Mesenchymal stem cells.<\/p>\n
Cooper Thome is working with mesenchymal stem cells.<\/p>\n
What the heck are mesenchymal stem cells?<\/p>\n
In regular folks\u00a0terms, they\u2019re stem cells that can grow into a variety of different cells, from bone to cartilage, from muscle to fat.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have many therapeutic applications, from the treatment of orthopedic injuries to autoimmune diseases,\u201d Thome says. \u201cKnowing how various environments and factors affect stem cells is very important if we wish to make further advancements in the types and viability of stem-cell treatments.<\/p>\n
Thome is a UTC Honors College student who\u2019s in Japan this summer, working an internship in nanotechnology at the National Institute of Materials Science in the city of Tsukuba. A chemical engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, he has three semesters left before graduation.<\/p>\n
Landing the Japanese internship is a major accomplishment, and Thome is one of only six students from across the U.S., from Florida to California, who were chosen. He\u2019ll be in Japan until early August.<\/p>\n
After he\u2019s finished with the internship in Japan, he\u2019ll fly into Atlanta to attend \u201ca research convocation for the various National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure REU participants from universities in the U.S,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Translation: A national conference on real-world applications for nanotechnology. REU stands for Research Experiences for Undergraduates, so it\u2019s geared to college students.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn addition to the terrific research he\u2019s been pursuing in that field \u2014 including an important internship last summer at Georgia Tech\u2019s Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology and now this International REU in Japan \u2014 he\u2019s been an active and valued member of the Brock Scholars community in the Honors College, helping to mentor new students during our orientation retreats, leading nature hikes, and more,\u201d says Dr. Gregory O’Dea, associate dean of the Honors College.<\/p>\n
Back in Japan, Cooper takes tiny, tiny stem cells \u2014 usually about one millionth of a meter in size \u2014 and grows them for tissue engineering.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fabrication and characterization of the patterns is an important part of the project. It has been shown that the actual patterns in which you grow the cells can influence their behavior greatly, so I am going to explore some of the implications of that.\u201d<\/p>\n
What he learned at UTC has been critical to his success outside of the school, he says, including both the Japan internship and the one at Georgia Tech.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really thankful for the Honors College, as well as the faculty and staff of the CECS for all the help they\u2019ve given to me up to this point,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019ve been lucky enough to be around people and in an environment that has pushed me to pursue some really cool (and educational and professional) experiences and positions.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for the difference between the societies in the U.S. and Japan, Thome understates that \u201cit\u2019s quite different and, especially since I don\u2019t speak Japanese, it can be confusing at times.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn general, everyone here is extremely kind and helpful, though. There\u2019s definitely a type of social structure and formality that isn\u2019t really prevalent in the United States.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve met a lot of people from all over the world here, too. Tsukuba is a science city with a high population of foreign researchers, and it\u2019s really interesting to talk to people about various cultural differences.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Cooper Thome is a UTC Honors College student who\u2019s in Japan this summer, working an internship in nanotechnology.<\/p>\n