NJMS Student Pursues Research at NIH

by Jill Spotz

What can be better for a third-year medical student than to witness the excitement of discovery, while working alongside the world’s most brilliant scientists. That is exactly what happened to Hiral Patel, thanks to the urging of the medical student’s mentor, Pranela Rameshwar, PhD, associate professor of medicine at NJMS, who encouraged her to apply to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Scholars program. She was accepted and last year moved to the National Institutes of Health campus in Bethesda, Maryland, for 12 months. There, along with 40 other medical and dental students from the US, Patel chose a mentor and research project to pursue. She attended weekly presentations from renowned scientists and had the opportunity to collaborate with researchers from several different fields, including dermatology, diabetes and ophthalmology.

Patel chose to work in the lab of Thomas Waldmann, MD, developing new ways to enhance the body's immune system to fight cancer. Since she wants to pursue a career in oncology, conducting both clinical and translational research at the NIH was a rewarding experience. "Knowing that my work could help further the understanding of cancer pathology and lead to better treatments kept me going on days when nothing seemed to go right in the lab," she explained. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute employs more than 300 investigators who direct research laboratories on campuses and universities throughout the U.S. Since 1998 the Institute has awarded $1.5 billion in grants.

Now back at NJMS, she continues to find cancer pathology fascinating and challenging. "During clinical rotations I am inspired by my patients' courage at such a difficult time in their lives," she explains. "Their conviction pushes me to work harder."