Supported by a CCPD summer internship stipend, Abigail Eilertson ’27 spent the summer in Dr. Adil Akkouch’s biomedical engineering lab at the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine. Her work with nanoparticles offered firsthand experience in how research drives medical innovation and confirmed a growing passion for medicine and discovery.

“This summer, I performed biomedical engineering research, under the mentorship of Dr. Adil Akkouch, at the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine. My research project primarily focused on synthesizing nanoparticles and evaluating their antibacterial properties. My primary role in the project was creating the nanoparticles and conducting experiments using agar disc diffusion and time-kill kinetic assays to assess how varying nanoparticle size and concentration impacted bacterial growth over time. This internship not only helped deepen my understanding of experimental design and data analysis but also solidified my aspiration in becoming a physician-scientist.

While I had previously appreciated the value of research-based treatments, working directly in a biomedical engineering lab has allowed me to understand how innovative therapies are developed from concept to application. As a future physician, I aim to continue research and stay at the forefront of medical advancements to provide the best and most up-to-date care for my patients. Medicine is built upon innovation and the constant need to seek new solutions for old challenges. My time in the biomedical engineering lab has broadened my perspective and helped me recognize persistent issues in our healthcare systems. I have been able to reflect on how existing procedures and treatments could be reimagined in the future to better meet the needs of the patients. My internship would not have been possible without the help of the CCPD. Due to cuts to research, funding is increasingly limited and securing grants is difficult. With the internship stipend, I was able to completely focus on my research without the distraction of financial concerns. Overall, this summer research internship has positively impacted my academic and personal growth by deepening my understanding of biomedical engineering research methods and solidifying my aspirations of becoming a physician-scientist.”

Abigail Eilertson ’27