Biology senior Fatima Dagohoy conducts lab research, presents at an international conference and gains clarity about her career path
Fatima Dagohoy, a senior majoring in biology from the Philippines, said she gained research experience during a summer internship at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. For eight weeks in July and August, she said she worked in a biophysics laboratory where she conducted research and experiments with a mentor and another undergraduate student. “One of the things I took away from that experience is how everyone was so willing to help,” she said.
Dagohoy said her research focused on SNAP-25, a protein found in neurons that plays a key role in communication between nerve cells. “I’ve never learned so much science in my life,” she shared. SNAP-25 fragments, she added, are linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. She said she specifically studied how SNAP-25 interacts with lipids using techniques like circular dichroism and scanning methods, focusing more on the fragmentation side of the protein rather than the structural or membrane side.
Dagohoy said many of her biology classes at BYU–Hawaii helped prepare her for the internship. Learning the scientific terminology and studying biology concepts, she said, was beneficial because she was working directly with exocytosis and proteins. “I feel like our school is capable of preparing us to do well at internships,” she said.
You’re not just learning academically, but you learn about yourself and what you want to do.
“Within science or academics, internships give you knowledge about yourself and what you want to do with life.” However, although she had a positive internship experience working in the lab, she said she realized she did not want to work in a laboratory for the rest of her life. While she thinks she would enjoy pursuing a doctorate and someday working in a lab, she said she ultimately does not want to pursue that path.
Following her internship, Dagohoy shared she was invited by her primary mentor to present at and attend this year’s Biophysical Society Meeting in San Francisco in February. This conference, she described, brought together scholars, students and researchers from across the world to discuss the world of science. Based on her internship research, she said she was given co-ownership of the project and presented a poster on her research regarding self-proteolytic fragmentation of SNAP-25.
Dagohoy said attending the conference gave her the chance to ask questions not only about science but also about her future. She asked panelists whether it is better to pursue something you are good at or something you are passionate about. Their answer: “You need to be flexible.” “If you’re really good at something, you need to continuously add new skills,” Dagohoy said.
She also said she learned how to sell her skills and talents. One piece of advice she received was to seek counsel from one’s mentors and professors. “You need to have that honest conversation with your professor so you know how to sell yourself in a way that is not overselling yourself,” she said. “Because you can see yourself one way, but if that’s not how you perform academically, then you’re going to be an oversight.”
Though Dagohoy found it intimidating to be in a space with scholars and professionals who had more knowledge than she did, she said she still found her footing.
I think what matters is you’re willing to show up and learn.
“I wish our school would attend more conferences, especially in the field of science, because I felt like they are amazing and helpful,” she said. She added she hopes BYU–Hawaii continues to encourage students to attend conferences, as the opportunity allowed her to learn more beyond her studies.
When asked what comes next, Dagohoy said she will serve a mission in July. She said she sometimes felt prompted to serve a mission but would dismiss the thought, feeling like she needed to focus on her studies and career. During her internship, however, she said she felt God’s love and care for her. “The Lord never left me behind,” she said. That experience showed her how much God cares, she added, because He helped her find good company in an unfamiliar place. “I'm not postponing my life if I serve. I'm actually taking a leap of faith by going,” she said. “I don't think coming closer to God and serving others is being behind in life or postponing my life.”