MbShea@PWP@English@UMCP

Abstract:
Discovered in 2005, the pre-metastatic niche is an extremely novel field in cancer biology and treatment. Dr. Rosandra Kaplan, the principal investigator and discoverer of the pre-metastatic niche, hypothesized and proved that cancer works in tandem with the body’s stem cells, promoting hospitable paradise destinations for cancer to spread throughout the body. These destinations were therein coined “pre-metastatic sites,” and the healthy body cell populations within those sites aiding cancer spreading were grouped into one stem cell niche called the “pre-metastatic niche.” From there, pre-metastatic niche populations have been heavily studied, and potentially promising treatments are currently being developed to target and prevent cancer metastasis through pre-metastatic niche manipulation. However, despite the explosion of research interest in this field of cancer biology, few publications and reviews exist to document and summarize past related findings into a coherent and succinct story. Furthermore, much of the high impact research behind pre-metastatic niche pathology was performed in Dr. Kaplan’s lab, but no document exists to inform and educate incoming members, especially undergraduates, of past laboratory findings. For this reason, the following document presents and summarizes each lab scientist and post-doctoral research fellow’s (both past and present) research as it contributes to pre-metastatic niche biology. Additionally, present and potential future projects are discussed as they relate to an incoming undergraduate’s possible research project. Finally, three lab techniques/methods commonly employed within the lab, including our most common mouse models and procedures, are generally discussed as they may relate to the undergraduate’s role in the laboratory.

Reader’s Response:
This document looks like it would be extremely helpful, but I honestly am not going to read the entire thing. As a premedical student who only plans to complete research for a couple of months this summer, I really don’t feel the need to devote myself to this lab’s entire background research. Additionally, this was the only lab out of the 20 labs that I emailed and applied to that accepted me. To be honest, I’m not even really interested in the pre-metastatic niche. I wish you guys did nanotechnology research; that research would be worth reading about. Also, these methods at the end of the document really aren’t worth investing my time in as a premed. I’m going to be taking care of patients some day, not mice or cells in a petri dish. Maybe if this document somehow applied itself more to patient care…

Problem Statement: A very limited number of published articles and reviews summarizing the pre-metastatic niche exist to inform and educate incoming undergraduate lab members of the laboratory research. For this reason, this document will serve to organize and provide previous laboratory research and upcoming laboratory project summaries to undergraduates before entering the lab.

Voice: During the cover letter portion of the document, an informal tone of voice will be used with 1st person. During the summary pages of the document, a formal tone of voice will be used with 3rd person. The methods section will be written with a tone of voice somewhere in between an informal and formal tone.

Citations: In text signal phrases will be used in the cover letter. In text signal phrases plus formal in text citations will be used during the summary pages. The methods will only be cited if previously published by the lab. Currently used mouse models that aren’t published will be cited as property of the laboratory.

M -- completely thorough plan. I am glad you are helping Dr. K with this important laboratory documentation.