the association between MPB (Male Pattern Baldness) and Prostate Cancer – PrC (medically referred to as Androgenic Alopecia). Cancer biology is an interesting field and at the same time very challenging. Understanding the causes and effects behind this chronic disease may not be easy, however… understanding what leads to this disease is extremely rewarding. We found numerous associations intertwined with PrC, yet I cannot discuss the specific association as the paper has not been fully published.
DY: How did you get involved in this research?
SA: I took a fascinating class that I personally really enjoyed learning, Epidemiology, as part of my minor in Public Health. My professor worked in the lab where I currently work, and as I did well in the class, I decided to step into this research opportunity and broaden my understanding in the cancer biology field. I’ve been involved with this research for the past two years.
DY: What did you hope to gain from this research experience?
SA: Stepping into a research field, aspiring to become a physician, and potentially obtaining my PhD, it is important to acknowledge the reasons behind the spread of a disease. My goal was to understand the research topic as much as possible to contribute in gathering information, comparing different studies, and formulating the final paper [and] conclusions of the study.
DY: What role do you play in this lab?
SA: My role in the lab was to collect data and understand the correlation of the disease as we compared 17 main studies related to the disease. This research is a meta analysis study that involves cohort and case control studies. My goal was to understand the molecular biology behind the cause of prostate cancer, which we found the main reason leading to the expansion of the disease. Now we are focusing on how the aggressive/more complicated part of the disease evolves.
DY: Is there anything you encountered that was especially difficult during the research?
SA: I found it challenging at first to work by myself, only me and my assigned PI (principle investigator). However, looking back I know I learned a lot from him and am very thankful for his guidance throughout the study. We started with a medical student who was committed at first, but for personal reasons he dropped the team. Now we have another MD student who is helping us with formulating the end product.
DY: What did you find most interesting about your research?
SA: I found it most interesting that even though cancer biology is considered a complicated field, once you take the different studies and synthesize it, you’re able to discover what makes this disease so potentially lethal. I am thankful for the team I have and we are looking to produce more publications in the near future.
DY: Lastly, do you have any advice for students interested in lab positions?
SA: I advise students to always go with what makes them curious and where their hearts are inclined. In the research field, [you won’t] always have the opportunity to do research in the exact field you want. However, enjoy the learning experience and get the most from it. Make sure to get a good use of your professor and mentors and you’ll hopefully reach your goals.
Photo Caption: Sapir Amar does research at Albert Einstein School of Medicine
Photo Credit: Sapir Amar