On The Job: Skye Del Zotto BS ’29

This summer, incoming sophomore Skye Del Zotto, BS ’29, a neuroscience major, is working as a research intern in the Ming Lab at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. There, she studies neurons and the cellular processes involved in neural development. Building on the strong laboratory foundation she gained through courses such as Phage Lab at Saint Joseph’s, Skye is developing hands-on research skills in cell culture, fluorescence imaging and scientific data analysis while exploring her passion for neuroscience research.

The Role:

Summer Research Intern, Ming Lab, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Describe your internship in three emojis:

🧠 (brain)

🔬 (microscope)

🧪 (test tube)

The Day-to-Day:

My day-to-day typically revolves around three key areas. First, I have the opportunity to shadow real client projects, gaining insight into how consulting teams solve business challenges while asking questions and learning from experienced professionals. Second, I attend Tech Immersion sessions, where interns explore a variety of topics and technologies, such as Power BI, Snowflake and SQL. Finally, I work on my capstone project, where I design and build my own dashboard before presenting my work to company directors and employees.

The Day-to-Day:

My day-to-day work involves preparing neuronal cell cultures for imaging, labeling cellular structures with fluorescent dyes and using an inverted fluorescence microscope to visualize mitochondria and neuron cell bodies. Through this process, I help collect images and data that contribute to the lab's research on neural development and neurological disorders.

It’s 10 a.m. on a workday, what are you up to?:

I'm either attending a lab meeting and learning about ongoing research projects or working in the imaging room, preparing samples and capturing images of neurons under the microscope.

Go-to snack or drink that gets you through the day:

An oat milk latte and my Trader Joe’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups — yum.

My “I nailed it” moment:

It’s only been a few weeks, but my biggest accomplishment so far has been learning how to independently use the fluorescence microscope. The imaging process requires precision, patience and attention to detail, so successfully capturing high-quality images felt like a major milestone.

Favorite part of your role:

My favorite part is knowing that the work being done in the lab contributes to a better understanding of the brain and neurological disorders. It's also incredibly rewarding to watch neurons grow and mature over time and to see structures that I've only ever learned about in textbooks.

Fit check:

Long pants, closed toed shoes, a lab coat and gloves… IYKYK! #LabSafety

Tips for the next intern:

Bring a notebook, stay curious and don't be afraid to ask questions. Research is about learning, and no one expects you to know everything right away. Understanding why you're performing an experiment is just as important as knowing how to do it.

Fun/interesting collaborations:

One of the most exciting parts of this internship has been working alongside researchers and learning from experienced scientists whose work has contributed significantly to the field of neuroscience. Being surrounded by people who are passionate about discovery has been incredibly motivating.