DAISY STEM

Each issue, The Fourcast highlights a student who has accomplished something in the STEM world or a special event that is STEM-related.

By Bennett Trubey | Arts & Life

Editor biological sciences, and I just wanted a lab experience to see if that was something I'd be interested in in the future, either in college or as a career,” Bhatki said.

The Advanced Genetics class visited a state-of-the-art laboratory doing research in gene therapy and spoke with alumnae at the facility on March 29.

Pegasus Laboratories, located in Pegasus Park, is an organization that provides state-of-the-art equipment and lab spaces to conduct research and manufacture pharmaceutical products through BioLabs, with many companies there focusing on gene therapy.

“It’s an incredible space,” said Dr. Barbara Fishel, Upper School Science Dean of Studies.

Fishel met with the lab’s educational outreach director and planned the opportunity earlier in the school year. The science department often plans field trips to sites where research related to certain classes is conducted.

Advanced Genetics is a seniors-only semester course, largely based on laboratory work, in which students learn about new advancements in the understanding of human DNA. The students are currently focusing on gene therapies being developed for genetic disorders.

Fishel said she hopes students in her senior course gained a deeper understanding of what they are learning through the trip.

“The people that work in the labs are many times working on techniques or problems that we’re covering in Advanced Genetics,” Fishel said. “And this kind of visit - I thinkmade it very real.”

The class spent three hours touring the facilities and observing the activities in the BioLabs spaces rented out by various startup companies and researchers. Aside from exploring the 23-acre campus, students also spoke with alumnae Lulu Wang ’13 and Tiffanie Tovar ’13, who now work for ReCode Therapeutics and MassChallenge, respectively.

Wang provided insight into her path as a scientist focusing on gene therapy, while Tovar shared information about her work as the Community Manager at MassChallenge, an accelerator company for startups.

While speaking with the alumnae, students gained valuable exposure to the kind of gene therapy work and entrepreneurship happening in similar lab environments.

“I think just helping them visualize themselves in some kind of future that includes a little bit of science – at least – is our goal,” Fishel said.