I met over zoom with the Molecular and Cellular Biology 2021Outstanding Senior Award winner Eric Lu, recently to find out more about his decision to attend the Univeristy of Arizona and his future plans.
"I applied for the award and didn’t expect to get it! I tend to approach things with low expectations and then am pleasantly surprised when it works out well!"
Why did you choose UA?
A big reason was financial; I was awarded a National Merit Scholarship and was able to live at home for two years during college which helped me save money. I also liked being close to home. I was uncertain what degree, or what major I would choose and being in comfortable surroundings was important as it gave me more bandwidth to think about school and personal development while not having to learn a new city.
Why did you choose MCB?
I didn't know what I wanted to do when I first came to college, I was completely open to anything. I thought about law school my first year, but that very quickly fell apart. I took some humanities class and realized they were not concrete enough for me. I realized I didn't want to be in a career where things weren't concrete. I was partial to sciences in high school and during my first semester I took a gen ed science class. At about this time, I met Dr. Andrew Capaldi and that meeting and getting to know him was the catalyst for choosing my majors in science.
When, where and how did you find your passion for science?
My mother was a research scientist. From an early age I tagged along with her in the lab. I played around with liquid nitrogen and other lab stuff. Though I was introduced to research as early as six years old it didn't translate to a passion for science until I was in a lab myself doing the research in The Capaldi Lab.
What has been your best experience at UA?
Working in Dr. Capaldi's Lab! It's a great learning environment with wonderful people. Working in the lab helped me figure out what I wanted to do with my life. It's constantly changing environment in the lab; I easily grow bored and Dr. Capaldi allowed me to be self-directed. It's challenging learning to read the literature and getting experiments off the ground. It has forced me to adopt a mindset that failure is not to be dwelt upon but an opportunity to overcome obstacles and time for personal growth. It can be taxing to come in everyday to the lab knowing that most things are going to go wrong. The reason I keep coming is I know something will go right and I can reflect on the experiment.
What MCB classes have you like most and why?
MCB 304 Molecular Genetics with Dr. Tim Bolger and Dr. Paek - the course allowed me to solidly connect benchwork and the concepts of science. Science became a lot more real and not so abstract.
MCB 425 Cancer Discoveries with Dr. Schroeder - this was one of the first courses I had a formal exposure to reading the science current literature and it gave me insights into the state of the field. Obviously, cancer is hot button topic and being able to jump on that bandwagon to see what the excitement was about was interesting to me.
What skill have you learned that you think will be most useful when you graduate?
The ability to internalize disappointment. I've learned failures in experiments are part of the process and to not let that affect me personally but rather see those failed experiments as a challenge to overcome. This has improved my ability to persevere. I've also acquired the ability to seek out and understand the limitations of my knowledge and seek answers to my questions. I like to read the literature now, but it took time to acclimate to the jargon. I learned a lot about how to source information as opposed to sticking to one resource. It's good to gather a variety resources when you are looking for an answer. That is why I like to go beyond the classroom. There are always several models and variances of opinion and getting a perspective on where people are coming from is helpful. I find this applicable to not just science but other topics.
I have done quite a bit of volunteering in clinical settings in Tucson, including patient experience ambassador, Emergency Room volunteer, translator at Clinica Amistad, and volunteer at Z Mansion. I am fascinated with research and complex diseases, so I want to continue as a researcher as a career while having the ability and knowledge to go in the clinic to work with patients. A lot of the clinical work I have done really resonates with me. I really like interacting with people and getting a diverse view from people who have different experiences that I do.
What are your plans post-graduation?
I was accepted into an MD/ PhD program at Washington University in St Louis and will start this fall. The program starts with two years of medical school curriculum and then I'll focus on my PhD work and complete that part of the program in four to six years. I'll go back to medical school for last two years then internship and residency.
Tell me about your lab research
After I met Dr. Capaldi, I asked him if I could work in his lab. I volunteered for a semester my freshmen year and then joined UBRP summer 2019. I've been in the Capaldi Lab and part of UBRP since then. For the last three years, I have been working in the lab of Dr. Andrew Capaldi in order to parse out how eukaryotic cells regulate growth and proliferation. Specifically, I’ve been looking at the Target of Rapamycin Complex 1, or TORC1, which plays a central role in these processes.
What are your hobbies and interests outside school?
I am a classically trained pianist and I listen to, and play music, though I wish I had more time to practice! I have taken lessons with various members of Fred Fox School of Music during college. It's a wonderful creative outlet that lets me switch gears and unwind.
Pre COVID, I did a lot of hiking and outdoors activities!
KGUN Channel 9 in Tucson spotlighted Eric in this story - watch it here: https://www.kgun9.com/spiritofsoaz/ua-student-goes-beyond-his-research-to-help-those-in-need