Come along with Lauren Baskin, a junior biology major from Rome, Georgia, for a day in her life as a Cancer Scholar in the Center for Cancer Research at Anderson University!  

The Center for Cancer Research at Anderson University was founded by Dr. Diana Ivankovic, a Professor of Biology and breast cancer survivor. Every semester, four to six biology and biochemistry students use state-of-the-art equipment to conduct various research projects, notably testing plant extracts as potential treatments for several types of cancer. Students from the Center for Cancer Research have won awards for their work from the Medical University of South Carolina and have been published in the Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science. 

 

6:30 a.m. – Good morning! 

Time for an early start to set the tone for a productive day! 

7:00 a.m. – Breakfast and Coffee 

I enjoy having a slow start to my morning before my 8 a.m. class. I had a bagel for breakfast this morning, and my roommate and I had time to drink our coffee together before our first classes. A really sweet start to the day.  

8:00 a.m. – First Class: General Physics 2  

Time for my first class of the day, PHY 152: General Physics 2. Today, we talked about magnetic fields in preparation for our upcoming exam. While this class doesn’t cover exactly the topics I’m hoping to pursue in the future, it has taught me a lot about problem-solving and critical thinking which will be important for my future career in research.  

9:05 a.m. – Second Class: Microbiology 

My second class is BIO 330: Microbiology. We had a discussion today about pharmaceutically developing good antibiotics. Many of the topics in this class are applicable to real-world medical issues, making the discussions relevant and thought-provoking. My professor for this class is also my research advisor. I stopped to talk to her after class about supplies for our project and our upcoming trip to the Medical University of South Carolina for a conference.  

10:10 a.m. – Research Supply Run 

After class, I went to the Center for Cancer Research to pick up some pipette tips and cell culture flasks to take back to Watkins for the cell work I am going to do this afternoon.  

11:30 a.m. – Lunch 

When I got back to campus, I had lunch with a friend who is a senior biochemistry major. I love the smaller size of the science department at Anderson because I’ve been able to get to know students across all years and career interests. We got Chick-fil-A because it had almost no line, which was such a blessing (if you know you know).  

12:25 p.m. – Microbiology Lab 

My afternoon started with the lab for BIO 330. Today, we prepared streaks of different bacteria on four kinds of plates. The coloration of the cultures as they grow helps to show what kinds of bacteria are present and how each kind metabolizes certain compounds.  

2:00 p.m. – Coffee Run 

My lab got out early, so I had time to run to Books and Beans for an afternoon pick-me-up. Today’s order: cappuccino with oat milk and cinnamon. A classic.  

2:15 p.m. – Study Break with research partner  

Before my last class of the day, I worked on biochemistry homework with my lab partner for the Center for Cancer Research. Currently, we are preparing graphs for our enzyme kinetics study. It’s one of the most difficult topics in the class, but I’ve enjoyed it because we get to apply math to processes that are happening in our bodies every single day.  

3:00 p.m. – Physics 2 Lab  

My final class of the day was PHY 154: General Physics 2 Lab. We spent the period reviewing circuit board experiments for next week’s lab midterm. 

5:30 p.m. – Cell Maintenance 

After a long day of classes, it is finally time for cancer research work! The project I am currently working on focuses on the implications of taking commonly prescribed medications when diagnosed with colon cancer. I am responsible for growing and testing nine flasks of one type of colon cancer. Today, I completed a process called cell passaging which involves taking a small portion of the cells and moving them to a new container with fresh nutrients so that the cells have room to continue to grow. My cells are growing quickly, so I complete this process every two to three days. Working at the Center for Cancer Research has given me hands-on research experience as well as the opportunity to collaborate with other hard-working science students. Because of my time at the Center for Cancer Research, I feel prepared to enter graduate school and then pursue a full-time biomedical research career in the future.  

8:00 p.m. – Dinner and chat with roommates 

After a long day of classes and lab work, I finally made it back to my house for dinner. I meal prep most weeks, and tonight I had chicken with roasted potatoes and zucchini that I made earlier in the week. I finished off with some ice cream as a reward for getting through my very long and busy day. I also got to chat with a couple of my housemates while eating dinner. It’s always nice to catch up with them at the end of the day.  

8:30 p.m. – Time to Study 

The day isn’t quite over! I had some time to finish up my physics homework for the week and review a bit for my exam. Because of my busy schedule between classes, research, and activities, I try to stay a couple of days ahead on all of my assignments in case something unexpected comes up.  

10:30 p.m. – Pack for Conference in Charleston 

Tomorrow, I’m going to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston for a conference where I will be presenting a previous research project. I’m looking forward to touring MUSC’s College of Graduate Studies during the trip and hopefully talking to some graduate students about what full-time research looks like.  

11:00 p.m. – Good night!! 

Finally, the end of a very long day. Time to get some much-needed rest before another day of science!