5 minute read
Researching COVID-19
Like so many people, Micaila Curtis ‘19 put her future plans on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but she has no regrets. She is among the many researchers in our country studying the COVID-19 virus and knows that her work will ultimately help people understand more about this new virus.
Curtis is a research specialist at the University of California, Irvine. She is part of the research team at the UCI Messaoudi Lab studying the SARS-CoV-2 virus as well as the disease it causes, COVID-19. Dr. Ilhem Messaoudi is the principal investigator and received fast-track funding to begin studying the virus early on to expedite a response to the pandemic.
After graduating from McPherson College with a Bachelor of Science in biology, Curtis planned to study for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and begin applying to medical school programs.
“I had decided to wait to get more experience and build my resumé before applying to medical school and started working at the lab in early March,” Curtis said. “Then the pandemic hit and everything changed. I’m going to take an extra year before applying because this experience is so impactful. I can’t get what I am learning here from out of a book.”
The lab is the ultimate classroom for Curtis. To keep pace with the pandemic-time research, she is working 11 hours a day during the week and three to seven hours most weekends. On an average day, the lab receives 40+ COVID-related samples. Curtis helps process these samples and then runs tests for analysis. The lab is involved with multiple surveillance studies, using model cell lines to understand the immune response in the lungs when infected with the virus, as well as analyzing clinical specimens of COVID-19 positive individuals to study how the immune response develops over time and its association with disease outcomes.
“It is an intense workload for research, and everybody has taken on an enormous amount of work, including teaching me new things,” she said. “I love learning, and I think that is why I love research because you are constantly learning. For me, it is exciting. I am learning outside of my realm and that is also rewarding. Sure I’m working more than 40 hours a week, but you won’t hear me complain about it.”
Micaila Curtis ’19, second from the right, stands with other researchers after completing Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory training. According to Curtis, the photo illustrates the level of personal protective equipment (PPE) necessary to work in a level 3 laboratory.
As a student at McPherson College, Curtis said her instructors influenced and supported her future goals.
Curtis was one of only 25 undergraduates selected for the University of California, Los Angeles, Pre-Medical & Pre-Dental Enrichment Program. It is a six-week summer program that provided Curtis with study resources to help her prepare for the MCAT and introduced her to a network of people in the University of California system, which led her to her current research position.
“I was so fortunate to get into the program,” she said. “Last summer I got the opportunity to study with a diverse group of students and met so many people who helped me continue aspiring to follow my dreams – leading me to where I am now.”
Curtis had the opportunity to train for a biosafety level 3 laboratory, which is the highest safety level on the west coast, she said. The training will enable her to work with more virulent strains of viruses such as SARS and MERS and other microbes that can be transmitted by aerosols and cause severe disease. She also expects the COVID-19 research to continue well after a vaccine is found.
“You can’t rush science. The longer this virus is around, the more data we will have to analyze,” Curtis said. “We have a lot more to learn. More than we can fathom right now. Everybody has a di erent immune system and will respond di erently to the virus, but that’s where the most fascinating research happens.”
She is hopeful that the research she is involved in will help educate people about the virus and, in broader terms, about health awareness issues.
“The virus is very much a threat to many people,” she said. “You may be healthy, but you don’t know about other people and how they might respond to the virus. I think this will show people that we all need to be more aware of our own actions and be respectful of others.”
This research experience is teaching her a great deal - not only about the virus, but also about where she sees herself in the future.
“I definitely think research will always be part of my life,” she said. “I love the challenge it brings, but I’m not closing the door on becoming a doctor. I want to help people by eventually becoming an M.D. or a Ph.D., or maybe both.”
MC Health Care Heroes
During the pandemic several Bulldogs balanced school work and other student responsibilities while working on the frontlines in healthcare positions. We salute their work ethic, drive, and passion for helping others.
Meklit Tilahun, CNA, McPherson Hospital
Jake Curtis, CMA, The Cedars
Richard Mbuyamba, CNA, The Cedars
Neville Kabangu, CNA, Moundridge Manor
Lenae Albina, CNA, Moundridge Manor
Kayembe Chourcranie, CNA, Moundridge Manor
Samantha Mayaka n’Sombre, CNA, Moundridge Manor
Ashley Hiebert, CNA, Bethesda Home
Thara Kalambayi Kapinga, CNA, Moundridge Manor
Amy Braimbridge, direct support care professional, Disability Supports of the Great Plains
Sebia Kalambayi Kabedi, CNA, Moundridge Manor
Heidi Beckham, CNA-HHA, Attica Long Term Care
NEW PROGRAM
McPherson College introduces a new program this fall that offers two majors, Health Science and Healthcare Management, that prepare students for careers in the healthcare industry. The college has partnered with the McPherson hospital to offer extensive field experience opportunities to provide hands-on learning for students. The college awarded healthcare scholarships to eight students who will also participate in community outreach programs.
