Name: Chelsea Freer
Class Year: 2025
Major: Chemistry
Hometown: Middletown, CT
Internship Organization: Harvard Medical School
Job Title: Research Trainee
Location: Cambridge, MA
What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!
This summer I’m working for the Shafiee Lab at Harvard Medical School. The lab is performing cutting-edge biotechnology research, mainly in the areas of fertility and viral testing. Their main goal is to create convenient ways of testing (mainly with smartphones) so that it can be done both at the hospital, and at home. These are called Point-of-Care (POC) Devices. Personally, I’m helping out with making the parts for the experimental prototypes. My main responsibilities include creating microfluidic devices, and then functionalizing them with antibodies to capture targets of interest. I also am creating microchips and nanoparticles, designing models for 3D printing, creating solutions to use for experiments, and developing assays.
Why did you apply for this internship?
I applied for this internship because I thought it would be a great way to get experience! In the spring, I worked with Dr. Watkins as a lab prep and loved the hands-on work. I had decided that I wanted to get some experience working in a lab this summer, and with the help of a connection I had, I was able to get a spot in this lab. This has given me practical research experience that will greatly help me in my time at ±¬ÁÏ¹Ï (and beyond!).
What has been your favorite part of this internship?
My favorite part of the internship is the weekly journal club meetings with my research group. In addition to giving updates about ongoing research about our projects, there is a rotating schedule for presenting a published journal article. I find it a great way to be updated about the field of biochemistry, as well as practicing my research skills. It also provides me the opportunity to practice my presentation and public speaking skills, as I am assembling a PowerPoint to present to professionals.
Can you talk about the skills you are learning and why they are important to you?
Through this internship, I’ve been able to develop my skills learned through past experiences, as well as develop new ones. The skills I’ve built upon include making solutions and following protocols for experiments similar to those at college. I’ve also gained skills such as laser cutting, assembling microchips and microfluidic devices, 3D printing modeling, etc. These skills have given me the ability to think in different ways than I had to in my foundation courses. They’re also important to me because I know I’ll be able to utilize them in my future, both at ±¬ÁÏ¹Ï and in my career.
Visit the Summer Internship Stories page to read more about student internship experiences.