Kaitlyn Taylor, a senior studying microbiology at ETSU, dedicated her summer to kidney research at the University of Alabama Medical School.
The KURE, or Kidney Undergraduate Research Experience, is an 8-week program that provides a detailed experience in the field of biomedical research.
Taylor’s research was focused on Oxalate, a compound in metabolism that can accumulate over time. In that case, those affected are more prone to kidney stones. The sources of Oxalate and what influences the breakdown of Vitamin C to form Oxalate are unknown.
“So for our research we looked at oxalated stress in the body and how that contributes to increasing Vitamin C breakdown into oxalate,” Taylor said.
Through this experience, Taylor realized she wants to do more research in the future. She is currently doing a research project on health care simulation and how it is used in medical schools.
Taylor decided to become a doctor when she graduated from Northeast State University in 2017, but her interest in medicine began at a young age when her mother got sick.
“The doctors and the nurses, they would just disregard me and my dad,” said Taylor. “They kind of counted my mom out, like she’s gone, there was nothing they could do. There was this one doctor, her name was Dr. Miller, I’ll never forget her.”
Dr. Miller carefully explained what was wrong with her mother and about the human body and the medical equipment that interested young Taylor.
“And ever since then, that just inspired me,” Taylor said.
