Gaining Microscopy Experience on Co-ops on the East and West Coasts
Cameron D’Mello, E’25, bioengineering, developed microscopy skills on two co-ops, one at Beth Israel Medical Center in Boston as a lab researcher, and the other at QuantumScape in San Jose, Calif. Both experiences helped solidify her plans to work in biotechnology research and development of health care products.
This article originally appeared on Northeastern Global News. It was published by Kate Rix. Main photo: Cameron D’Mello, who studies bioengineering, used microsopy in two co-ops: at Beth Israel Medical Center in Boston and at QuantumScape. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
From diabetes research to EV battery development, Northeastern co-op transfers microscopy skills across industries
There are many good reasons to study things up close. Cameron D’Mello has discovered two.
A senior bioengineering major at Northeastern University, D’Mello worked as a lab researcher at Beth Israel Medical Center in Boston during her first co-op. She examined bone samples from diabetes patients using CT scans and microscopy, and compared them to samples from people who don’t have diabetes.
Her research question—does Type 1 diabetes increase the likelihood of hip and spine fractures? To her surprise, the same tools and techniques are used to find flaws in EV car batteries.
For her second co-op, D’Mello worked at QuantumScape, a battery manufacturing company based in San Jose, California. Working with optic and laser microscopy, as well as X-rays and CT scans, D’Mello analyzed components of batteries and superchargers.
“I realized that there was a lot of interconnection in terms of trying to find defaults, trying to find issues and then utilizing that information to try to derive some significant difference and how we can apply that,” she says. “It was very much a transfer of skills.”
A native of New Jersey, D’Mello appreciates spending six months in California. Her role at QuantumScape gave her a chance to apply research and microscopy skills to a tangible product.
“I really enjoyed the process of research from my previous co-op,” she says. “But taking a step further and working with a physical product was an evolution that I wanted to achieve.”
Read full story at Northeastern Global News