McKayla

McKayla
Cristo Rey Boston High School 
Boston, MA

Mentor: 
Alicia Vaca
Flow Cytometry 
 

McKayla was drawn to BSSP by her belief that “ the Broad is an institute that assists different kinds of science and accepts people from all backgrounds. This is appealing to me because I know that there will be an environment for people who look like me, which is not something that is commonly projected.” While at the Flow Cytometry Facility, she and her partner developed protocols for a novel method called sequential immunofluorescence (seqIF). Tissues are intricate environments where various cell types interact with one another and with non-cellular components, making seqIF’s fully automated approach to detecting multiple proteins within a single tissue sample particularly valuable. The process begins with staining a tissue section with primary antibodies for specific markers, followed by the addition of fluorescently labeled secondary antibodies. Images are captured, and the antibodies are then removed with an elution buffer. Subsequent staining rounds allow for visualization of additional markers, and the images are stacked to create spatial relationship maps. By optimizing seqIF, McKayla and her partner contributed to a simpler method for scientists at the Broad Institute and beyond to inspect the cellular diversity of tissues. In the end, McKayla realized that her experience at BSSP was transformative in unexpected ways, noting, “BSSP taught me that it's okay to step out of your comfort zone; staying there will not get you anywhere. Thanks to BSSP, I understand what different science careers will look like, and that has helped me to know what career I want to pursue.”