Biomedical research remains a top professional interest for Lalita Priyamvada ’12 of New Delhi, India, after she spent her summer engaged in it at the University of Pittsburgh. The biology major and chemistry minor says that under the Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) at Pitt she pursued “Sensitivity of qRT-PCR in Detecting Influenza RNA in Ferret Nasal Washes.” She aimed to develop and test for a more efficient way to screen for the influenza virus, ultimately saving time and lives.

Lalita credits SLU for providing her with the foundation she needed to be successful in her research at Pitt. She attributes her practical abilities and scientific mindset to previous research she conducted at SLU during her junior year, with Professors Schreiber and Heckman of the biology department. “This initial foray into research gave me a good foundation on how to think independently and design experiments,” Lalita says.

While Lalita was able to exercise that independent thought and implement the skills she gained at SLU, being at a larger institution forced her out of her comfort zone and into a world of research much larger than what she was accustomed to.  Lalita notes that her developing awareness of and participation in research have given her a greater appreciation for her field of study.

When Lalita is not conducting research she serves as the International House coordinator and she is a member of Beta Beta Beta, the biology honorary society, and Omicron Delta Kappa, the leadership honor society. Upon completion of her education at SLU, Lalita says she would like to pursue a doctorate in biomedical sciences.  

--Lauren Liebhaber ’12