Summer Scholars: Meet Eric Yu

The Medical Student Summer Research Scholars (MSSRS) Program is a summer research opportunity open to rising MS-II students only. The project period is 7 weeks during the summer, and students are expected to devote at least 6 full weeks to the project. Students attend weekly work-in-progress sessions and provide the opportunity for MSSRS participants to present their work to student peers.  A final report is presented in the form of a poster or oral presentation at a local, regional, or national meeting. The Interprofessional Education Symposium held each spring at Campbell University is an opportunity to present, and all MSSRS participants are encouraged to present a poster at the event.

Name: Eric Yu

Hometown: Sparta, New Jersey

Education: Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, University of Richmond and CERT Virginia Commonwealth University

Hobbies: Golfing, video games, and reading.

Name of your MSSRS project and your role in the research:  Analysis of the presence of anti tNASP antibody in the serum of patient with 10 most common types of cancers.
PI:  Dr. Oleg Alekseev

I worked together with Madeline Walker analyzing patient serum for anti tNASP antibody, which has potential to be a cancer biomarker. A cancer biomarker can help with early diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer.

Why you chose to participate in the summer scholars program and what you are learning from the experience?
I chose to participate in the summer scholars program because I love doing research. Before pursuing medicine, I worked as a chemistry graduate researcher at Virginia Commonwealth University pursuing lowering the cost of active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Over the summer, I really wanted to do some type of research, and the summer scholars program offered the opportunity to do that. Dr. Alekseev has been a great mentor and instructor, and I highly recommend the summer scholars program.

Advice to MS-I’s/future medical students: Find the plan that works the best for you and stick with it. Be efficient with your time, always make time for yourself, and always make time to help others.

student golfing