UCLA MARC: Richard Flores, Summer 2014, Blog Post 1 & 2

Blog 1

What's up everybody?! Me llamo Richard Flores and I'm a fifth year neuroscience major/theater minor. For my final summer as an undergraduate, I left sunny LA and flew across the country to take part in some exciting research in Dr. Michael Scott's lab.

Working for Michael Scott this summer has been a wonderful experience that has me excited for grad school. I do not know if I can say this but it felt similar to what a rotation in grad school might be like. Mike came up to me and ask me to pick up a project that no one has ever done and try to make it work. It's exciting to me to acquire a project that may not work, but if it does, would be a great new tool in the lab's arsenal.

I was attempting to develop a protocol for getting mice to smoke nicotine. Plenty of studies currently exist on the negative health effects of nicotine, the issue is that in most of those studies the nicotine is injected via a jugular catheter. This of course does not mimic the way humans utilize nicotine so developing a protocol that more closely resembles human smoking habits is needed.

Blog 2

In addition to this unique lab experience, I had the opportunity to meet great folks from all over the world. We were slow to link up at first but then ended up bonding strongly. I now have friends in Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and even random States like Ohio. The obvious advantage of knowing people from all over the country and the world is that if you ever find yourself in that state, say for a conference, or even if you feel like visiting that location, you have a friend there. Many of these good people I can now call my friends. I’ve already been asked to come visit Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The fact that I can visit those without having to pay for lodging is fantastic. Not only that, I’ll know somebody there that can intellectually stimulate me. Many of the nights that we all hung out we’d inevitably discuss science in one form or another. Even if we jokingly place restrictions like “no research talks allowed,” everyone knows we love science, and you obviously talk about your passions no matter what.

I have lived in Virginia before. When I last left, I vowed never to return. But this time was different. Because of my fun project and the variety of people I met, I see this place differently. I actually find it quite alluring now. In fact, I find myself considering the east coast as a potential location for grad school and life beyond that. This summer has indeed been eye opening.