Mentor Testimonials
- A student with a mentor
The CURE program is a terrific opportunity for students to gain experience in research laboratories. I have mentored several CURE students over the years, and they have all been enthusiastic and great additions to the lab. The CURE program provides them exposure to biotech labs as well as academic labs in a structured training environment.
- Karen S. Anderson MD PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
My CURE student was working on the retrospective study of visual functions in children with optic glioma. We were all very enthusiastic about having her, and in addition to her project, she also shadowed clinical activity and vision testing at the Perkins School and at Children’s Hospital; and neurology and neuron oncology sessions and shadowed the Neurofibromatosis clinic at Children’s
- Anne Fulton, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School/Children's Hospital
I had the opportunity to mentor a CURE student last summer here in the Center for Community-Based Research. For the first time, she was exposed to qualitative research methods in public health, with focus on health disparities. She assisted in the development of a healthy weight research intervention for low-income minorities. Since, she has excelled in the first year of her pre-medical school studies, interned at NCI, and was accepted to medical school. I look forward to meeting more CURE students in the future.
- Kathleen Bond, MPH, Center for Community Based Research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Student Testimonials
Expansiveness of CURE
- Erick Kamau (CURE 2005)
The CURE program is amazing. Every moment in this program was enlightening. This program has given me the ultimate exposure to all kinds of fields in cancer research. I enjoyed the tours that we took; I got to see many fantastic labs including one at Merck. I also enjoyed the Friday seminars. I got a chance to meet successful doctors, nurses, and many extraordinary professionals. These professionals have inspired me to work as hard as I can to someday be as successful as they are in their career.
This summer I got a chance to go into communities and to help prevent colon cancer. I learned the importance and value of public health and how it is important to prevent diseases before they spread. I also got to go to the beach, to help spread skin cancer prevention. To see people responding to the prevention was exciting. Most importantly, I also learned that in public health you really need to take initiative to work effectively; because that is the personality you need to get things done. I really enjoyed how I was treated at Dana-Farber. I was allowed to do things that I would never think that I would be able to do. I felt highly respected by everybody in the Center for Community Based Research.
- Lyne Lucien (CURE, 2007)
This internship program is like a treasure trove. I plundered this trove to find opportunities to shadow doctors, meet perspective mentors, and learn about advancements in healthcare. Perhaps the most prized of all was my experiences with remarkable scientists.
– Aisha Townes (CURE, 2007)
Before being in this program, I was not aware of the opportunities offered—such as being exposed to many different doctors/PhDs in different fields. I didn’t know that we would be attending lectures and exposed with so much. I’m glad I was allowed to experience these opportunities
– Linda Pham, (CURE, 2007)
Influencing career choices
My participation in the CURE program has made an impact on both my academic and extracurricular pursuits. This summer, I am putting to use many of the techniques my CURE lab taught me. During the school year, some of the techniques also came in handy during my Molecular Biology Labs.
– Blessing Agunwamba (CURE, 2006) is in the Class of 2010 at Princeton University, majoring in Molecular Biology. She spent the summer of 2007 in the Introduction to Cancer Research Careers program at NCI in Frederick, Maryland. She plans to pursue an MD/PhD joint degree in the future
My past CURE program participation helped me decide that I wanted to become a double major in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and Science in Society. The lab I worked in was working on structural biology, a subset of molecular biology. After hearing some of the speakers talk about outside factors affecting health, like the W. R. Grace chemical dumping in Woburn, and through discussion with some of my fellow participants, I became interested in studying the practice and ethics of science. This is encompassed in the Science and Society program at Wesleyan.
–Bill Kaplan (CURE, 2004) is in the Class of 2009 at Wesleyan University, double majoring in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and Science in Society. He will be studying abroad in Australia and plans to become a doctor in the future, possibly a pediatric oncologist.
The CURE program helped develop my interest in research and also provided a research base to launch an early career in biomedical sciences. So I owe much of where I am today to CURE.
– Erick Kamau is currently a Research Technician in the Wayne Marasco lab in the Department of Cancer Immunology & AIDS at DFCI. He assists in the construction of mammalian human scFv antibody display library and is involved in an AIDS prevention/treatment in vivo study using an anti-HIV Tat intrabody. He plans to work in this position for 2 years, after which he will be matriculating into medical school.
Going beyond the regular research experience: making important discoveries about oneself
If I learned anything at CURE in my assigned lab besides the obvious laboratory skills and amazing exposure to biomedical careers, it is the importance of networking. Networking, networking, networking. The people I meet now are the people who will be leading the field of medicine in the future and keeping communication with these talented researchers and scientists has become a priority. Whether it be a mentor, a program coordinator, someone I conversed with during a conference, or even the head of the lab I participated in.
– Carla Becerra (CURE, 2005) is in the Class of 2010 at Wesleyan University and is majoring in Biology with a pre-medical focus. She spent the summer of 2007 interning with Merck & Co., Inc in Boston. She plans to study abroad her junior year in Paris and is considering the M.D./PhD. Program as her step after college.
The CURE experience is currently impacting me in finding many opportunities out there as well as applying to jobs and getting good responses just because I was involved in the CURE program.
– Yewande Adepoju (CURE, 2005), a 2007 graduate from University of Massachusetts-Boston was a Biology Major/ Chemistry Minor and completed Premedical Studies. She was a Ronald E. McNair Fellow at University of Massachusetts-Boston and will be applying to medical school in the MD/PhD program and her long-term goal is to be a physician scientist studying AIDS, malaria and sickle-cell anemia.
I have learned to become more responsible for the actions I take. My competence in speaking with others has been greatly enhanced by the opportunities the CURE program has allowed. I have learned that the opportunities I am seeking to attain are within my reach.
– Ezra Star (CURE, 2006) is in the Class of 2010 at University of Massachusetts- Boston and is majoring in Biochemistry and Anthropology.