Moving forward
June 22, 2025
Hi! My name is Constanze Viehmann, and I’m a rising senior majoring in Biochemistry at the University of Delaware. I’m also a student-athlete on the women’s soccer team, which has shaped my college experience, and is a huge part of my life. Between practices, games, and classes, I never really had the time to dive into research the way I wanted to. This summer, I knew I wanted to change that. When I read the email about the Empower Fellowship, I immediately got excited as it seemed like the perfect chance to gain laboratory experience and learn what it’s like to work in cancer research. I honestly couldn’t believe I got accepted, and I still feel incredibly grateful to be here. It feels like a step in the right direction.
My passion for science started early, particularly in my first chemistry lesson when my teacher tricked me and my classmates into believing that she made gold out of a 2ct-piece. I realized I want to learn more about this field, to understand change and why things are the way they are. However, I became more interested in the chemistry happening inside of us, the molecular processes that make the human body function, and what happens when those processes go wrong. This summer, I’m working in Dr. Mitchell Fane’s lab under the mentorship of Dr. Kelly Coutant. The research focuses on how the aging microenvironment impacts melanoma progression. My project involves making extracellular matrices that mimic different ages, then introducing specific proteins, melanoma and NK cells to observe how aging affects cancer outgrowth and immune response. In just the first two weeks, I’ve already learned a lot, practicing cell culture, and performing experiments like Western blotting and flow cytometry with my mentor. I’m excited for the next couple of weeks, diving deeper into my project and becoming more independent and confident in various laboratory skills and experiments.
Before starting in the “real lab”, we started out the fellowship with a one-week bootcamp, also known as “hell week”. It involved a crash course in lab basics and scientific reading, but what stuck with me the most were the stories shared by the PIs. Particularly, Dr. Edna Cukierman’s talk left me feeling deeply inspired and empowered. She spoke about moving between countries, navigating challenges, but still building a successful career as a PI and mother. She reminded us that there is no one path to success in science, and that we don’t need to have everything figured out to move forward. That message and the people I’ve met here are what make this program so special. Not only have the scientists and mentors been incredibly welcoming and inspirational, it was also great to meet the other Empower Fellows. I’m excited to experience this journey with them, and I’m looking forward to growing closer over the next couple of weeks.
The first three weeks have definitely been an adjustment, and I may have gotten lost more than once trying to find my way around the center. However, Dr. Purdy gave a helpful tip, that I think applies to life, not just buildings: “As long as you’re walking in the {right} direction, you’ll get there eventually.” That’s how I feel about this summer. I will keep moving forward, growing both as a person and a scientist, and soaking in as much as I can.
Always Adapting
July 12, 2025
I can’t believe we are already halfway through the Empower Fellowship. The past 3 weeks have been filled with challenges, unexpected turns, and moments of growth, both inside and outside the lab. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that in science, your initial plan almost never works out exactly as you imagined. Adaptability truly is a trait every scientist needs to navigate failure and keep moving forward.
Outside of the lab, I’ve also worked on my elevator pitch, learned how to write an abstract, and spent time reflecting on my strengths and future goals. We’ve started planning our final presentations, which definitely grows my anxiety, but I got helpful advice from Dr. Austria. She said that I should focus on my own progress rather than comparing myself to others. I’ve also grown closer to the other Empower Fellows, spending countless nights watching shows/movies or visiting ice cream stores.
In the lab, I’ve dived deep into my project, growing 3D fibroblast-derived extracellular matrices (ECM) to study how melanoma cells interact with and change them. Things didn’t go as planned at first. The 21-month fibroblasts didn’t survive the ascorbic acid treatment, and even the 43-year fibroblasts died earlier than expected after adding melanoma cells. But that’s science, unpredictable and always changing. During lab meetings, we discussed these challenges and adjusted the project’s focus. Instead of exploring the role of the immune system with NK cells, we shifted to using conditioned media from melanoma cells to see how their secreted factors affect ECM production by fibroblasts. We also started an experiment using melanoma cells themselves to see if they can create ECM. Science mirrors life in its unpredictability in a way. Plans don’t work out the way you want, but the real trick is finding joy in the process and never giving up.
Looking back, I can already see how much I’ve grown as a scientist. I’ve become more independent, and confident in techniques like cell culture and spheroid generation and gained practice at presenting my work to the lab team. At the start of the summer, I couldn’t imagine doing so many procedures on my own. My mentor, Dr. Kelly Coutant has been incredibly supportive, always encouraging questions and helping me understand not just how to do experiments, but why we do them. Even if the results haven’t turned out exactly as hoped, every step feels like progress. I’m excited to keep adapting and see how the next experiments and weeks turn out.
Ten Weeks, Countless Lessons
August 10, 2025
I can’t believe it is already over. Working these past 10 weeks at the Fox Chase Cancer Center is an experience I will never forget. Being part of Dr. Fane’s lab under the mentorship of Dr. Kelly Coutant has taught me so much, not only helping me grow as a scientist, but also as a person. I already miss going into the lab each day, working on my project, and feeling part of something meaningful.
My project didn’t work out exactly as we had hoped. I struggled with fibroblasts dying during the extracellular matric (ECM) production step, and the melanoma cells also didn’t survive long enough for us to observe their growth on the ECM. But maybe that’s what science is all about: troubleshooting, figuring out what went wrong, and making the most of the results you do get. Finishing the summer by presenting in the Leidy Auditorium in front of the other Empower Fellows, family and friends, and Fox Chase staff was not nearly as daunting as I had imagined. I am proud of what I accomplished and how I presented in front of such a large audience.
Overall, being part of this program has been an honor and an experience I will carry with me. I am very grateful for everyone who made this possible, especially my mentor, Dr. Kelly Coutant. I am thankful for the lessons learned, the connections made, and the memories created.
