Name

Kristen Shatynski

School

University of Maryland, Baltimore

Degree Program

Sixth year PhD student in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology

Previous Degrees

Bachelor of Arts in Biology from LaSalle University, 2006

Dissertation Title

Regulation of Adaptive Immune Responses by the Phagocyte Type NADPH Oxidase in T-cells and Antigen Presenting Cells

Research Interests

The aAdaptive immune systems; reactive oxygen species

Advisor

Mark Williams

Advisor’s Research Focus

Reactive oxygen species’ effect on the immune system

Hobbies

Cooking, reading, spending time with friends

Graduate School – Application Process

How did you select your graduate school and program?

I selected my program in microbiology and immunology at University of Maryland, Baltimore because it was among one of the best programs for my interests. When I visited the school, I thought the students and faculty were friendly and inviting.

When I was in the last year of my undergraduate work, I researched several different programs and also asked my professors for their suggestions. I applied to several schools so I would have multiple options.

What did you do to prepare yourself for graduate school?

The most important thing I did to prepare myself was to do research while I was an undergraduate. Grad schools in the sciences look for students who have already conducted research in their bachelors degree programs. Your undergraduate research doesn’t have to be in the specialty you want to pursue in graduate school. For example, I did research for three summers at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (USAMRICD), which is not a microbiology lab. However, while I was there, I was able to learn basic research techniques as well as some advanced concepts in biochemistry and molecular biology.

Did your application requirements include standardized test scores?

Yes, my application to University of Maryland, Baltimore required GRE scores. I took both the general GRE exam and the subject test for biology. University of Maryland, Baltimore didn’t require the biology subject test, but some of the other schools that I applied to did.

What kind of information did you include in your personal statement?

In my personal statement, I discussed my interests in the field and why I wanted to go to graduate school. I also explained my previous research experience and what I was able to learn from that.

How did you choose faculty to approach for letters of recommendation?

I chose 4 faculty members to ask for letters of recommendation, though most applications only require 3. I received letters from my undergraduate advisor, who also happened to be the microbiology coursemaster, my mentor for my undergraduate research project at USAMRICD, my organic chemistry teacher and my neuroscience teacher, who had been instrumental in helping me find undergraduate research experience.

What types of questions were asked in your admissions interview?

During my admissions interview, I was asked questions about the research I had conducted while I was in my bachelors degree program. I also talked about the research I wanted to pursue while studying in the molecular microbiology and immunology PhD program.

Do you have any other tips for a student who is considering applying to graduate school in microbiology and immunology?

If you think you want to pursue microbiology and immunology at the graduate level, first try to take some classes in these subjects while you are still an undergraduate. My school actually didn’t offer classes in immunology, and I wish they had, but they did have a general microbiology class which initially fostered my interest in the field.

Graduate School – The Program

How long is your program and how is the curriculum distributed?

My program in microbiology and immunology at University of Maryland, Baltimore usually takes about 5 and a half years to complete. In the first semester, all graduate students take a required class that is equivalent to a refresher course that covers all of undergraduate advanced biology. In the second semester, students take classes specific to their degree program. For example, a neuroscience major might take Developmental Neurobiology, whereas someone in my program would take Microbial Pathogenesis and Basic Immunology.

My program requires three lab rotations, which you take over the course of the first three semesters. By the fall of your second year, students have usually determined what lab they will work in. In the second year, students take classes in subjects like advanced immunology, virology and bacterial genetics. Early in the second semester of their second year, students in my program take qualifying exams that cover all of the coursework they have studied. After you pass your qualifying exams, you spend the majority of your time in the lab conducting your dissertation research.

What is the focus of your dissertation research?

My dissertation research studies T cells and how they affect adaptive immune response. My project focuses on chronic granulomatous disease, which is a primary immunodeficiency disorder that causes recurrent bacterial infections. The strange thing about this disease is that many people who have it also have hyperactive immune responses to certain other infections, like influenza virus. I am trying to figure out why.

Can you describe the process of researching for and writing your dissertation?

Students in my program at University of Maryland, Baltimore choose their dissertation topics during their second year with help from their faculty lab supervisors. Often, the topic that you choose for your dissertation will be partly determined by the specific research interests of your lab.

Once you have decided on a topic, you need to pick 5 to 6 faculty members to serve as your dissertation committee. You meet with your committee many times throughout your time as a graduate student because they provide feedback to your work, give you ideas to improve your project, and make sure that you are on track with meeting the requirements of the graduate program. After you have completed your research and written your dissertation, your committee reads the dissertation and provides feedback. You usually have to revise some things after receiving committee feedback. After your revisions, the final stage is to defend your dissertation.

My program also requires students to have at least 1 first-author paper published in order to graduate. Students work on this paper while they are completing their dissertation research.

What role does your advisor play in your education?

My advisor plays a central role in my work because he is the principle investigator in my lab. Advisors are huge resources for PhD students. They provide significant direction and insight as we work through the dissertation process.

Does your doctoral program require comprehensive exams prior to graduation?

Yes, my doctoral program in microbiology and immunology requires exams before students can graduate. After students complete their coursework, they take qualifying exams that allow them to advance into their dissertation research.

After writing our dissertations, we present our work as a seminar to the students, faculty and other members of the department. We also have to defend our thesis at a closed session with our dissertation committee. This isn’t an exam exactly, but it is a rigorous discussion of our research and methodology.

Graduate School – Paying for It

How much does your PhD program cost?

My PhD program doesn’t cost me anything because my program provides complete tuition remission. This is common for PhD programs in the sciences.

How are you funding your education?

My tuition is covered in full through the graduate program. I also receive a stipend for every semester I am enrolled at University of Maryland, Baltimore. It isn’t a huge stipend, but it is enough to cover my living expenses. In my program, financial support is ensured for the duration of time required to complete the PhD.

Graduate School – Living Life

What are the time commitments for a PhD in microbiology and immunology?

The time commitments for a PhD in microbiology and immunology vary from one lab or one project to the next. Some students are able to maintain 9-to-5 schedules and never come in on the weekends. Other students are in the lab all of the time. In my field, we are often culturing primary cells, which could mean that we have to come in at specific times to check on our cultures. Depending on the type of experiment, this could occur during the day or in the middle of the night.

How has graduate school affected your personal life?

Graduate school has been great for my personal life. I actually have gone out equally as much if not more as a graduate student than I did when I was an undergraduate student. I have great friends in grad school and a great social life. This is partly because my department works to create a social network for graduate students and hosts various networking events. My friends and I regularly go out for happy hour together. There are also opportunities to participate in intramural sports, as well as wide variety of other activities.

Graduate School – After Graduation

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

My career goals are a little different that the typical PhD student in my field. I hope to go into policy to advocate for certain areas of science. I have always wanted to use my degree in a somewhat unconventional way, rather than simply finding a teaching position and continuing to conduct research. I love science, but I want to use my research to affect change on a larger scale.

Graduate School - Advice

What insights can you offer a student who is interested in pursuing a PhD in microbiology and immunology?

If you are interested in pursuing a PhD in microbiology and immunology, you should know that this degree is incredibly rewarding but requires a lot of work and persistence. Every student’s dissertation work is different. You should recognize that a lot depends on how well your research goes, and this is sometimes out of your control. For example, you could get lucky, have perfect experiments and finish your degree in 4 years. Or, for whatever reason, all of the cells or animals in your experiment die, and you are back to square one. However, when your experiments do go well, it’s the most rewarding feeling in the world.

This is how research works, and if you want to pursue a PhD, you need to commit to this kind of chance. It is a fascinating and exciting field to work in.