Biology student completes internship with Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine in Dallas
November 18, 2021 | by Daniel Houston
The Office of Undergraduate Research at Lamar University thrives on giving undergraduates of all majors opportunities for research and scholarship. In the summer of 2021, sophomore and pre-med biology major Zaid Mohammed was afforded the opportunity to intern at the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine in Dallas.
The first of three projects Mohammed was assigned at the institute involved the examination of commonly used pain medications, like morphine, and its effects on heart and blood vessel function in healthy adults. The second project — his favorite — involved testing cooling modalities to attenuate thermoregulatory and cardiovascular stress in burn survivors. The third project involved examining the cardiovascular consequences of heat waves on the elderly in a simulated, controlled setting.
“The most challenging aspect of this internship was the multiple projects occurring at the same timeframe. We had to manage our time wisely to fit all the trials every day in our schedule,” Mohammed said. “Completing my internship felt bittersweet because I did not want to stop my research at the institute, and I had become accustomed to Dallas. Nevertheless, I felt satisfied knowing that I was able to learn a lot from my mentors.”
Mohammed initially learned about the internship through health and kinesiology professor, and Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Symposium mentor, Shannon Jordan after conducting research in her physiology lab in 2019.
“It’s a clinical research internship in partnership with UT Southwestern Medical Center, and the physicians and researchers he worked with during his internship not only helped him expand his skillset, but it also allowed him to make connections,” Jordan said. “Those connections can be very important as he’s looking to apply to med school.”
Mohammed presented his research at the SURF Symposium that took place on Aug. 10, and he spoke at the 9th Texas Stem Conference on Oct. 30. As vice president of the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers, he plans to continue working to organize healthcare panels for pre-med students, and furthering his research in LU biology professor Ian Lian’s Cancer Research Lab.
For more information regarding the Office of Undergraduate Research and research opportunities, contact Cristian Bahrim at (409) 880-8290.
The first of three projects Mohammed was assigned at the institute involved the examination of commonly used pain medications, like morphine, and its effects on heart and blood vessel function in healthy adults. The second project — his favorite — involved testing cooling modalities to attenuate thermoregulatory and cardiovascular stress in burn survivors. The third project involved examining the cardiovascular consequences of heat waves on the elderly in a simulated, controlled setting.
“The most challenging aspect of this internship was the multiple projects occurring at the same timeframe. We had to manage our time wisely to fit all the trials every day in our schedule,” Mohammed said. “Completing my internship felt bittersweet because I did not want to stop my research at the institute, and I had become accustomed to Dallas. Nevertheless, I felt satisfied knowing that I was able to learn a lot from my mentors.”
Mohammed initially learned about the internship through health and kinesiology professor, and Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Symposium mentor, Shannon Jordan after conducting research in her physiology lab in 2019.
“It’s a clinical research internship in partnership with UT Southwestern Medical Center, and the physicians and researchers he worked with during his internship not only helped him expand his skillset, but it also allowed him to make connections,” Jordan said. “Those connections can be very important as he’s looking to apply to med school.”
Mohammed presented his research at the SURF Symposium that took place on Aug. 10, and he spoke at the 9th Texas Stem Conference on Oct. 30. As vice president of the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers, he plans to continue working to organize healthcare panels for pre-med students, and furthering his research in LU biology professor Ian Lian’s Cancer Research Lab.
For more information regarding the Office of Undergraduate Research and research opportunities, contact Cristian Bahrim at (409) 880-8290.