Published on Aug. 2, 2024
The Cherng Summer Scholars program allows Honors College students at the University of Missouri to explore their passions through research projects aimed at questions they are interested in analyzing. Students who are accepted into the nine-week program participate in projects that are individually designed, with the support and mentorship of a Mizzou faculty member.
This year, there are 12 Cherng Summer Scholars. Meet Dustin Peters, a senior biochemistry major.
Question: Which faculty member are you working with on your research?
Answer: I’m working with Dr. Michael Petris, a professor of biochemistry, as well as a fifth-year graduate student Chiemerie Azubuogu, in the Bond Life Sciences Center.
Question: What is the focus of your research?
Answer: The focus of my research is to further investigate the influence of copper metabolism on chemotherapy resistance in various cancer cell lines.
Question: What interested you in this specific project?
Answer: When looking to join a research lab, I knew that I wanted to be involved in research that could be used in a clinical setting one day and have a direct effect on patient outcomes in the future. My passion is medicine and becoming a physician, so when I saw that the Petris Lab’s primary focus was cancer, I knew it would be the perfect fit for me! This project specifically interested me because chemoresistance is a major issue facing modern medicine meaning these results could have major influences in potential treatment plans in the future.
Question: How nice has it been to be part of the Cherng Summer Scholars program?
Answer: The Cherng Summer Scholars program has been a great experience this summer. The program has surrounded me with like-minded individuals all working to achieve their own individual goals within their respective fields. Additionally, it has provided me with the newfound ability to communicate my research to those not directly within my field. I would recommend this program to any Honors College student without a doubt!