Published on July 26, 2023
Late in his high school career, Lorenzo Ceccon had a bit of a radical idea. Ceccon grew up in Subbiano, a small town just more than an hour southeast of Florence, Italy. While he had never traveled to the United States, he decided he wanted to pursue an undergraduate degree there, nearly 5,000 miles away from home.
As Ceccon began searching for potential universities, he happened upon the University of Missouri. It didn’t take long for him to hit the apply button.
“Once I made the decision to apply to American colleges, it was a bit late in the game,” Ceccon said. “I was looking through schools that were still accepting applications and found MU. As I began looking at what Mizzou had to offer, I was hooked. It just made sense for me to be here.”
While Ceccon said there were a few cultural differences when he arrived in Columbia, he wasn’t overwhelmed by the change. The transition was made a bit easier, too, as Ceccon knew exactly what he was going to study at MU. Interested in both science and getting into the medical field, he gravitated toward biological sciences.
“With my interest in science, as well me wanting to go to medical school, it was natural to pick biology,” said Ceccon, who will be a senior this fall. “There are so many medical basics to study through this degree. It’s been a great fit.”
Ceccon, who is also minoring in chemistry and business, knew he wanted to participate in research, too. He sent out multiple emails to professors and found a spot with D Cornelison, a professor of biological sciences. In the Cornelison lab, research is aimed at understanding satellite cells, which are the stem cells responsible for growth, repair and regeneration of skeletal muscle.
“I honestly didn’t know much about research, but I knew I wanted to find a way to get involved,” Ceccon said. “Thankfully Dr. Cornelison had a spot for me. While I didn’t understand everything that was taking place in the lab, Dr. Cornelison was very open and honest with me, which was reassuring. I feel very lucky to be where I am.”
Ceccon’s project focuses on two protein receptors found in muscle cells, Eph and ephrin. He is using a model to study potential therapies for rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), a cancer that resembles skeletal muscle tissue and is found most often in children and teenagers.
“I felt like every project in Dr. Cornelison’s lab was interesting, so I knew whichever one I joined would be worthwhile,” Ceccon said. “I was drawn to this work because of its tie to the medical world.
“I’ve been doing a variety of tasks, which is exciting, too. I’ve been running stains, cell manipulation and imaging. There is so much to learn, and I’ve enjoyed getting involved more in-depth.”
Ceccon’s research this summer has been funded through the Cherng Summer Scholars program. A full-time, nine-week summer research or creative scholarship program for Honors College students, the program is supported by a gift from Peggy and Andrew Cherng and the Panda Charitable Foundation. Recipients receive a $7,000 award and access to a $1,000 project expense account.
“I was beyond grateful to be named a Cherng Summer Scholar,” Ceccon said. “I was going to be at MU finishing my project, but I wasn’t going to have funding at a certain point. This scholarship proved that my hard work and sacrifices were worth it.
“Being with my peers each week has also been fun. Hearing the other students talk about their projects gives me the energy to keep working harder. Everyone has been very encouraging, and our conversations have been very fulfilling.”
Ceccon said that his research experience has opened the door for future projects, too. While he is still interested in getting into the medical field, Ceccon would like to keep conducting research.
“I love being in the lab,” Ceccon said. “The entire experience has been awesome. I’m still deciding on what path I want to pursue, but Mizzou has prepared for whatever route I decide to take.”