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on an important drug research project alongside trained lab assistants.
Research work is “kind of like following a recipe,” said Miss Ciolfi. “There were steps that required different procedures. 1 just had several different recipes to follow instead of having to do the same thing over and over again, which is what some people have to do and is, I guess, the bad part about research.”
Her mentor, Dr. Mary Abood, was engaged in research involving the cannabanoid receptor, which is what marijuana binds with in the brain. The lab’s goal was to study and change the receptor so that marijuana can be used to ease the pain and nausea of cancer patients without the hallucinatory side effects.
Simply put, Dr. Abood created a “bridge” between the receptor’s DNA and the antibody that detects its presence. In this way researchers can more easily determine how their experiments change the receptor, bringing them closer to their goal.
“My mentor had never tried it before, but she had written it up for a grant,” explained Miss Ciolfi. “My project was to see if it worked.”
The atmosphere in the lab was friendly and the lab assistants more than willing to answer her questions. Soon, through careful note-taking, she knew how to perform her assigned procedures and even began to anticipate what step needed to be taken next.
“I just learned so much so quickly. [Lab
See Ciolfi, Page 14
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