Neuroscience Major Applies What She’s Learned in the Classroom and in the Lab
At Muhlenberg, Casey Goldberg ’26 developed the ability to understand scientific literature, a skill she utilizes regularly as a biotech intern for Sen-Jam Pharmaceuticals.By: Meghan Kita Monday, July 22, 2024 03:31 PM
Casey Goldberg ’26 (third from left) tours a drug manufacturing plant as part of her internship.Neuroscience major Casey Goldberg ’26 knows what she doesn’t want to do (become a doctor), and she’s using her collegiate summers to try out other paths (this year, the pharmaceutical industry). In her role as a biotech intern with Sen-Jam Pharmaceuticals, Goldberg has had the opportunity to go on a business trip to a drug manufacturing plant, Zoom into a conference about new medical devices and sit in on meetings with potential business partners.
“It’s been really valuable to see how these corporate people interact with each other,” says Goldberg. “It’s not something I get at Muhlenberg, because that’s not what I’m there for.”
“Reading papers for classes [and for my lab meetings] has really increased my ability to understand all of this research that I’m doing for my company.”
—Casey Goldberg ’26
What Goldberg has gotten at Muhlenberg is the ability to understand scientific papers, a skill she’s honed in class and as an undergraduate researcher in the lab of Stanley Road Professor of Neuroscience Jeremy Teissere. Much of her internship involves reading new scientific literature that relates to the research happening at Sen-Jam to determine what might be relevant to her supervisors.
“Reading papers for classes [and for my lab meetings] has really increased my ability to understand all of this research that I’m doing for my company. If I couldn’t understand these papers, then I would be of no use to them,” says Goldberg. “Having an understanding of how your nervous system works and all these terms I recognize from class has been really helpful in allowing me to understand what I’m researching and piece through what could be helpful and what wouldn’t be.”
Next summer, Goldberg hopes to test-drive her other potential future career: as a full-time researcher.
“My biggest interest has always been doing some kind of disease research. It’s a way to help people,” she says. “I’m doing research with Dr. Teissere on campus, so I am getting some benchwork, but that’s the biggest other pathway I’m exploring: Do I want to sit in a lab and do research for my career?”
