In the fall of 2018, Shannon Chau will be a senior at Eastlake High School in Sammamish, Washington. Over the course of the summer, Shannon was an intern in the Hood Price Lab for Systems Biomedicine.
Prior to her time at ISB, Shannon enjoyed exploring the scientific and medical field in many ways. At school, biology and chemistry top the list of her favorite classes. She appreciates the way that they teach objective facts and can be applied to the betterment of human health. Outside of the classroom, Shannon’s first exposure to laboratory work was through HOSA Future Health Professionals. She taught herself basic biomedical laboratory skills for the competitive event. This exposure further fueled her desire to try real laboratory research at ISB. At ISB, she was not only able to deepen her laboratory skills, but was also able to explore multiple avenues of scientific research.
During her time at ISB, Shannon primarily worked with Emily on the Lyme project under the mentorship of Li Tang and Yong Zhou. She focused on learning about proteomics and how certain proteins can be used to characterize the development of chronic Lyme disease (PTLDS). She was particularly intrigued with how impactful this research could be on clinical diagnoses and patient lives. She also spent time evaluating new ways to prepare samples by optimizing tissue based S-Trap protocol for plasma samples. When she wasn’t working on the Lyme project, she spent her time learning skills that would support her research: skills such as Skyline, a data analysis software, and R, a coding language. She also enjoyed listening to the many faces of ISB speak about their latest innovative research and experiences in their respective fields.
When she’s not busy exploring all things science, Shannon enjoys being an active member of her community. Shannon serves as Eastlake’s badminton team captain, National Honor Society officer and J.O.G. club president, a club that creates craft kits and fundraises for Seattle Children’s Hospital. She also finds joy in volunteering at the University of Washington Medical Center and her local YMCA. To keep track of her life, Shannon loves to keep a colorful bullet journal filled with her experiences.
Whether it be the new people she met, the new skills she learned, or the curiosity for science she was able to entertain, Shannon is incredibly grateful for all that she has been able to experience at ISB. She is especially thankful for the kindness and willingness to teach that all the people at ISB have shown her, including her AP biology teacher who encouraged her to apply. Moving forward, Shannon is excited to take all that she has learned and use it in her pursuance of a career in the biomedical field.
Contact Shannon Chau at shannonchauusa@yahoo.com