Cover Letter

I am writing for a position in the 2009 summer internship program at the National Institute of Health. Currently, I am a junior at The New Jersey Institute of Technology majoring in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Biology. As an aspiring MD/ Ph D, I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to be involved in cutting edge research at the country’s most esteemed Institute. When I learned that they are holding a summer research internship program from my advisor, I knew I had to take advantage of the great wealth of research opportunities available. I also learned that the NIH is the most prominent institute for the Biomedical Sciences and if given the opportunity, I will make a meaningful contribution to the research project. Throughout my college years, I have grown increasingly dedicated to expanding my knowledge and abilities in the field of research. I hope that given the opportunity to be a research assistant this summer at the NIH, I can continue to pursue these goals.

I believe I am a perfect candidate for a researcher at the NIH. Interacting with students as their Chemistry tutor and customers as a business machine salesman at Staples, I have strong communications skills both on the interpersonal and professional level. My time at Ohio State gave me invaluable knowledge and experience regarding the nature of proteins and gel chromatography techniques in purification. I also learned how to use the UV Vis Spectrometer which is an important tool in figuring out the concentration of a Protein in a solution. I spent nine weeks at Ohio State University for a REU program working under Dr. Dehua Pei. There, I purified Proteins using gel chromatography techniques, screened them in a peptide library, and sequenced the peptide motif in order to identify the Protein’s binding partner. Looking ahead, I plan on presenting my work this March at the National ACS conference in Utah. This December, I intend on volunteering at St. Elizabeth’s hospital in my hometown of Parsippany. And this January, I will begin my research with Dr. Farinas in Protein Engineering.

Over the years, I have grown increasingly interested in many aspects of Biomedical Sciences. This includes Immunology, Molecular Biology, Biological Engineering, and Neurobiology. I am driven by the motivation to help save lives through developing new therapies. My experiences as a researcher, educator, and businessman make me an ideal choice to assist in research. I would appreciate an opportunity to discuss my qualifications as well as the best way to channel my experiences into the medical field. I am easily reached by cell phone or by e-mail. Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you.