Life-Changing Science: The BioBuilder Podcast
Life-Changing Science: The BioBuilder Podcast
From Books to Biotech: Vanessa Murati and BioTechBuilder
Ever wondered how a love for reading can shape your career path? Join us for an enlightening conversation with Vanessa Murati, an ambitious junior at Pioneer Charter High School of Science. Vanessa's childhood obsession with character development led her to explore human behavior and neuroscience, seamlessly blending her passion for both STEM and the humanities. She shares the vital lab skills she picked up through the BioTechBuilder curriculum and how her Albanian parents' appreciation for the humanities has guided her academic journey.
In this episode, Vanessa opens up about her college and career aspirations, including her fascination with Boston University and her plans to double major in biology and psychology. Hear about her experiences attending an occupational health screening, her potential collaboration with Ingenius Prep, and how BioBuilder has honed her networking prowess. Vanessa also unveils her exciting new venture—a podcast called "Standing on Business"—which reflects her love for podcasts and media. Get ready to be inspired by Vanessa's journey and her future ambitions in the world of science.
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Hello and welcome to Life-Changing Science, the BioBuilder podcast. I'm your host, Zeeshan, and my guest today is Vanessa Murati. Vanessa's parents immigrated to the US from Albania, and she's highly motivated to pursue a career in biology and psychology at university. Currently, though, she's a junior at Pioneer Charter High School of Science in Saugus, Massachusetts, and she's one of the first students to learn the biotech builder curriculum. She's also one of the first apprentices to be selected for the college prep support from BioBuilder's longtime partner, Ingenius Prep. Let's hear more about Vanessa's journey and dive right into this episode. I heard that you're interested in biology and psychology two you know, really, really amazing important subjects. Uh, where does, where does this interest stem from?
Vanessa Murati:So I was actually ruminating on this recently, like completely by coincidence. I never considered why I liked them prior. Uh, I was meeting, um, my new co-worker from the program I'm doing, uh, my internship, and she was like, okay, so why do you care about neuroscience? And I sat back and I had to think to myself, okay, if I care about neuroscience, why do I care about biology? Why psych? Why?
Vanessa Murati:Back and back, I found the root cause, which is, as a child and even now I just don't have much time now loved to read, loved reading so much. I would like I was the kind of person where I would just like I put a book in my hand and like, inhale it. You know what I mean. Uh, I'd be like very wrapped in a reading. And, yeah, from there I realized now that the thing I liked most about reading was character arcs, the way a character's personality and actions would develop over the course of a story. Uh, and so from there, I guess in hindsight, my obsession with psychology began just because I found I find I've always found human behavior really interesting. I think people are just cool.
Vanessa Murati:Um, then, from there, after I like got really interested into psychology, I was like, oh wait, this like has a whole biological basis. Let me, let me look into that. And so that's where my love of biology, um, started. Although I've always enjoyed biology, it's always been like my favorite class to learn my favorite, one of my favorites, my second favorite type of science, um, it's a close second though. Yeah, I'm taking. I took a chem my junior year, which just passed. I'm gonna take a bio next year, so stoked it's gonna be so fun, um. But yeah, and that's where that interest and, naturally, neuroscience, you combine the two that's really well explained.
Zeeshan Siddiqui:You've had your own little character arc, which I'm sure you've analyzed thank you.
Vanessa Murati:Thank you! Well, my friends have do?
Zeeshan Siddiqui:do you have any siblings and are they're also interested in, like the science areas or?
Vanessa Murati:oh, I'm an only child. Oh yeah, and my parents, um, my, were like Albanian. Um, my dad went to school, he went for criminal justice, uh, but his passion was always like Albanian history and so like he's very big in history. When he came over here he became like really interested in american history and american politics, whereas my mom, she's always enjoyed linguistics a lot, so like she speaks four languages, things like that, but they both like humanities very much, and I also love humanities very much.
Vanessa Murati:And oftentimes I get asked like by people in school not so much now because this is like an established fact about me but they would ask me like, why do you want to major in bio and psych? Like, don't you want to like major in English? You love reading, you love books, you'll talk about them any time. But I've always seen it as people have this perception about STEM that it's like so divorced from humanities. It's not Like they inspire each other. For instance, like from geometry we get art From chemistry. We get art From chemistry, we get cooking. You know what I mean, and so I've always enjoyed both very much, and my love of STEM comes from my love of humanities.
Zeeshan Siddiqui:All right. So you've talked about your love of reading and the influence of your parents in sort of. I guess the humanities does teach you how to, how to think, and it's that excitement about learning that you sort of grown up with and I see how that relation you know to psychology, to neuroscience and biology all that comes together which is which is amazing, which is it's it's it's it's such an exciting, always has been an exciting field and I think it's just growing. It's, it's such an exciting, always has been an exciting field and I think it's just growing. Uh and um, you were one of the first students, uh, to learn the biotech builder curriculum, so I'm curious to hear about because obviously that's a new program um, I'm curious about, uh, your experience and what the program is about.
Zeeshan Siddiqui:Some of the projects you did, yeah, so yeah, tell us about the spring BioTech uilder curriculum. Like some of the projects you did, yeah, so yeah, tell us about the Spring BioTech Builder curriculum. Like some of the projects you worked on, some of the skills you learned, and I also saw that there was like micro-credentials that you could get, which I think is super sick.
Vanessa Murati:Yeah, I mean, honestly it was a really good opportunity. But yeah, basically we'd come in weekly and we'd also have meetings on Wednesday or Thursday on Zoom I can't remember Once a week, but yeah, we'd come in every Saturday also. It was honestly a pretty good program. I think it was pretty comprehensive in building like that foundation of lab skills, so like we work with micropipettes, we learned how to do cultures and broth and like solid media. Um, we learned the, the. Oh, I've actually I'm so fake I actually forget the name. It's like a specific term. Oh, my god, Vi<br> t would be so sad. Was it vacu-cheater?
Zeeshan Siddiqui:uh, I had the vacant cake because I was in the seaport location.
Vanessa Murati:Was Vivek your cheater? I had Vivek and Kate the Seaport location. c The Worcester location had, I think, hiroko and someone else, and then Natalie would jump between the two locations. Hiroko Oh, I'm trying to remember. But yeah, I accept that I don't remember the term. But we also did electrophoresis. We did cell viability assays.
Zeeshan Siddiqui:PCR, pcr, pcr. It's always PCR. They have tested guys, pcr test.
Vanessa Murati:Yeah, it's PCR. Okay, nice, I can die happiuy w t.
Zeeshan Siddiqui:No, I mean you were actually in the lab sort of learning these techniques.
Vanessa Murati:Yeah, I was At my school. It's very small and we have 45-minute class periods. We do not have double periods. So for AP Chem, for instance, we couldn't do experiments in the lab because we only had 45 minutes at each period. Like it was just not enough time, um. So it was actually the first time I'd gotten to like be able to do anything in a lab. But, yeah, it was honestly a really good experience. But one thing, one thing I gotta hype up is natalie ' ' ' ability to teach about networking, because I had never considered like the concepts of networking before, um, and like she just genuinely opened my eyes to it. And also she offers like I'm just like glazing, natalie. Do you know what glazing means? I don't know.
Zeeshan Siddiqui:Okay I have a 16 year old sister, so I understand some terms.
Vanessa Murati:Yeah, I'm just not glazing that early at this point, but like she deserves it Because like one thing she did for everyone was that she made sure we all connected with her on LinkedIn and like added us back and everything, and like I mean that's a great opportunity because, like you have her as a connection to so many other people. I mean that's a great opportunity because, like you have her as a connection to so many other people and it just like blew my mind because I hadn't considered how important networking was Like now, in hindsight, I'm thinking like obviously network was important, but I had no idea. No one had ever told me.
Zeeshan Siddiqui:Can you tell me more about some of the experiments that you did during the BioTech uilder p?
Vanessa Murati:So the first week was like I want to say the very, very basics. The first week, maybe second week also, we did culturing. It would just be that we'd like learn a new skill and then we'd implement it in an experiment. So, like first week, we did culturing. Second week, we did culturing and pipetting. Third week, culturing, pipetting, serial dilutions, like you know what I mean. We'd build off of what we did the previous week and keep practicing it. The end goal was to do like a micro-credential test. Now I don't know if they're BCSI or BSCI I don't know what that acronym is.
Zeeshan Siddiqui:That's fine.
Vanessa Murati:They came. Well, they sent a guy over and he tested us on the final day on the skills. I got to hand it to Kate and Vivek because no one at BioBuilder knew what they were going to test us on, and I feel like they tried to cover their bases pretty well, even when not knowing what we were going to get tested on. The micro-credentials thing is a really good opportunity also. The micro-credentials thing is like a really good opportunity also as, like people this specific program was targeted toward like low-income, first-gen people, as opposed to like the summer program, which is that you pay to get in, this one was completely free, so it was very accessible to us as people who were just like entering this like field, I guess, in order to like, like learn these basic skills. So that was, yeah, gotta love Natalie.
Zeeshan Siddiqui:And another really important skill tha Biobelis resses on and is great at teaching their students is science communication and networking. So I'm curious about some of yeah, some of the science communication skills that you learned, or, and then we'll translate that into some of the networking process.
Vanessa Murati:I mean, I just if you're a Bio uilder, like it opened my eyes right when I realized like, oh, this is something I have to do. This is like important, because I'd honestly never considered it before. Um, because it's like when you are especially like in the context of being like first gen whether like in a sense of college or like immigration wise, first gen um, you don't know what you're confused about uh, like what in terms of well?
Vanessa Murati:for instance, like the concept of networking. I never considered it prior and now I know that it's like a fundamental task or like, uh, most I don't even know. Like having a linkedin, upkeeping a linkedin I didn't even realize that was a thing, and then I just mentally opened my eyes. So it's like, especially as first-generation students, we don't know what we're confused about, like the college application process. We walk into it and we're like, okay, it seems simple enough, because we don't know what we are missing, like we don't understand because no one ever told us.
Zeeshan Siddiqui:Yeah, yeah, yeah, and it's so important to have someone who really understands that process and guides students through that, because there's obviously such a stressful time because there's college apps you're learning so many exciting things and there's also SATs. It's like it's a lot. And speaking about college, um, college applications I know that you're involved with Ingenius in the college prep support program. I would love to, yeah, hear more about how that came about, what r <br> <br> BioBuilder <br> <br> <br> <br> played and how does that preparation look like?
Vanessa Murati:Yeah for sure. So it was April break. I just came back from an occupational health screening appointment that my program wanted me to do, not the other one, um, I'm in the car. I'm like walking from the car into the house, I see an email, natalie, asking to me to have a zoom meeting. Immediately I say yes. Um, I walk into it kind of confused but very willing to do anything. Uh, so she she's like so, vanessa, are you interested in college? I'm like yeah, yeah, I'm interested in college. And so we're like chatting. We discussed about college. I was talking to her, I guess, just about my life.
Vanessa Murati:After a while, if she, she like gives the same vibe as you, she's like a podcast interviewer where, like, you're getting interviewed, but it feels like a conversation well, thank you and so at the end of it she's like, so, like, introduces me to the idea of ingenious prep and explains that they were doing like a sponsorship, like a collaboration, a collaboration with bio builder, um, which to like get more known as a program, which makes sense, because I actually hadn't heard of them prior. So it worked, um, but yeah, and from there it was just a matter of like. Am I interested in this? Um? Because her main concern was that what she wanted to make sure it would go to someone who, like, was sure about going to college, because a lot of people in the program weren't sure about going to college. They were doing it to see if they were interested in the field, um, so they weren't sure if they were going to like major in a stem thing or like. You know what I mean yeah, yeah so, yeah, that was the meeting.
Zeeshan Siddiqui:Has that program started?
Vanessa Murati:Yeah, yeah, I had my first meeting with them, I want to say two weeks ago, and I was supposed to have a meeting on Saturday actually, but because of the Orange Line being under construction, my commute is now three and a half hours long. Total construction my commute is now three and a half hours long, total total. Um, yeah, and so I could. I didn't have time to do it this week, so I'm gonna meet with them in two weeks instead yeah, no, that's fair.
Zeeshan Siddiqui:That's fair. Well, that's well good. Good luck, thank you. And how much has BioBuilder influenced you to sort of pursue biology? Are you looking at biotech? You know focus schools Are you looking at, you know, biotech majors and sort of that area?
Vanessa Murati:Not necessarily biotech. I would like to double major in biology and psychology. One school I've had my eye on and this is going to be so embarrassing to have on the record if I don't get in but BU, I love BU. You're a grudge, that's true. I love BU so much because I think it has exactly what I want in terms of mixing humanities and STEM, because the way they handle their gen ed I really like. They also have a lot of options.
Vanessa Murati:I'm going to keep this short, but I could talk for a very long time about BU. I'm sure I really like their options of majors, like they have a lot of focuses under biology, so it's like cell biology or environmental or like it's like very focused, which I like a lot. They also, just in general, like everything I like about. I even like the fact that they have no campus, because I'm like I get to walk around the city, like everything about b-box really cool, do they? Oh, yeah, so another thing bio builder influence. So obviously they uh, they taught me well, natalie, but extension, everyone else at bio builder too.
Vanessa Murati:Um, taught me about networking, right, and so recently I started a networking club with my friend who did the summer version of bio builder, because I it's like so, it's like so nerdy, low-key, high-key.
Vanessa Murati:Actually it's networking club, yeah, um, but yeah, and so we've just been reaching out to people because it gives us an excuse, you see, to reach out to people we find cool and talk to them. So, yeah, we recently spoke with and Natalie actually connected us with him, with Teddy Toussaint. I don't think you know him, but yeah, he has a platform called Isibute where it's intended to be like, if I could describe it Actually I'm going to describe it professionally first and then like colloquially but it's a platform for people who are in biotech and biology to collaborate and discuss things. So, like it's still in development, but I honestly think it'll be like really cool. I hope, I hope he makes an app, because then I like I love apps, like the LinkedIn app on my phone, I'm always on it, associated Press always on it. I just I love an app. I don't like websites very much.
Zeeshan Siddiqui:Apps are good. Yeah, yeah.
Vanessa Murati:But if I could describe this of you, it's like r slash biotech, but like more professional. Do you know what?
Zeeshan Siddiqui:that means yeah Reddit. Okay, sorry, I don't mean to say Reddit is my time, reddit is before you were born, so that's been happening with BioBuilder.
Vanessa Murati:Actually, very funnily enough, I'm going to start a podcast with the same friend, so hey, we're also going to use rumors. That's why I went, that's why I got the mic. But yeah, um, because, like I mean, I'm obsessed with podcasts, I love podcasts. It's a dream to be on one. Because I love podcasts, because I mean, what else am I gonna listen to on my commute?
Zeeshan Siddiqui:What is the overarching theme of the podcast?
Vanessa Murati:um, we were wanting it to be okay, the working name. I don't know if we're going to keep this, but the working name is Standing on Business, which I don't do. You know that as a reference. Okay, so I'm going to look this up just to ensure that I am not wrong, because I do believe it is originally a VE and I don't want to misrepresent it. So it's basically just like um, but this is this explains that as a reminder to uphold the boundaries you establish for yourself and prioritize your mental health values and, ultimately, your business.
Vanessa Murati:Um, but yeah, and so we were thinking of making it like, I guess, like networking club, the podcast, because it's just going to be about networking.
Vanessa Murati:We were hoping to like just invite a bunch of people in a bunch of like we're going to focus on science initially, but just like in general, to invite a bunch of people who are around our age or a couple years older, who are like just beginning to advance into their careers and like talk about how it's been for them, because, as I mentioned earlier and this is like the case for a lot of my friends that I guess anyone in my to advance into their careers and like talk about how it's been for them, because, as I mentioned earlier and this is like the case for a lot of my friends that I guess anyone in my position as someone who's first gen um we don't get to see these pathways. We often see people who haven't started this their pathway yet, or who are at like such an impressive point in their pathway. We rarely see people who are just starting out in something, and so that's what we were hoping to achieve with this podcast.
Zeeshan Siddiqui:And the final question I wanted to ask you was you're currently doing a really really cool internship, and first question tell us about what you're researching, where the internship is and how did this internship come about?
Vanessa Murati:Okay, so the internship is part of a program. So I'm doing the CURE program, which is run by Dana-Farber I don't know if that's their legal name Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, that's their name, dfci. Yeah, and basically it's just a program they have where they take a bunch of people, they give you a couple days of orientation and then, depending on what you said in the interview, what you were interested in, they match you with a bunch of labs. So most of us got matched under postdocs. A couple people got matched under PhD candidates who are doing like their theses, theses, theses I think that's the plural of thesis um, but yeah, so I'm currently at I mean, I won't give too much information because I that might not be safe but I'm currently at a lab at mass general brigham. Um is, should I give information about this project?
Zeeshan Siddiqui:Yeah, that's all right. You can tell us what area it's in and some of the lab techniques maybe you're working on.
Vanessa Murati:It's in the radiology department and it's a neuroscience and physics lab, so I actually just started on Monday, totally another. Yeah, honestly, it's kind of a whirlwind. I wish the commute was shorter, but once my commute is shorter I'm going to have so much more time to study it. But yeah, honestly, it's a great environment there. Everyone is really casual. They made me call them all by their first names, which was like new to me, because my only two experiences in a professional environment are school and Stop and Shop.
Zeeshan Siddiqui:Fair enough, I see A better question is how do you feel your experience? Because BioBuilder was the apprenticeship program was the first time you were in the lab and doing all these cool experiments and learning so many important techniques. How has that helped you now going into? You know this is your first week in an industry Dana Farber, f environment, the lab uh, doing really really exciting.
Vanessa Murati:You know, neuroscience research yeah, I mean honestly, like Bio uilder prepared me really well for it. I feel like I wouldn't feel like even half as comfortable as I do now at the lab if it hadn't been for bio builder. Like honestly, I mean, like I don't mean to glaze, I'm not, like I'm not, I haven't been paid to say this, I'm being very sincere. They just did so much for me, like it's honestly such a good program but yeah, it honestly like prepared me so much for just being in that kind of environment, for being able to like it prepared me even to speak to people who are professionals in their field, because, like I wouldn't have any idea otherwise just how to communicate with them, if I'm being honest. So I mean, obviously, the basic lab skills those are definitely going to be handy because they don't have to train me on those, so we can get going on things really quickly. Sorry, to.
Zeeshan Siddiqui:To interrupt, did it make the lab? You know, when I first stepped into a lab I felt quite intimidated, and it can be quite, but you know, scary uh. How, because of your previous bioBuilder, during that experience, do you feel a bit more comfortable in lab from day one?
Vanessa Murati:I mean a hundred percent. Like I mean, don't be wrong, it is still intimidating because, like these people are like you, like they have you watched, like lecture videos right and ever, like half the lecture videos, a completely unaffiliated brigham and woman, completely unaffiliated with dana farber half of them were giving acknowledgments to the pi that I work under, like that, like you know, I mean, like I have so much respect for these people because they're absolute professionals in their field. They're doing, they're doing so well getting like papers published left and right. It's honestly a really amazing environment to just witness. Um, but yeah, it's definitely intimidating, but I'm getting the hang of it and I don't think like I would have felt half as comfortable, like so quickly, if it weren't for BioBuilder, because, like they prepared me. You know what I mean.
Zeeshan Siddiqui:Thanks again to Vanessa for joining me today. Talking to BioBuilder students is one of my favorite things to do in the world, really, and what I found really insightful in today's episode was hearing Vanessa talk about her realization as a first-gen student. Think about going to college. She said you don't know what you're confused about, and that self-awareness led her to take part in initiatives such as BioBuilder. I'm excited to see how she continues that growth mindset going forward, and I think this episode will be really useful to so many students with multiple interests in the science, humanities and engineering. If you'd like to learn more about anything else Vanessa and I discussed today, please refer to the show notes. Join me for the next BioBuilder podcast. We'll welcome another wonderful guest whose career has been influenced by BioBuilder's life-changing science. See you next time.