About Max (our summer intern)…
Max is a Chemistry major and rising senior at Brandeis University. As a summer intern at Pearl River Laboratories (PRL) , he worked closely with the President & CSO, Amar Prashad, as well as the Head of Business Operations, Lugene Maher, and the PRL team.
From Max…
Before I even started my internship at Pearl River Laboratories (PRL), I knew that my two months there would be packed with learning. During my time at PRL, I learned, did, and saw more than I could have expected. Looking back, I am extremely grateful for both the experience I got and the kind and supportive people who helped me get it. Truly one of the benefits of working at a small company, it would seem.
By the end of the first day, I had already learned how to use an HPLC– an instrument that I had never previously encountered. This was thanks to Daniel, who patiently explained every facet of the device. He showed me how to make and change mobile phases, change columns, equilibrate the machine, and create methods and sequences. I did my best to take this all in, and with a bit of practice, I figured out how to navigate HPLC systems with confidence. The fun didn’t end there though. In addition to understanding how to operate the system, I also saw firsthand some of its practical applications, such as using HPLC data to create standard curves and determination of sample concentrations of analytes.
Soon after, I started working on a protein-polysaccharide conjugation project, which was exciting because it aligns generally with my interest in designing and performing syntheses of medically relevant compounds. I also thoroughly enjoyed the hands-on lab experience that this project gave me. Walking into the lab each day to set up a reaction, check its progress on the HPLC, or figure out why something wasn’t working was like any good puzzle should be– intellectually stimulating and a lot of fun.
I also learned how to perform BCA assays with Thomas and SDS-PAGE analysis with Daniel. Overall, I still cannot believe how many analytical and laboratory skills I learned in such a short amount of time.
In addition to the lab experience, I am grateful to Lugene for setting up all of the meetings and tours with scientists and pharma workers so that I could see the industry from the inside. This was especially the case for my tour of Pfizer, with their group of summer interns, where I got to see almost every stage of the vaccine development process, from discovery right up to before manufacturing. This exposure was helpful in filling in my understanding of how vaccines are made and why it takes so long.
I also worked with Varun, our summer high school student, to teach him how to use an HPLC. This was not only a good learning experience for him, but also helped me solidify my comfort in the skills I learned earlier in the summer. Varun and I also worked together on a small formulation project in which we tried to figure out how to combine the various components of a product to achieve the target product profile.
I am thankful to Amar, Lugene, Daniel, Thomas, and Aditya for patiently teaching me all of the new skills I gained at PRL, from laboratory work to career planning, and for giving me the opportunity to work here and meet so many professionals.
Photos courtesy of Thomas Yang