Cal Athletics
Josh Mao is spending part of his summer working in an on-campus lab conducting immunology research.
“I took a class with Professor Vance, which really sparked my interest in immunology, ” Mao said. “I reached out to him asking if there was any space in their lab this summer, and luckily there was clearly a graduate student looking for an undergraduate to help out along with her project, which set everything within motion. inch
Mao is usually working on the project centered on effector-triggered immunity. He conducts hands-on experiments at the particular cellular level, studying the ways in which cells can sense the proteins that bacteria eject into them, plus what effect this might have on the tissues.
“I do a lot associated with tissue culture work right now, ” Mao explains. “I’m growing different types of tissue and infecting them with different viruses and protein. I also work on developing the germs, isolating DNA and testing for cell death. inch
A typical day at function for Mao begins in the morning when this individual carefully plans and preps his day. Like every good researcher and college student, Mao likes to take notes on everything he does in the particular lab. Each morning he or she spends time reviewing his notes from the previous day time in order to prepare for the tests he’ll be starting. He then commences their experiment for the day, sometimes even conducting multiple at once since the timing of them all vary.
“The cells are pretty picky, so you actually need in order to do certain things at certain times, ” Mao stated.
Mao works from about 9 a. m. to 5 p. m. each week time, and actually sometimes upon the weekends as well, keeping him on a busy schedule throughout these summer time months.
Although the school year is on pause for the summer, the work of the student-athlete is definitely year-round. Despite his packed work schedule, he still makes time this particular summer with regard to his athletic training schedule to ensure that he’s in shape the fall sevens and spring fifteens seasons.
For Mao, staying in shape is even more important come early july as this individual works to recover from an injury. He spent half of the 2021-2022 season sidelined after dislocating his knee cap in a match last spring. Prior in order to the injury, he had played within two fifteen-a-side matches in January, also contributing a try in the 57th minute of the home match against UCSB. The injuries has required a lengthy rehabilitation period, which included a regimented training plan developed by Associate Head Coach Tom Billups to get him back on his feet plus running again.
“I’ve been following Coach Billups’ conditioning plan which has helped a lot within getting me back to running, ” he or she said. “I’ve also been operating with the athletic trainers on the running mechanics. ”
He has continued this conditioning program throughout the particular summer, operating three days a week and then weight-lifting and focusing on mechanics another three times a week, all in the California Athletics facilities. “I like to go within around 7 each morning to fit my workout in before I head into work in around 9 a. m., ” he noted.
Balancing the demands of a student-athlete is no easy feat, but Mao explained that he loves to keep a tight and organized schedule in order in order to stay on top of things. Like how he carefully plans out the time of experiments within the lab, he programs his own period in the same way to maximize their efficiency.
He also attributes the things he is learned from the rugby program in order to how your dog is able to manage his time effectively: “I’ll do one thing from a time and really focus on it so this gets done right before I move on in order to the next thing. inch
Mao carries this approach plus other points he’s learned from being a part associated with the rugby team in to his work in the industry of science.
“The skills that I’ve learned within rugby translate over to our operate the lot of ways, ” he mentioned. “Knowing exactly how to work in a team, how to deal along with people and how in order to communicate effectively are all items that We learned from our program. Rugby has instilled in me a desire to always show my full potential plus that’s something I strive towards at work every day. ”
Mao’s experience this particular summer is one that this individual thinks can be very unique to the Berkeley campus, especially in their ability to participate in research with world-renowned professors while also as being a part associated with one of the most nationally recognized collegiate rugby programs in the nation.
“On the particular rugby side, the team and the program’s reputation speak for itself, ” he or she said. “We’re such a good program regarding developing athletes, and young men. I actually obviously love the sport of rugby as well as the chance in order to play here at Cal, but it’s also the camaraderie that I have learned from this team that is just some thing I’ve never experienced prior to. In terms of the academics, being at Berkeley still feels like a breathtaking thing, especially with all the scientific inventions and discoveries that have come from here. inch
As a rising junior, Mao still has lots of opportunities ahead to continue growing as both a student and a good athlete on the Berkeley campus. After he completes his degree in Molecular plus Cell Biology, he hopes to continue around the path of functioning in the field of immunology either through academia or research.
When the drop season comes around, though, he’ll be ready to hang up the white lab coat and suit up intended for the Fantastic Bears upon the pitch once again.
