Lab experience at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine – Sila Meral

I got the opportunity to do my 1st lab rotation at the Laboratory of Prof. Michele Pagano at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine.

PI of the laboratory: Prof. Michele Pagano

Tutor: Dr. Sharon Kaisari

Funded by Fondazione Vollaro

The lab focuses on cell signaling, cell cycle regulation, the DNA damage response, oncology and drug discovery.

My experience & learnings: 

I recently completed my first lab rotation in Prof. Michele Pagano’s laboratory at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine. The Pagano Lab focuses on various projects related to cell cycle regulation, particularly the protein Cyclin D1 and the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System (UPS).

During my time there, I had the opportunity to follow four different projects under the guidance of four outstanding researchers. As it was my first ever wet lab experience, I started with a mix of excitement and anxiety. From the very first day, however, everyone in the lab made me feel welcome and encouraged me to ask questions, no matter how simple they seemed.

Throughout this experience, I gained exposure to a wide range of essential laboratory techniques, including western blotting, agarose gel electrophoresis, immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence, protein purification and cell culturing. I also observed how bacteria, viruses and different cell lines are used in experimental setups.

Beyond the benchwork, I learned how scientists design experiments, plan protocols and critically interpret data. Participating in weekly lab meetings was particularly inspiring, as each session offered a chance to see researchers share progress, exchange constructive feedback and tackle challenges together. Even during difficult discussions, it was always clear that everyone’s goal was mutual improvement.

I also had the privilege of attending “The Ubiquitin Revolution Symposium”, that was dedicated to celebrating 20 years since Avram Hershko’s Nobel Prize for the discovery of the UPS. The event had lectures from world-renowned scientists from institutions such as Harvard Medical School, NYU, Mount Sinai and Weill Cornell. It was a true honor to learn from and meet some of the most impactful researchers in the field.

Overall, this experience allowed me to grow both professionally and personally in ways I could never have imagined, shaping not only my scientific skills but also my mindset as a future physician-scientist. As someone early in their scientific career, spending a month among such accomplished researchers was incredibly motivating. It deepened my understanding of molecular biology and inspired me to pursue my future research goals with the same dedication and curiosity I witnessed in this laboratory.

I am sincerely grateful to Prof. Michele Pagano for hosting me in his laboratory and to Dr. Sharon Kaisari for her constant guidance and support throughout my internship. My sincere thanks also go to Tommaso, Lorenzo, Zuleykha, David, Manav and all the other researchers in the laboratory whose names I could not mention here, for their guidance, patience and for creating such a welcoming and stimulating environment.

Finally, I owe a heartfelt thank you to the Virgilio Program, Prof. Pier Paolo Di Fiore and Fondazione Vollaro for making this invaluable experience possible.