Dispatch from a Baylor Summer Fellow | Kate Cavenaugh

This summer I researched the differential effects of nicotine and nicotine analogs on cellular health in Dr. Christie Sayes lab. This internship shifted my perspective on challenges, the importance of humility, and my own impact on the world.

My internship allowed me to realize the importance of perceiving challenges as opportunities for growth. There were many instances this summer where I was confronted by my own lack of expertise in minor techniques that were crucial to our research. One technique that I was terribly inefficient at was Excel. Despite my initial frustration with Excel, after hours of creating functions and formulas, I eventually became proficient. In retrospect, I wish I had approached learning Excel as an opportunity to become a stronger, more capable researcher instead of dreading the process.

This experience allowed me to realize that humility is often a prerequisite for enacting the change you desire. At the end of the day, the research I produce is the source of my impact. When I consider the lives that my research could affect, I am grateful to help lessen the grip addiction holds on others. During my internship, I maintained my focus on helping those addicted to e-cigarettes make more informed decisions. This allowed me to realize that I am just a small piece of a greater mission. The decisions made by those addicted to e-cigarettes are theirs alone. However, I choose to generate knowledge that may enable them to live freer lives.

My internship provided me with the opportunity to better understand nicotine and its analogs so that their differential toxicological effects may be better understood. The CDC estimates that approximately “1.63 million (5.9%) students currently use e-cigarettes” within the United States. These e-cigarettes often contain nicotine or nicotine analogs.

These analogs are often advertised as safer alternatives to nicotine, but their toxicological profiles are poorly understood. Through examining different toxicological endpoints, I was able to create toxicological profiles for different test compounds. I conducted this research so that those who may use e-cigarettes better understand the toxicological effects their actions pose. Though their choice to use e-cigarettes is theirs alone, my goal was for them to be able to exercise their autonomy while being informed of these toxicological effects. That way, the choice to vape or not is theirs alone, but my research
will allow them to better understand the potential ramifications their decisions may hold.