Field Trip to Philly!
June 22, 2025
Hi! My name is Ellie Hoppe and I just finished my first year at the University of Delaware. I am majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Public Health. I chose to pursue neuroscience because of my father’s diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) when I was younger. Watching him live with such an unpredictable and potentially debilitating disease sparked both fear and curiosity in me: fear of how deeply such conditions can affect a person’s quality of life, and curiosity about how the brain and nervous system work.
As I’ve grown and started learning more, I've realized how often women and minorities are underrepresented in both research and medicine as participants in clinical studies and as practitioners and scientists shaping the field. That imbalance matters, and it motivates me to advocate for better representation and inclusivity in healthcare and research. I’m not entirely sure yet where my path will take me, I just know that I want to help people, and that I want to be a part of a system that prioritizes empathy, equity, and scientific innovation.
My journey to Fox Chase wasn’t exactly planned. I stumbled upon a flyer in a student center at UD advertising a program that involved a day trip to Philadelphia and a catered lunch. At the time, I thought, “Cool, free trip to Philly!” (Important note: Fox Chase is not quite in the heart of Philly, but we’ll let that slide.) However, Discovery Day ended up being one of the most moving experiences of my life. What struck me the most was the "ringing of the bell" ceremony, a tradition at Fox Chase where patients ring a bell to celebrate the completion of their cancer treatment. When Dr. Rall explained the significance of that moment, I found myself fighting back tears. In that instant, I knew I wanted to be part of something like this. I applied to the program, and now here I am.
I’m thrilled to be working in Dr. Yash Chhabra’s lab at Fox Chase Cancer Center for the summer. Dr. Chhabra’s lab focuses on the intersection of age and biological sex, and how those factors influence the tumor microenvironment, specifically in melanoma. My project explores how growth hormone activity may impact tumor growth and metastasis, and the possible therapeutic applications.
The first few weeks have been amazing. The people in my lab have been so welcoming, and it’s been exciting to witness real-time research and start learning new lab techniques. I’m especially looking forward to diving deeper into my project and seeing where it takes me. Outside of the lab, I’m also having a fabulous time with the other girls in the fellowship, having movie nights, exploring the city, and making the most of our time here. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the summer holds!
The Blot Thickens
July 13, 2025
I cannot believe that I’ve already been in my lab for five weeks! Time here doesn’t pass in a linear way. It feels like just yesterday I was nervously stepping into the lab for the first time, and yet so much has happened since then. With guidance and support from my mentor, I’ve gone from observing experiments to confidently running them on my own. I genuinely feel like I've now mastered Western Blots and am able to develop them and see clear, interpretable results. There’s something so gratifying about knowing that my technique and care produced meaningful data. I’m especially grateful to my mentor, Kas, who has been endlessly patient and encouraging. Her willingness to explain complex concepts and give me space to learn by doing has made all the difference. The entire lab has been welcoming and kind, and it’s hard to imagine not seeing everyone every day in just a few weeks.
Now that the program is winding down, it’s surreal to reflect on how far I’ve come. At the beginning of June, I was hesitant to even touch anything in the lab. I was filled with nerves and afraid to mess something up, especially knowing how much time, effort, and care my mentor and labmates had put into preparing each sample. I still occasionally lie awake at night replaying moments from the day, wondering if I might have fumbled a step in a protocol. But despite those lingering worries, I’ve grown tremendously. I now not only understand the procedures I'm doing, but also the reasoning and science behind each one.
One of the biggest milestones for me this past week was completing qPCR. The process of preparing DNA samples from RNA for qPCR is meticulous, and every step felt high-stakes. Any error shows up clearly in the final data. But I took my time, consulted Kas many times, perfected my micropipetting technique, and my results were precise.
Yay! That felt like a huge accomplishment, technically and mentally. It was a moment that reinforced how much I’ve grown and how capable I’ve become.
I still have so much to learn and many more techniques to conquer, but I’m extremely excited about what lies ahead. I’m looking forward to presenting my data and sharing what I’ve been working on with everyone. Every moment I’ve spent at Fox Chase has been valuable, whether it was a successful experiment or a challenging day that pushed me to grow. I’m walking away from this experience with not just new skills, but a deeper belief in myself as a scientist and am forever grateful for that.
So long Philadelphia
August 8th, 2025
WOW, it's so crazy to think that the Empower Fellowship is over! It feels like just yesterday I was nervously walking around Fox Chase on Discovery Day. Now, after weeks of learning, challenges, growth, and connection, I’m looking back on this experience with a sense of pride, much gratitude, and disbelief that it’s actually over. I think the symposium went really well. Compiling all the data for the final presentation was a surreal moment. As I pieced together the findings, reflections, and highlights from the summer, I realized just how much I’d absorbed: not just academically or professionally, but personally. It wasn’t just about the information I gathered or the results I presented. It was about the process: the countless questions, the trial and error, and the invaluable mentorship that guided me through it all. My entire summer would not have been possible without my mentor Kas. Her patience, guidance, and nurturing nature gave me the reassurance and confidence I much needed. I appreciate the Chhabra Lab for hosting me this summer, and am eternally grateful for this amazing opportunity.
Now that the program is over, I find myself reflecting not just on the end, but on everything in between: the conversations that sparked new perspectives, the encouragement I received, the laughter and shared struggles with my lab mates, and the sense of community among the fellows that made this summer so meaningful. I had such a great time going to the Chinese Lantern Festival, movie nights, and making most of the time we had left in Philly during the last few weeks. This experience didn’t just empower me, it transformed the way I see myself as a scientist and what I’m capable of. This experience has changed the way I view medical research. It's accessible. Before my time here, I never thought I was going to make it in a lab, yet I spent my summer conducting experiments, analyzing real data and contributing to a bigger project. What once felt unattainable is now a path I want to continue upon because I know I can do so, because of my time at Fox Chase.
