I was fortunate to become involved in IMAGINE right from its beginning. This allowed me to not only directly witness the process of shaping an international research project, but also assist in many of its aspects. My mentors guided me through data handling, clinical chart reviews, specimen collection, presentation skills, and how to properly and respectfully interact with patients and their families.
I was also given the opportunity to design an information tool to describe metabolomics to the lay public. Having just completed an introductory cell biology course in the spring, it was quite the learning curve! Clinical knowledge aside, as an unseasoned student worker, some of the most mundane tasks like juggling a spreadsheet, or planning an effective filing system for data presented as unexpected little challenges to me.