Barbara Zazueta, a Southwestern College (SWC) student, has made significant strides in HIV research during her time in the Scripps Research Mentorship Program made possible through the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Program at SWC. Over the course of 10 weeks, Zazueta worked on a cutting-edge project focusing on how a key component of the HIV-1 virus assembles, which could be crucial for future treatments.
Barbara’s journey to this point is truly inspiring. Coming from a background where opportunities in scientific research were limited, she has always been passionate about science and determined to make an impact. Her drive led her to excel at SWC, where she found the MESA Program, a supportive community that fueled her ambition. Barbara’s story is a testament to how perseverance, support, and hard work can open doors to incredible opportunities, leading her to contribute to life-changing research.
“Scripps Research has always been one of the places I aspired to be at some point in my studies,” Zazueta shared. “Upon learning that I had been selected, I set my mind on learning as much as possible, making the most of every minute, and being grateful for this opportunity.”
Her project explored how a key part of the HIV-1 virus (called myristoylated Gag) interacts with viral RNA, using advanced imaging techniques to see how these components come together on a simulated cell membrane. This research helps us understand the early steps of HIV assembly, which could be important for developing new treatments.
“Joining a lab and learning something that has been studied for decades, along with mastering techniques that I hadn’t learned at university, was quite challenging for me,” Zazueta admitted. Yet, the support and kindness of her lab colleagues were instrumental in helping her overcome these obstacles.
During her time at Scripps, Zazueta and her team made important discoveries about how the HIV virus begins to build its protective shell, which is crucial for the virus to spread. Their research revealed key early steps in this process, offering new insights that could one day help in developing treatments to prevent the virus from assembling and spreading in the body.
Zazueta’s’s work has added valuable knowledge to the fight against HIV. Interacting with various professionals and hearing their diverse paths to success provided her with valuable insights and clarity about her own career goals, Zazueta explained, “This opportunity has positively changed my future plans because now I truly know what I want to do… In the future, I aspire to attend graduate school to pursue a PhD in biochemistry. My goal is to engage in research, ideally within an academic setting.”
The MESA Program is a state-wide academic enrichment initiative that supports economically and educationally disadvantaged students, including those historically underrepresented in STEM, to prepare for and excel in math, engineering, and science majors and attain Bachelor’s of Science degrees from four-year institutions.
Director Mourad Mjahed, who oversees the MESA Program emphasized, “Such Undergraduate Research Experiences are crucial to STEM students’ persistence and success. We are very fortunate to have Scripps Research providing these opportunities to community college students and contributing to the growth and development of their STEM identity. We are equally grateful for increased state funding for the MESA program, which supports stipends for participating students.”
For those interested in joining or learning more about this program, please visit our Mesa Program website.
For more information regarding the Scripps Research Institute, please visit the Scripps Research Institute website.
