Bioresource Research

While preparing for medical school, Pachida Lo kept her Hmong community in mind…

Pachida Lo found her BRR research experience good preparation for medical school. She enters Medical School beginning Fall 2008 at Oregon Health Sciences University.

As Pachida concentrated on an academic path in the health sciences, she kept her community of Hmong immigrants in mind. “I want to help them, especially people who may not be getting the health care they need.”

Lo earned her Bachelors degree in Bioresource Research Interdisciplinary Sciences, with a Toxicology option.

“I’d like to go into primary care — that’s where I think I can do the most good,” she says. “Some Hmong people won’t go to a specialist; they don’t understand this system. I want to be able to help persuade them.”

She says that her BRR and Honors College senior thesis, titled “Determination of Flavin-containing Monooxygenase Message Levels and Distribution in Mouse Lung and Liver”, is related to that long-term goal. “It concerns racial and ethnic minorities and health disparities.” She adds, “It involved a wide array of techniques. And it was fun.”

Lo’s project was supported by a URISC grant when she was a junior. “The funding purchased the mice I needed, and some of the chemicals. And the grant application process gave me insights and experience with applying. Also, like in real-life research, I was expected to give progress reports. URISC helped me quite a bit."

Her faculty mentors were David E. Williams and Sharon K. Krueger.