GREENVILLE, S.C. (August 12, 2016) – Hyohyun “Esther” Park, a senior cell biology major at Bob Jones University with a minor in chemistry, is serving this summer as an intern for the Research Immersion for Undergraduates (RIU) program as a part of the Bob Jones University Cancer Research Lab in Greenville, South Carolina.
“The RIU program is a research-based approach to support undergraduate learning, as well as to create an opportunity for undergraduates to actively engage in both research and other avenues of scientific inquiry,” says Dr. Steve Figard, Director of Cancer Research and biology professor at BJU. “There is increasing data that shows that students who do extensive research projects as undergraduates pursue graduate education and additional research opportunities at higher rates and will have improved academic achievement and graduation rates, while developing fundamental critical-thinking skills.”
Park, a resident of Seoul, South Korea, worked to prove the cytotoxic effect of almonds on gastric and colon cancer cells and normal human epithelial cells. In that effort, Park worked to locate the cytotoxic agents in almonds and to determine if it’s in the hull or meat part of the almonds. Park also sought to determine the cell death pathway caused by the cytotoxic agent.
“God opened the door for me to be a part of this wonderful research opportunity, and it has helped me grow more in the knowledge of God’s amazing love for us, even in something as small as almonds,” says Park. “Working as a team of three students has helped me learn more about cooperation and flexibility. As a student praying to be a medical missionary in the near future, this experience helped demonstrate to me the need to serve God’s people in the field of science.”
