Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hello,

I am a rising high school sophomore. I am very much interested in cancer cell research.
As i do not have any experience in lab research, and do not have access to a biology lab ( i have access to my high school lab), what would be the best approach to start this research?

I would like to research simple as this is my first time.
I also need a mentor, who can guide me through this process, and advise me on the same.

Am i thinking too far ahead, and i should with something as simple as bacteria?
Cancer and Neurology are my main focuses. Please help!

Hi,

Depending on where you live, there may be a university, hospital or institution where you could volunteer as a summer student to work in a lab and gain experience. There's a lot of basic science and lab skills that you need to learn before you can tackle something as complex as cancer research, so I would recommend asking around to find a lab that will take you on for a couple of months. Get some experience first, learn as much as you can, educate yourself online--there are a ton of Youtube videos you can watch to learn basic lab skills in chemistry and biology. Once you have some understanding of how research is done, then you can look for someone to act as your mentor. In the mean time, we at Scibuddies can answer specific questions about your projects and about doing research. It takes 8-10 years of intensive work and training to become a scientist but it is worth it!

Good luck,

Sybee

Thank you for replying and sharing some good advise. I will look into surrounding universities and find some labs to volunteer.
My school has a basic high school lab. Can you suggest some research projects for me to do in that lab? Would it be advisible to order bacteria, and use my high school lab to conduct research? Next year, i will be enrolled in a research progam for highschoolers at a private university. But, i would also like to use this summer for a little research. What do think i should do? Thank you!