Scholarship Unlocks New Opportunities

A childhood diagnosis propelled undergraduate Amina Tajammal onto a scientific path. With the help of scholarship support, she is now studying human health at Caltech.

From a young age, Amina Tajammal wanted to understand the intricacies of human health in part because of her own health challenges. As a middle school student, she pored over medical research to learn why biological systems fail. Tajammal encountered so many unfamiliar scientific words that she began to write them down in a journal. Still, she pressed on.

Today, the third-year student is engaged in the type of research that once mystified her.

"Growing up, I could only read journals," the biochemistry student says. "I did not have the opportunity or resources to do hands-on science, but now that research is a fundamental part of my undergraduate experience, I want to continue doing this for the rest of my life."

Embarking on Her Own Scientific Journey

For her Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF), a 10-week research program culminating in a mentor-supported technical paper, Tajammal worked with researchers to study the interplay between the nervous and immune systems to uncover how migraines progress.

Tajammal is also part of an effort in the laboratory of Mikhail Shapiro, the Max Delbrück Professor of Chemical Engineering and Medical Engineering, and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, to push forward new noninvasive techniques to monitor brain activity. She recently joined the laboratory of Ellen Rothenberg, the Edward B. Lewis Professor of Biology, and plans to study gene expression in the development of T-cells, which help protect the body from diseases.

Additionally, Tajammal and seven other undergraduates have re-engaged Caltech’s involvement in the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Jamboree. The event includes a competition for college and high school students conducting synthetic biology research, and the Caltech team will focus on cervical cancer.

"The idea of bringing undergrads together to focus on ideas that interest us and are not confined to the research focus of a lab or grant is really exciting," says Tajammal, who adds that the Caltech iGEM team is seeking additional funding to attend the Jamboree.

With Scholarship Support, Defying Limits

The ability for an undergraduate to research human health on several different fronts required both intention and sacrifice from Tajammal. As a teenager, she left her family in Saudi Arabia to attend a more academically rigorous high school in Pakistan.

Gaining acceptance to the Institute thrilled her, and the financial aid package provided a pathway to her goals. Thanks in part to the Bauer Undergraduate Scholarship, established by Dr. Luc-Olivier Bauer (MS ’64, PhD ’68) and his wife Irene Bauer, Tajammal has been able to experience a Caltech education.

"To be at a school like Caltech, where everyone has a passion, and I am provided with many opportunities to fulfill my goals, is exciting," Tajammal says. "I would not be at Caltech without that scholarship."

Merging Interests in Medicine and Basic Science

Outside of the lab, the aspiring physician looks after the well-being of her classmates and community. She earned a certification in Emergency Medical Response to provide first-aid care for students in Blacker House and for the performers and attendees at the Tournament of Roses Parade. Tajammal also volunteers at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena and serves as the campus-wide Orange Watch coordinator, who oversees a network of students committed to staying sober during social events to ensure their peers stay safe.

As she eyes graduation, Tajammal plans to apply to an MD-PhD program, which would enable her to earn both medical and doctoral degrees.

"I spent a lot of my childhood in hospitals," Tajammal says. "I want to be able to do patient care and actively help solve the fundamental problem behind diseases."