Andrew D’Elia (Materials and BME, Level III) recently got published as a second-author on the review paper “Electron Microscopy Imaging Applications of Room Temperature Ionic Liquids in the Biological Field—A Review” in ChemBioChem.
How did you get involved in this publication?
Last summer, I was lucky enough to take on a job with the Grandfield Research Group as an NSERC Undergraduate Research Assistant. When things shifted online due to the pandemic, the plans we had for the summer shifted dramatically. One thing that remained constant, however, was my desire for opportunities to continue developing my research skills, even if they weren’t as hands-on as I would have expected them to be. At the time, one of our PhD students, Liza, had just begun drafting a review paper on novel methods for imaging biological tissues with electron microscopy. It was a super relevant topic within our lab—since a lot of the work we do involves imaging bone samples and other bio-related specimens that aren’t the most compatible with conditions required for electron microscopy. When I expressed interest in getting involved, Liza graciously took me on. We had a great time reading and summarizing the literature into what would eventually become this review! It was an awesome experience and an invaluable opportunity to strengthen my technical writing skills.
Who did you work with on this publication?
This publication was the product of many efforts and I wouldn’t have been an author without them. Special thanks go to my supervisor Dr. Kathryn Grandfield, colleagues Liza DiCecco, Chelsea Miller, and Joe Deering, and faculty mentors Dr. Kyla Sask and Dr. Leyla Soleymani for their support and trust in my abilities.
In addition to his involvement in research as an undergraduate student, Andrew is an iBioMed Ambassador and the incoming McMaster Engineering Society (MES) President. Congratulations on your work published, Andrew!
