Research collaboration leads Kelsea Richmer back to IU Southeast for Medical Laboratory Science degree: IU Southeast : Indiana University

Recent IU Southeast graduate Kelsea Richmer says her undergraduate research grant experience, completed under mentor Dr. Margaret Wallen, made a significant impact on her career trajectory, leading her to return to her alma mater to pursue a second bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science.

Wallen says Richmer joined her lab shortly after beginning her studies at IU Southeast and has since contributed to all ongoing projects, playing a key role in training and mentoring new students in the lab. Their research primarily focused on the genetic aspects of lung cancer progression and response to chemotherapy. For her assistantship, Kelsea focused on overexpressing a mutant form of KRAS, a well-characterized oncogene commonly found in lung cancer. Her project examined the role of this mutation in mediating cancer cell resistance to standard-of-care chemotherapeutic treatments.

As an assistant, Richmer says she developed an understanding of how to approach a new research project, determine which data to search for and how to obtain that data, and analyze the data produced from her work. She says critical thinking, problem solving, time management, and teamwork have been invaluable during her time as an assistant under Wallen.

“I had to learn not to be discouraged when experiments fail, often multiple times, and to troubleshoot how to improve the next attempt,” said Richmer. “Overall, Dr. Wallen taught me how to think like a scientist.”

Richmer worked closely with Wallen on cancer research as an undergraduate lab assistant..Wallen says it’s important for undergraduates to get involved in research.

“Science is inherently an applied discipline, yet classroom instruction often only allows us to scratch the surface of real-world application,” said Wallen. “While we teach foundational concepts and ask students to apply them in theoretical scenarios, the process of designing and conducting experiments, collecting and interpreting data, and drawing meaningful conclusions requires a distinct and deeper skill set. Students develop these critical skills through hands-on research experiences, which in turn prepares them for a wide range of careers in medicine and related fields.”

Wallen says Richmer’s experience built skills that will lead her to greater success in the medical laboratory science field.

“The technical skills she has developed in the lab will be highly valuable in that field,” said Wallen. “Perhaps even more importantly, the leadership and teaching experience she gained through mentoring other students will support her continued growth and advancement in her chosen career.”

Richmer says working with Wallen has been an exceedingly rewarding experience.

“She has become a mentor I hold the highest respect for and hope to be a leader like her in the future,” said Richmer. “Dr. Wallen has seen my potential before I did, had confidence in me when I didn’t, [and been] an advisor when my academic path took an unexpected turn, and is one of my biggest supporters in my successes. She has had invaluable wisdom in navigating the scientific world as a woman in STEM as well as endless knowledge in her field.”

Richmer says the most surprising aspect of doing her research has been her success in communicating her work to a variety of audiences. She was one of three IU Southeast students who presented undergraduate research as part of the Regionals at the Rotunda event at the Indiana Statehouse in April. She also presented her findings at the IU Southeast Student Conference and Showcase this spring.

Richmer advises other students considering research assistantships to establish working relationships with their potential mentors and to ask professors if they currently have a research program that fits into their interests.

“Do the things that scare you and take all the possible opportunities given, because you truly never know what doors open afterward,” said Richmer.