From the Court to the Lab

“I worked on the CRISPR-Cas system,” says Smith, who comes to Saint Rose from Medford, New York. “It is basically a protein, and my job was to find a smaller protein that was able to fit into a cell. Since a cell can only hold a certain amount, we are trying to find something smaller to fit into the cell to fix genetic problems. For example, if someone doesn’t have enough melanin in their skin, this research will help.”

Smith plans to pursue a master’s degree in global health after graduating from Saint Rose. Next up after that? Medical school so she can pursue her dream of becoming an OB-GYN.

We recently caught up with Smith to talk about her Saint Rose and internship experiences.

My mentor, Vindi, always told me the harder I worked in the research, the more chances I had to find something new.” – Ashia Smith

Can you describe your internship experience?
You always needed to be on your toes. In order to succeed in the biomedical internship, you had to have an optimistic attitude. In research, you have to learn to be patient because you may not get the result you want the first few times. The key is persistence, never giving up, and to keep trying. My mentor, Vindi, always told me the harder I worked in the research, the more chances I had to find something new.

What was the most important thing you took away from your time this summer conducting the research?
I most definitely learned to be more patient and to believe in myself. Before the internship even started, I had doubts. When I started the internship, I surprised myself and started to gain confidence in how smart and capable I was in accomplishing my goal to find a new protein using computational chemistry.

What motivates you to pursue a career in the medical field?
My family is what motivates me. I have a lot of people who are in the medical field who inspire me. I’d always see it while growing up. I was really big on seeing my aunt in the scrubs. I used to love all the different types of color scrubs she would wear. She also used to motivate me with her stories of her being a big-time surgeon and how she focused on everything surgery-wise. I also want to help women since I am a woman myself and to have the pleasure of being the first person who brings a kid into the world.

Did playing basketball help you become a better student?
Yes, I believe playing sports in general helps you become a better student. Being a student-athlete helps you be more organized and to work hard to get the results you want. If you put your all into something, the majority of the time you will get great results, and if you do not get the results you want, you have to keep pushing yourself. My coach (Whitney Edwards) is a true believer in pushing past your limit. When you start to get tired and feel like stopping, you always have a little more in you.

Any other immediate plans?
This summer, I will be working alongside an OB-GYN and get experience in what I will be doing when I graduate medical school.

By Kaseem Gomez