Fall 2009

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Student's spirit of service fueled by science

Sam McConaughy, a junior in genetics from Bourbonnais, Ill., has worked in two neurobiology labs, one at Iowa State and a second in Valencia, Spain. She hopes to pursue a career that allows her to use her scientific background to help others.

Samantha McConaughy, a junior in genetics from Bourbonnais, Ill., understands giving.

This summer she cut her hair and donated her long tresses to Locks of Love, a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to children with medical problems.

"My family has taught me to help others and it's very fulfilling," McConaughy says. "I remember as a Girl Scout working at the animal shelter. We cleaned pens and played with puppies."

She's also served meals at the Salvation Army and traveled with her church youth group on two mission trips to American Indian reservations. Sam's desire to help people was evident in a science fair project she designed in the seventh grade.

"I didn't receive any awards, but I made a pop can opener for people who have arthritis," McConaughy says.

Her mission is to help others through science and she hopes to do that through her degree.

McConaughy has a simple way to explain genetics.

"It's a discipline of biology that deals with DNA and everything associated with it. Simply, it's why we are all different," McConaughy says.

Her enthusiasm for genetics is evident as she describes research involving vision, stem cells and the central nervous system. As a sophomore she worked with Don Sakaguchi, a professor of genetics, development and cell biology.

She summarized her research project in a 30-page paper, after completing a yearlong research project involving retinal transplantations of neural progenitor cells into Brazilian opossums. The lab focuses on the use of cell transplantation to replace degenerating neurons with the hope of finding ways to effectively treat central nervous system injuries and diseases.

"The ultimate goal of Dr. Sakaguchi's lab is to cure degenerative diseases, specifically macular diseases," McConaughy says.

McConaughy also incorporates her desire to serve others into her club activities. She's the recruitment chair for the Student International Medical Aid Club, which gathers and distributes medical supplies to clinics in developing countries. The student club is in its fifth year and has sent supplies to several clinics in Bolivia, Belize, Peru and an orphanage in Russia. Last year they donated money to Engineers Without Borders for a water purification system.

"We are hoping to send medical supplies to Ghana this winter," McConaughy says.

Last summer McConaughy worked in a neurobiology lab in Valencia, Spain for seven weeks. She says it was a life-changing experience both scientifically and culturally.

"The working culture is very different," McConaughy says. "We would work in the morning, take long lunches and then work until 8 p.m. The people in Spain enjoy good conversations, so I developed some great relationships."

Researchers in Spain wanted her to return this summer, but McConaughy says she needs to pursue other options. She is preparing for graduate school and says her goals will always include helping others through science.