Artifact 2- The PARE Project

Scientific research has always been a passion of mine. For me, the chance to be on the cutting edge of scientific discovery is an absolute thrill. As a first year, however, getting into research can be difficult. Luckily for me, my Biology 1113H class allowed me the chance to get involved in research right away through the PARE project.

The Prevalence of Antibiotic-Resistance in the Environment project, or PARE for short, is a nationwide initiative to document the presence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in soil. Institutions across the US, including Ohio State, call on students to collect soil samples from various different areas in their region and test their resistance to various antibiotics. In my class, we grew bacterial colonies in a series of serial dilutions from regional soil samples on MacConkey agar plates to check for antibiotic resistance. By comparing control plates to plates treated with either 3μg/mL or 30μg/mL tetracycline (a common antibiotic), we were able to see the which bacteria in our samples could grow in the presence of tetracycline. Our plates, shown above, show the presence of drug-resistant bacteria in our sample. Using this data, our class has been able to expand our research even further through the separation and testing of bacterial DNA through PCR and gel electrophoresis, and it has encouraged us to enter our data into the national PARE database.

Throughout the PARE project, I’ve developed a strong base of basic research lab skills, including micropipetting, proper filling of wells in a gel, and serial diluting. It has fostered my interest in research and has allowed me to expand my knowledge of cell biology. I’m grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to participate in this national project and excited for years of research ahead.

Welcome to my Honors & Scholars e-Portfolio!

Hello! My name is Gabrielle Besse, and I am currently a second year student at The Ohio State University. I’m from Granger, Indiana, a suburb just a few minutes outside of the city of South Bend. I attended Penn High School before pursing further education at OSU. I am a biomedical science major with a minor in Spanish, and my goal is to attend medical school after my undergraduate degree. My dream is to become a primary care physician, likely in pediatrics or family medicine, and to serve in the National Health Service Corps to bring healthcare to medically underserved areas in the United States. Additionally, I would love to bring my passion for serving those who need it most worldwide, serving with Doctors Without Borders in areas throughout the world that critically need medical attention.

When I’m not studying, I’m involved with quite a few activities and groups on campus. I am a research volunteer in the Baskin Lab, where I have the opportunity to explore the impact of Med12 on cardiac function and learn many critical lab skills. I also serve as a member of Ohio State’s undergraduate chapter of Doctors Without Borders, where I’ve had the opportunity to learn more about current humanitarian crises, tour medical facilities at Ohio State, fundraise for the international organization, and even travel to Ghana on a medical mission trip! I also serve as a group leader for OSU’s chapter of Delight Ministries, a national all-girls Christian organization. As a leader, I plan meetings with the rest of the executive board, teach lessons in large group meetings, and maintain communication with the national organization, all of which is incredible rewarding! In addition, I am a team captain for the Biomedical Science team of BuckeyeThon, Ohio State’s dance marathon. As a team captain, I not only get to support BuckeyeThon’s initiative to fight pediatric cancer, but I have the opportunity to lead other students in promoting the mission too. Additionally, I am a member of both the university Honors and Scholars programs. Through the College of Medicine Honors program, I am allowed to explore classes that encourage deeper thought and additional exploration. Through Mount Leadership Society Scholars, I am trained in leadership and community service in a tight-knit community that is committed to being together for good. Weekly, I volunteer at Ronald McDonald House and Clintonville-Beechwold Community Resource Center, which allows me to give back the the Columbus community that has so warmly welcomed me. All my involvements make for a busy workload, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

In my free time, I love to travel and explore the world. I’ve visited a variety of different countries, including Italy, France, Ghana, England, Dominican Republic, and Mexico (in addition to a few others), and I hope to see even more of the world! I also enjoy playing guitar, writing, and reading classic novels. I consider my greatest strengths to be my positive outlook, bubbly personality, and dedicated work ethic. More than anything, my greatest goal is to make a difference in the world. I hope that through my time in college and my future career, I can do just that!

Artifact 1- BMS

One of my main reasons for choosing to attend Ohio State was for its fantastic Biomedical Science undergraduate major. With a competitive, small cohort size of 27 students, ample opportunities for research, and an incredible success rate for students going into graduate programs, BMS had all the tenants of the kind of program I wanted to be involved with coming to college. Now that I’ve been involved with this program for almost a full semester, I can happily say that it has become one of the single most important parts of my college experience. This incredible group of people, shown in the photo above, has provided me with countless laughs and overwhelming support, and I’m happy to call some of them my closest friends. I’m looking forward to spending the next four years learning alongside this amazing cohort!