Posted by: Koh Gui Jen, Taylor’s University (Biomedical Sciences, 3rd Year), Malaysia Summer Experience: Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Exchange Program Nationality: Malaysian
I participated in the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) sponsored by Xi’an Jiaotong Liverpool University Faculty of Science in August 2024. This program aims to foster research enthusiasm and creativity in undergraduate students. I first learned about this at a town hall held at Taylor’s University School of Biological Sciences in May. As a third-year biomedical student with a strong interest in post-graduation research, this program stood out to me as a valuable opportunity to improve my practical skills and apply the theoretical knowledge I gained in class.
Exploring Suzhou by bike and taking photos with friends from Taylor’s University
I had the opportunity to work on a project titled “Generation of Affibody Conjugates Using Protein Ligase” under the guidance of Dr. Antony Kam and Dr. Shining Loo. My research focused on expressing both wild-type and HER2-specific affibodies and generating affibody fluorescent conjugates via OaAEP-mediated ligation. Gained hands-on experience with key techniques such as recombinant protein expression, purification, SDS-PAGE analysis, and ultrafiltration.
During the course of my research, I made several discoveries by successfully expressing wild-type and HER2-specific affibodies. We also successfully created affibody fluorescent conjugates using OaAEP-mediated ligation. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the application of affibodies in medical research. Affibodies can be used as affinity tags for protein purification, facilitating isolation of specific proteins. Furthermore, affibody complexes can function as targeted drug delivery vehicles and fluorescent probes for visualizing target molecules in cells and tissues.
Photo with my supervisors Dr. Anthony Kam (center) and Dr. Shining Lu (right)
Although the research was rewarding, I encountered several challenges along the way. This field was relatively new to me, so I was initially apprehensive about the scope of the project. I didn’t know much about the experimental principles or protocols. However, with extensive online research and valuable guidance from my SURF colleagues and graduate students at XJTLU, I was able to overcome these challenges and successfully move forward with the project.
In my free time, I had the opportunity to explore China with my friends from Taylor’s University. I experienced the country’s unique lifestyle and culture, especially in the picturesque city of Suzhou, known for its stunning classical gardens, intricate canals, and rich cultural heritage. The memories made there will last a lifetime.
Group photo with Dean of Science, Professor John Moraros (back, center), SURF Program Coordinator Dr. Weiwei Dai (fourth from left), and SURF supervisors after the final presentation.
In short, the SURF program was a great experience that significantly improved my research skills. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work with Dr. Anthony Kam, Dr. Shining Lu, and the research team. The knowledge and skills I gained will be invaluable as I pursue my academic and career goals.
Last day of XJTLU
