Stonehill Scientist Set to Intern in Paris

May 06, 2011

Many students at Stonehill study abroad or intern internationally. Biology major Jasmine Khubchandani '12 will take that kind of opportunity to a new level as she has been named as one of just four Judith P. Sulzberger interns at the famed Institut Pasteur in Paris this summer.

Students from across the nation apply for this renowned internship at one of the world's most recognizable institutes of scientific research, and Khubchandani will become Stonehill's first representative. She will work alongside some of the scientific world's brightest minds, interning in the Chemistry of Biomolecules Unit.

She joins two students from Duke, and one from the University of Texas - Brownsville for her first trip studying or interning abroad.

"Professor Magdalena James Pederson and Professor Louis Liotta really encouraged me to apply. I knew it was a long shot considering it's a national internship, but they kept on me to apply. My parents did too. When I found out I got the internship, I couldn't believe it, I almost cried," says Khubchandani.

In the past, some of America's finest institutions, such as Harvard, MIT, Cal Berkley, and Stanford, just to name a few, have sent their best and brightest to the Institut to further their research and scientific education. Stonehill can now be added to the list.

"I was delighted to hear that Jasmine was accepted to the program and would be spending a summer in Paris. She is a bright, studious and highly motivated student who deserves this recognition," said Professor Pederson, the chair of the Biology Department at Stonehill.

Khubchandani's first experience at Stonehill was as a Brockton high school student, participating in the Advanced Placement Biology Laboratory program funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

As a student at Stonehill, she has assisted faculty in research projects for the last two summers, first as an NSF STEP scholar and then as a SURE scholar. Khubchandan is also an active participant in the College's ALANA-A Brothers and Sisters Leadership Program.

She attributes a lot of her research opportunities to the Shields Science Center because of the state-of-the-art labs the building offers.

The Institut Pasteur International Network spans five continents with over 30 affiliated institutional members, many of which share the Pasteur name. For Khubchandani, working at the original Institut in Paris is a big thrill.

"I really cannot wait. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity and I'm so excited, especially since it's my first time in Europe. I'm also a little nervous, I've never been away from home or my parents for that long," she said.

Along with their internationally recognized research, the Institut works collaboratively with organizations not only in France, but also the United States (Centers for Disease Control, Department of Health and Human Services) and other countries across the world.

By combining their research with these other organizations the Institut works collaboratively to combat disease throughout the world.

The internship program Khubchandani will participate in will last ten weeks. During her stay in Paris, she will spend the bulk of her time in the laboratory.

"I'll be working about 40 hours in the lab during the week, predominantly focusing on finding a vaccine for Shigellosis, a food-borne illness prominent in developing countries. I'm an advocate for social justice, so having the opportunity to play a role in its prevention would be amazing. I truly cannot wait."

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