Biotechnology student Sihem Nadour's research was recently published in the 鈥淛ournal of Advanced Technological Education,鈥� and she presented her work in a poster at the 2024 National Science Foundation鈥檚 Advanced Technology Education Principal Investigators conference in Washington, D.C. Photo by Eric Devlin
When Sihem Nadour made the trip to the United States three years ago from her home country of Algeria, she had never heard the name 海角社区 spoken together, let alone considered studying there.
Yet the now 23-year-old Biotechnology major, who lives in Lansdale, is being celebrated for her work in 海角社区鈥檚 labs. Nadour鈥檚
research was recently published in the 鈥淛ournal of Advanced Technological Education,鈥�
and she presented her work in a poster at the 2024 National Science Foundation鈥檚 Advanced
Technology Education in Washington, D.C.
鈥淭his is the first time I鈥檝e ever done something like it. It was fun; I was excited,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 good stuff.鈥�
In Algeria, Nadour studied computer science for two years but never finished her program there, because she wasn鈥檛 interested in working behind a computer all day, every day. Once in the U.S., she followed her sister鈥檚 path and enrolled at 海角社区 but decided to look for a different study path.
鈥淚 was limited at that time. I didn鈥檛 know what biotech was,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hat you could do with it or what work you could get. When I chose biotech it was quite lucky. I like doing things in the lab, but I didn鈥檛 know biotech would open so many doors for me.鈥�
As English is not Nadour鈥檚 first language, her first science classes at 海角社区 were difficult.
鈥淚 had to learn my English and learn my classes,鈥� she said.
Yet the exposure to so many possible fields of study really enticed her to stick with
it, and she found a knack for the subject. Her good work caught the eye of Biotechnology
Professor Margaret Bryans, who suggested she enroll in the biotechnology internship
course in Spring 2024. Sihem was also a recipient of the 海角社区 Biotechnology Scholarship funded by the Dentinger Foundation.
The two studied the NISTCHO cell line which is a genetically modified Chinese Hamster Ovary cell line to produce a monoclonal antibody named cNISTmAb, which targets the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
鈥淭he study was to assess the stability of the NISTCHO cell line to ensure the consistency of cNISTmAb production over an extended period of time,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 developed by scientists from the National Institute of Standard and Technology and Millipore Sigma. It provides a reference material for the biopharmaceutical industry, as well as a resource for biomanufacturing training and educational programs.鈥�
鈥淚t is necessary for biotherapeutic research and development,鈥� she continued. 鈥淭he findings are important for the biopharmaceutical companies that will utilize NISTCHO as a reference cell line in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell development, as well as educational training programs that will use NISTCHO cells.鈥�
Nadour and Bryans submitted a research paper documenting the results gathered from
the project and it was published in the Journal of Advanced Technological Education.
Nadour was then invited to the capital to present in the student poster section of
the NSF conference, featuring other students from higher education institutions nationwide.
Conference attendees who reviewed her poster were very curious about her work.
鈥淭hey wanted to understand what the poster was about,鈥� said Nadour. 鈥淲hat are those cells and what were the results? They were happy with what I explained.鈥�
Nadour credits Bryans for seeing something in her that she didn鈥檛 initially see in herself when she first came to 海角社区.
鈥淪he helped me realize what I want and realize that I鈥檓 passionate about this nature,鈥� said Nadour. 鈥淚鈥檓 grateful to her.鈥�
Last summer, Nadour was selected to attend the Biomedical Training Technician program at the Institute in Philadelphia. A global leader in biomedical research, Wistar offers specialized expertise in cancer, immunology, infectious disease, and vaccine development, according to its website.
Wistar places students into two five-week-long experiences in industrial and academic labs. Nadour鈥檚 industrial experience was in a lab where they were trying to find a cure for Parkinson鈥檚 disease. Her academic lab experience was in Jefferson University, where they were studying chemotherapy resistance in pediatric leukemia.
Nadour said 海角社区 prepared her to feel completely comfortable with the material the program covered.
鈥淚 was equipped from working and studying here,鈥� said. 鈥淚t was really helpful. I knew almost everything in the training. I knew it and it was easy to do.鈥�
Nadour plans to transfer to Thomas Jefferson University to complete a one-year bachelor鈥檚 or two-year master鈥檚 degree program, though she鈥檚 keeping her options open for the future beyond that. She鈥檚 grateful for all she鈥檚 learned during her time at 海角社区 because it鈥檚 opened a world of possibilities.
鈥淚n biotechnology, knowledge is highly transferable,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hatever you learn in one area of biotech, you can apply across various fields within the discipline. The expertise gained in cell culture methods from medical biotechnology could be extended into fields such as pharmaceutical development, regenerative medicine, cancer research and so on.鈥�
Also published by 鈥� Jan. 3, 2025.