When Alexa Lipsky began her undergraduate studies at SMU, she stepped into a Biophysical Sciences program designed to prepare students for the rigor of medicine and scientific research. She also became part of something even more distinctive: one of the first students selected for the SMU–UT Southwestern Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program.
Launched through the vision and advocacy of SMU alum and fellow Dedman Scholar, Gabrielle Gard ’22, who saw the transformative potential of deeper collaboration with UT Southwestern Medical School, the fellowship offers undergraduates the rare opportunity to conduct full-time, immersive research at a top-tier medical institution while remaining SMU students.
In this Q&A, Alexa reflects on her experience working at UTSW, the skills she developed through hands-on biomedical research, and what it means to participate in a program shaped by student initiative, faculty mentorship, and SMU’s commitment to experiential learning at the highest level.
What motivated you to apply for the SMU–UT Southwestern Undergraduate Research Fellowship?
Around my freshman year, when I discovered the fellowship program, I had been thinking about getting involved in research on campus. UTSW is one of the top medical schools in the country, and when I discovered the chance to work in their state-of-the-art research facility, I knew it would be a fantastic opportunity and provide experience I couldn’t get anywhere else. As I learned more about the program, I also thought it would be a very unique opportunity, as I found I would be the first person to complete the fellowship.
Before starting, what were you hoping to learn or experience through a full-time research semester?
I had no prior research experience going into this program; while a full-time program was a bit daunting, I thought it was going to be the best way to immerse myself in the world of scientific research. I anticipated learning everything from how to create a testable experiment to lab techniques, as well as how to convey my research in a scholarly manner.
Can you describe your research project in simple terms? What question or problem were you working to understand?
My project focused on limiting the effects of ‘tauopathies’ — effects that occur from the aggregation of a protein in the body called ‘tau’– which are implicated in neurodegeneration such as Alzheimer’s Disease.
What was the biggest challenge you faced during your fellowship, and how did you work through it?
My biggest challenge was learning to work with living subjects: in our case, we worked with mice. I received training on handling and care of rodents as well as training on performing medical procedures; this required familiarization with anesthetics, sterilizations, surgical procedures, and suturing. During my fellowship, I conducted direct hippocampal injections, a procedure that lasted about 1.5 hours per mouse and was performed on nearly eighty mice, to administer the studied treatment directly into the brain.
How did your SMU coursework or faculty mentors prepare you for full-time research at UT Southwestern?
Introductory Biology and Chemistry Labs prepared me for a handful of lab techniques— like pipetting, using equipment for measurements, and running gels— though in a professional setting, these were extremely basic requirements to perform much larger experiments. On the other hand, I found that classes requiring oral presentation, like my Italian language course, prepared me well for presenting my research in front of others, something I did throughout the fellowship. Dr. Son served as my SMU faculty mentor and supported me throughout the process.
Did working at UTSW influence your academic or career plans? If so, in what way?
Working in research at UTSW gave me a unique appreciation for the world of medical research and a better understanding of the medical roles outside the hospital, though I’d say it further solidified my desire to become a doctor. While I greatly enjoyed my research, I found that my favorite part of my work was operating on and caring for the mice in our experiment; I found that caring for patients was the side of medicine I enjoyed most, as opposed to conducting laboratory experiments.
What skills—technical or personal—do you feel you gained or strengthened?
The skill I strengthened most was my resilience; I was expected to function at a high level in an environment I was largely unfamiliar with, which often took me out of my comfort zone and relied on my being able to adapt and learn quickly.
This fellowship was launched thanks to a former SMU student who advocated for creating opportunities at UTSW. What does it mean to participate in a program shaped by an alum’s initiative?
I am incredibly grateful for Gabrielle’s initiative to create this program because it has been the most rewarding part of my undergraduate education and has introduced me to people who have been incredibly influential in my academic journey.
Why do you think programs like this matter for future SMU students interested in research or biomedical careers?
This program provides invaluable experience for someone who wants to learn more about the reality of working in medical research; even as an undergraduate student, I was given the opportunity to run my own experiments and have full control over my work.