Not Just Any Summer Internship

Published: March 11, 2026

“One cannot overestimate the academic importance and the vast advantages of participating in undergraduate research,” said Dr. Sarbani Ghoshal, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences and Geology at Queensborough. “And the research opportunities here at Queensborough are many and often life-changing. This past summer’s ten-week summer research training at Harvard Medical School is a perfect example.”

In Summer 2025, two QCC NIH-T34 Bridges to the Baccalaureate fellows, Kristina Dujic and Masiel Nuñez, completed a ten-week summer research training internship at Harvard Medical School in the laboratory of Maria Mavrikaki, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor of psychiatry at Harvard University and collaborator of Dr. Ghoshal, the lead Principal Investigator of the Bridges grant.

Both fellows conducted hands-on biomedical research alongside postdoctoral researchers, laboratory staff, and faculty mentors. The experience provided advanced research training, professional mentorship, and meaningful exposure to biomedical research careers, further preparing them for transfer to four-year institutions and for graduate or professional study.

“I was thrilled to work side by side with scientists who are changing the world,” said Kristina. “I still have that euphoric feeling from such a life-changing experience. In fact, I’ve kept my Harvard I.D. badge as a reminder I was there!”

Kristina is in her second semester at The City College of New York (CUNY) where she’s narrowed her focus on microbiology. She plans to pursue a Ph.D.

As part of their research, both Kristina and Masiel also contributed to a peer-reviewed publication in Neuropharmacology. The study demonstrated that aging significantly alters how the brain responds to opioid exposure, underscoring the importance of considering age when prescribing opioid analgesics.

“Their participation reflects the strength of QCC’s Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program in expanding access to high-level research opportunities for community college students,” added Dr. Ghoshal.

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