HHS's Marissa Jackson Attends Iowa State Internship

Marissa Jackson, a Hillsborough High School junior with an interest in pursuing a career in pharmaceutical biochemical research, was one of 13 high school students nationwide selected to participate in the Summer 2013 George Washington Carver Internship Program at Iowa State University. 

The six-week program is conducted by the institution’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.  The internship offered 18 research projects from which participants preselected an area of research focus during their application submission. 

Marissa worked alongside graduate students to develop resistant starches for the prevention of colon cancer.  This project was directed under the leadership of Distinguished Professor Dr. Diane Birt, whose area of interest is identification and study of mechanisms for cancer prevention by novel dietary constituents and mechanisms for cancer enhancement by overeating and obesity. 

Marissa’s internship consisted of information research, weekly seminars, research project completion, preparation of an abstract and written report, and culminated with a presentation of her work at the Research Symposium at the end of the program.