Arna Banerjee - Biomedicine Lab

Hi, my name is Arna Banerjee and I am a second-year here at CART. I am currently in the Biomedicine Lab and was in the Forensic Research Lab last year. I absolutely love science, and what I love about both of these CART labs is how they have taught me to look at science through different lenses. 

In biomedicine, we are currently researching different fields of medicine for our first project of the year. We created a website about the different careers, medical conditions, procedures, and lifestyles in our respective fields. Now, we are developing case studies related to our fields of medicine and presenting them to the class. I am researching emergency medicine and am enjoying working alongside classmates with a similar interest while learning about such a dynamic and unique field! In addition, we are learning about the integumentary system (hair, skin, and nails). We just did a case study on a patient with skin cancer, where we used gelatin to stimulate a punch biopsy and examined microscope images of tissues to diagnose the patient. We also had a large, interactive lab where we examined our hair underneath microscopes, inspected our fingerprints, and tested our touch and temperature receptors. 

Last year in the forensics lab, I also gained knowledge on the integumentary system. We learned about the different layers of skin and how to analyze the minutiae, or unique characteristics, of individual fingerprints to identify criminals. Furthermore, we studied the different bones in the body during our anthropology unit. We learned how to use the length of a bone to calculate a person’s height and how bone fusion patterns can help identify one’s age. It was fascinating to see how forensic anthropologists use their knowledge of the human body to help solve crimes and bring closure to families. 

A lot of the anatomy and science I learned in forensics relates to what I’m learning in biomedicine. Both of these labs have made me so excited to learn because they have shown me how science can translate to so many different careers and interests!

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