Omar Ocampo

Can you tell us about the research you completed at the University of Minnesota Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Program?

As a participant in the University of Minnesota’s Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Program (LSSURP), I received mentorship from Dr. Justin Hwang a faculty member in UMN’s Medical School’s and from his lab’s informatics manager, David Moline. We conducted a case study to identify unique genetic variants in a patient who developed neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). NEPC is a rare subtype of prostate cancer but due to its rarity and aggressive nature it has been difficult to identify genetic variants associated with the gene. With this in mind, our project’s goal was to assess the ability for a new gene variant detection strategy to improve the Hwang Lab’s ability to detect mutations within patient samples. This type of research is the first step in developing genetic screening tests for cancer risk which enable healthcare providers to have a fuller picture when providing treatment for their patients.

In what ways has your experience as an honors student prepared you for participating in research programs?

I believe that the Honors program has provided me with opportunities to critically analyze the sources in hopes of synthesizing something new. This process is critical for conducting research as well as many other fields.

What were some of the most meaningful and challenging aspects of your research, and what were you able to learn from it?

This research program paired me with a research mentor, and I initially felt uncomfortable reaching out to my research mentors for support in my project because I wanted to portray myself as an independent researcher. This ironically ended up slowing down the research process because questions that may take me hours or days to research and find the answer. I simply could have asked one of my mentors for help and steered in the right direction. This has helped me learn a healthier balance between trying to be independent but also accepting that I am a student, I am meant to take time to learn from my mentor, not just try to impress them with finding answers on my own.

How do you hope to build on this experience moving forward, whether in future research, graduate school, or your career after DePaul?

I plan to use the lessons from this research experience as a foundation to continue my education. Last month I finished applying to Ph.D. programs, most of which focused on conducting biomedical research, specifically in the field of genetics. These graduate programs will help me learn how to bridge the gap between genetic insights and improvements in patient care. Additionally, this experience gave me the opportunity to talk to researchers about current issues in the field of human genetics research. One of the most significant issues in the field is the lack of genome samples from non-European backgrounds. According to a 2022 study, as much as 86% of all sequenced human genomes included in published studies are of European ancestry, meanwhile Latino samples make up about 0.08% of all genomes despite both groups making up approximately similar proportions of the global population. This issue pushed me to learn more about how current research strategies cause this issue and what scientists can do to address this gap.

What advice would you give to other DePaul Honors students who are interested in pursuing research opportunities?

I would recommend reaching out to your professors to learn about opportunities for you to conduct the type of research you are interested in. You honestly never know who your professors know, and it is much easier to get involved in a lab or set up a time to learn more about research that you are interested in. Additionally, your professors can give you insights on what institutions or professors are conducting research that you are interested in which can help you save time from trying to look all on your own!