Michael Mayers hiking in Nevada
Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
What are you up to now?
I’m in my first years of PhD studies in Biochemistry at The Scripps Research Institute. I’m studying the microbiome, which is just a fancy word to describe the bacteria that live in a person’s gut. The project focuses on proteins produced by these bacteria about which not much is currently known. Our lab has developed a method of isolating and identifying proteins that carry out specific types of functions, like specifically for me, protease activity, which is a class of protiens that cut up other proteins into smaller pieces. By comparing the activity of these types of proteins in the gut microbiome of healthy mice and mice with Ulceritive Colitis, we hope to discover new proteases that may be potential targets for drugs that would fight colitis and colon cancer.
How did Cal Lutheran help to prepare you for your current career path?
The greatest preparation for grad school that I received from Cal Lutheran came from working under a Darling Summer Research Fellowship. Working in the Organic Chemistry lab, doing both computational studies and wet chemistry, I got a taste of graduate level research and learned first-hand about the hard work and dedication is required to make progress. Especially over time-frame as short as a single summer. This has certainly made the transition to graduate school easier.
I would also say that the small size of Cal Lutheran allowed me to build close relationships with my professors which is very important in the scientific field. Collaboration is essential to progress, and being able to drop by my professors office at any time and discuss ideas either from class, lab, or my research certainly helped me to refine a scientific way of thinking.
What advice would you give to the current or prospective students of your major?
Get involved and try to take in as much as you can. If you’re interested in graduate studies, research is very important and the more experience you have, the better. Even as a freshman, you can ask your professors how you can get involved. However, research isn’t the only path you can take. There are so many great resources available to you as a Cal Lutheran student, from your professors, to the library resources and staff, and even your textbooks. All this knowledge is concentrated in one place and just waiting for you to take advantage of it, so go out and do it!
Why was Cal Lutheran the right school for you?
The small size of the school really allowed me to thrive. I enjoyed getting to know all of my classmates and professors which made for some great conversations and hangouts.
What do you miss the most about being a Cal Lutheran student?
I miss all the great, random campus events. From big ones like homecoming and Monte Carlo night to the random off-campus food events, these fun events kept things interesting, especially over the summer! These were the times that I got to have great conversations all the friends I had made, as well as an opportunity to make some new ones.
