Navigating New Waters

Sean Garin ’20 is still considering what path his career will take, but two consecutive summer internships in the molecular biology division at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory give him a clear advantage, whether he finds himself doing biochemical research or pursuing a medical degree.

The internship, exclusive to Washington College students, is made possible by Professor of Chemistry Anne Marteel-Parrish, whose husband is a scientist at the Naval Research Lab.  Sean was matched with a principal investigator who is developing a novel approach that uses enzymes to break down biochemical agents like VX gas, the deadly poison classified by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction.  Sean’s work in the Center for Biomolecular Science and Engineering Division focused specifically on developing an outer membrane vesicle that would contain and protect those enzymes in the environment.

The idea is that these proteins could be used prophylactically, in much the same way that a Kevlar vest prevents bullets from penetrating human tissue.

“It’s still in the pre-elementary