Rita Chen joins DAMP lab
Rita Chen, a former BME student of BU, joined the Design, Automation, Manufactory, and Prototype (DAMP) Laboratory of Boston University as the new (and first) head experimental lab tech of the team, after graduating in June 2019. Rita had worked at the DAMP lab as an UROP intern and researcher assistant before since summer of 2018, during her bachelor studies, performing experimental and computational work for DAMP’s projects and services. She combines experimental techniques in cell and molecular biology (wet lab experience) and expertise in programming languages, lab protocol automation.
The knowledge she obtained during her work at the DAMP lab contributed to the understanding of how one can automate wet-lab protocols using liquid handler devices and programming languages, i.e. creating software tools that coordinate such devices for DNA molecular cloning, cell transformation, and cell colony picking. Now, back to DAMP in a leading position, Rita expects her scientific career to continue to be productive and creative among the top early-career graduate researchers.
Rita’s path from UROP intern to leading the experimental lab team is pretty impressive. The combination of wet-lab biology, programming, and protocol automation shows how useful it can be to develop skills across different areas. That same blend of practice and precision can be seen in SoFlo Wheelie Life, a motorcycle game centered on balance and control.