My Personal Interest in Science
My scientific interest tells the story of a gradual build up that still keeps growing. In my childhood years, Lego models with gears captured my interest – e.g. when a small steering spin resulted in a big crane to turn. In high school, I was fascinated with Mathematics and the Pure Sciences, mainly because of their approach that tends to simplify things into 1st principles, just like the Lego models.
Now in my medical course, Science continues to fascinate me with its consistent “explanatory power”, for example in the use of dopamine-increasing medication to treat patients with Parkinson’s disease. Their symptoms can be simplified into dopamine deficiency or dopamine excess – deficiency results in stiffness and slowed movement, while excess (from medication) results in unwanted movements and hallucinations. This model also neatly explains how dopamine-blocking medication can alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia (hallucinations) and can cause stiffness.
During research in 3rd year medicine, I enjoyed the scientific engagement with both my direct supervisor, who had clear and simple whiteboard sessions to teach me the laboratory techniques, and my overall supervisor, who skilfully co-ordinated multiple projects on neurodegenerative conditions. The presence of like-minded people around me sharpened my scientific aptitude, making me realise that there is so much more to discover in the natural world.
Why does this motivate me so much? It is because the scientific knowledge is eventually translated into good patient care – there is a human life benefitting from the discoveries of Science.
Submission for UROP: Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme, 26 Sep 2011
My scientific interest tells the story of a gradual build up that still keeps growing. In my childhood years, Lego models with gears captured my interest – e.g. when a small steering spin resulted in a big crane to turn. In high school, I was fascinated with Mathematics and the Pure Sciences, mainly because of their approach that tends to simplify things into 1st principles, just like the Lego models.
Now in my medical course, Science continues to fascinate me with its consistent “explanatory power”, for example in the use of dopamine-increasing medication to treat patients with Parkinson’s disease. Their symptoms can be simplified into dopamine deficiency or dopamine excess – deficiency results in stiffness and slowed movement, while excess (from medication) results in unwanted movements and hallucinations. This model also neatly explains how dopamine-blocking medication can alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia (hallucinations) and can cause stiffness.
During research in 3rd year medicine, I enjoyed the scientific engagement with both my direct supervisor, who had clear and simple whiteboard sessions to teach me the laboratory techniques, and my overall supervisor, who skilfully co-ordinated multiple projects on neurodegenerative conditions. The presence of like-minded people around me sharpened my scientific aptitude, making me realise that there is so much more to discover in the natural world.
Why does this motivate me so much? It is because the scientific knowledge is eventually translated into good patient care – there is a human life benefitting from the discoveries of Science.
Submission for UROP: Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme, 26 Sep 2011
