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Web: http://medicine.iu.edu
Esther Uduehi (oo-dwáy-hee) was a senior at F. J. Reitz High School in Evansville, Indiana, when she and 49 other high school students were selected to take part in the spring 2007 Molecular Medicine In Action (MMIA) program. At the annual two-day event the students rotated through workstations and labs to learn how DNA is analyzed, how gene mutations are identified and how modified genes are used in therapy. They used the latest microscopic imaging techniques to study living cells and learned about DNA isolation, gene transcription and 3-D crystal structure protein imaging from some of the nation’s top researchers at the Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research at Indiana University School of Medicine.
“I was really nervous and excited about going,” recalled Uduehi. “But everyone was pretty much in the same boat and we weren’t being graded, so we were pretty relaxed. It was just two days to learn more about science and more about the people in Indiana who have the same interests as you. My group had three seniors and two juniors, and all three of us seniors are now freshmen at IU. So I still talk with those people. It was a nice networking tool.”
Her casual recounting of her MMIA experience belies Uduehi’s excitement about science and her lofty ambitions in the world of medicine. A 2007 recipient of IU’s prestigious Wells Scholarship, she plans to triple major in biochemistry, math and Spanish before pursuing an MD/PhD degree – which is generally a seven-year program that balances patient care with scientific research.
“At MMIA, it was the first time I was really able to learn about MD/PhD programs,” said Uduehi. “There were internationally respected female MD/PhDs that I could actually talk with. I had talked to science professors before, and they were always very encouraging. But I really liked MMIA because the professionals there, while being encouraging, were also realistic. They gave us real things to consider before we go charging off on a career. The female MD/PhDs really gave me an idea of the time commitment, which is something you need to know about if you are planning to have a family as well as a career. They want us to make a responsible and well-guided decision. I was able to get a realistic view of the scientific profession. It really opened my eyes.”
Now in its sixth year, MMIA also is geared to build closer ties between the IU School of Medicine and Indiana’s science teachers and students.
Mark Kelley, Jonathan and Jennifer Simmons Professor of Pediatrics, professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Pharmacology & Toxicology, and associate director of the Wells Center for Pediatric Research, hopes Uduehi and other talented MMIA participants will choose to study and launch their scientific careers in Indiana.
“One of the big issues MMIA is addressing is the brain drain,” explained Kelley. “I don’t think a lot of students realize all that is going on scientifically right here in Indiana, so they leave the state for college. But we want them to start thinking about getting educated here, too, or at least thinking about coming back here to work after college and take advantage of the ever-growing life sciences opportunities in Indiana.”
Statistics show the MMIA program is making a difference. Since the program began tracking students in 2003, a cumulative review shows that of students currently pursuing undergraduate studies, 74 percent are attending in-state colleges and 75 percent are pursuing science majors such as biology, biochemistry, chemistry, chemical engineering, genetics, microbiology, physics, neuroscience and pharmacy. Surveys show similar percentages of former MMIA participants choosing Indiana schools for post-graduate scientific study.
“IUSM will definitely be on my list when I go to apply for med school,” said Uduehi. “But,” she admits, “I am looking at a lot of places. I may want to go out east to New York or Boston.”
Kelley said that’s okay.
“MMIA can be an eye-opener. A lot of students have the flashy CSI view of scientists. The rest think science is boring or dull. But as in most things in life, it is in between. The students are really interested in just seeing what it is like to be in a real lab doing state-of-the-art research.”
And that’s a good start.
