Internship Prepares Gardner-Webb Senior to Pursue Physical Therapy in Graduate School

Olivia Granger Develops Lab Techniques While Conducting Cancer Biology Research

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—During her internship, Gardner-Webb University exercise science major, Olivia Granger of Winston-Salem, N.C., gained insight into cancer biology research, while realizing her own ability to adapt and grow. Working in Dr. David Soto-Pantoja’s lab at Wake Forest Baptist Health, she quickly adjusted to a new environment filled with unfamiliar terminology, tools, and techniques.

“The only experience I had with microbiology until this internship was my General Microbiology class the semester before,” shared Granger. That class gave her basic knowledge about the anatomy of cells and how they work, and she learned how to use a pipette, a common laboratory tool that measures and transfers small volumes of liquid accurately.

As she worked in the hands-on setting, Granger developed critical-thinking abilities and laboratory skills, and she was given an opportunity to present her findings at a Wake Med Symposium. “I researched how to overcome cancer-related cardiotoxicities,” she explained. “I worked with cardiac cells, specifically H9C2 from rats, and treated them with doxorubicin (DOX), a cancer treatment medicine, and blocked CD47, a cell receptor.”

When she arrived at the internship, she began by studying a few of her mentor’s published works and the presentations he gives to his doctoral students. “I enjoyed being in a new situation, being able to learn from my environment,” Granger observed. “I feel that being in this situation helped me learn that experiencing new situations can benefit your knowledge even if you go into the experience with minimal to no knowledge. I feel this will help me in my future as a way to further my education with my doctorate and in my career.”

Granger hypothesized that metabolic changes caused by cancer could make patients more likely to suffer harmful side effects from chemotherapy. While studying the cells, Granger performed several techniques, such as Western Blots to detect and analyze specific proteins in a sample, and Immunohistochemistry, used to identify and visualize specific proteins in tissue samples. She also used Fluorescence Imaging to visualize cells and molecules by attaching fluorescent dyes or proteins, and In Vitro Cell Culturing, a technique in which cells, tissues, or organisms are grown and maintained in a controlled laboratory environment, typically in a plastic dish or flask, using nutrient-rich cell culture media. 

Through her studies, she concluded that changes in how the body uses energy can make patients more likely to experience harmful side effects from cancer treatments, such as heart damage or cardiotoxicity. “Our findings suggest that blocking CD47 could be a new way to protect the heart during cancer therapy,” Granger summarized.

Also a student in the GWU Accelerated Master of Science in Strength and Conditioning program, Granger is back on the GWU campus to complete her bachelor’s and finish her master’s. She enjoys serving as a Teaching Assistant (TA) in science labs and was asked to serve as a TA by Instructor of Biology Stacie Smith after taking Smith’s Anatomy and Physiology 2. “I would say Ms. Smith has been my most meaningful mentor while at Gardner-Webb,” Granger noted. “There are many times that I would meet her during her office hours to ask advice about other classes or just to talk in general. There have been many times over my years here that Ms. Smith noticed I was upset and allowed me to talk to her, and she would give me advice. She is genuinely someone that I would go to for anything.”

Another mentor who has given Granger support and advice is Gardner-Webb staff member, Kara Alves, director of Success Initiatives and First Year Experiences. Granger serves as a Peer Leader for University 111, a program under Alves’ leadership that helps first-year students learn techniques for success in college. “I have enjoyed making connections with the incoming freshman each year and being there for them throughout their time at Gardner-Webb, and not just during their first semester when they are taking University 111,” Granger observed. “I genuinely feel that I have made an impact with my students throughout my time here, and I hope I have had a positive impact on their experience.”

Gardner-Webb University is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., Gardner-Webb prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Learn more at gardner-webb.edu.