Kunqian Li

This fall, I have the honor of taking part in one of the most extraordinary
programs in CCISD: Independent Study Mentorship. This paper shall focus on my roles
in ISM, my project: Human Metapneumovirus (hMPV), and what I desire to learn from
this experience. I am fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to shadow UTMB
Infectious Disease Doctor, Dr. Xiaoyong Bao to conduct the appropriate research for the
said topic. Dr. Bao received her Ph.D. in Cellular Physiology and Molecular Biophysics
from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and has generously
volunteered to be my mentor this semester.
In order to fully explain the reason behind this project, a little must be said about
myself. I am Kunqian Li, a senior at Clear Springs High School. I chose to take the
medical path for ISM this semester because I am strongly considering a career in
medicine. Having the chance to follow Dr. Bao in person is an invaluable experience for
myself. I am able to observe how to interact with coworkers as well as learn the
appropriate lab procedures. I am also given the opportunity to witness what happens
behind the scenes in the field called research.
The reason I have chosen to study hMPV in particular is because it is a virus that
focuses specifically on the human lungs, two organs that have important functions in
survival. Playing the clarinet is a passion of mine and being able to utilize my lungs to
their full potential is critical. Furthermore, the discovery of hMPV is considered to be
fairly new and relatively little research has been done on it. Dr. Baos office is currently
focusing on the topic and I have now been given the opportunity to be an instrumental
part in the process of understanding this virus.
Kunqian Li
In order to accomplish my goals of understanding what it means to research an
infectious disease and specifically to understand the concepts behind hMPV, I am to visit
Dr. Bao at her office once every two weeks. With Dr. Bao having such a busy schedule,
we have also planned for me to work with her assistants every two Saturdays. I observe
Dr. Bao and her coworkers and then I am given the opportunity to participate first hand,
whether it be infecting cells, looking under microscopes, or mixing mediums. In addition
to the bi-weekly meetings, I also rely on close readings of articles written on hMPV
including some of Dr. Baos very own. These articles, the myriad of reliable information
on the Internet, and Mrs. Clicks experience and guidance will all play critical roles in my
ultimate success this semester.
For my final project, I plan on creating a Power Point presentation as well as a
tangible item. My tangible item will be a tri-fold board highlighting specific information
that will not be presented on the Power Point. The tri-fold will contain a plethora of
pictures capturing my experience over the semester and, like any successful researcher, I
plan on recording the results of various tests performed over the semester. Ultimately, I
wish to educate my peers and inform adults on what this new virus is. I plan on
highlighting the structure of hMPV and emphasizing the effects of being infected. To
consider my project a success, I must be able to impact my audience, and leave them with
unprecedented knowledge on the virus, so that they may gain insight on all facets of the
topic at hand. Finally, I hope that my project will shed light onto the research field,
enlightening my audience on what I experienced this fall so that they may become a little
more aware of what an infectious disease doctor does and what hMPV is.