Princeton Student Finds Career Path Through UAMS’ Summer Research Internship Program
| Seven students from schools across the country came to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) for this year’s Summer Research Internship, a nine-week program that gave them an introduction to the possibilities of health care research.
For one student, the internship affirmed his passion for health care and offered clarity on his career plans.
Mason DeLaMater, a Cabot native and rising sophomore at Princeton University, said he has known since eighth grade that he wanted to pursue a career in health care. The realization came after he was hospitalized for nearly two weeks with a staph infection that had spread to his bones, a condition known as osteomyelitis.
DeLaMater said his case was difficult to diagnose because he had no open wounds that would point to an infection. His symptoms came on unexpectedly during his first week of school.
“It was the middle of the day, and all of a sudden I couldn’t walk,” he said.
He was taken to a hospital but went home after initial tests didn’t reveal the cause of his symptoms. Before long, he began to feel worse, with a fever that spiked to 104 degrees.
He was admitted to the hospital the next day, but it took a few days to diagnose the osteomyelitis and another week to resolve it. The infection, which started in his left hip, spread to his ankle and took an immense toll on his body — by the time he left the hospital, his weight had dropped from 100 pounds to about 60, he said.
DeLaMater said the medical professionals who saved his life displayed a level of care and compassion that left a lasting impression.
“After that, I kind of knew that what my doctors did for me was something I wanted to reciprocate for others,” he said.
As he began to seriously consider his career options, DeLaMater sought guidance from Mark Smeltzer, Ph.D., professor in the UAMS College of Medicine’s Department of Microbiology & Immunology and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. The two stayed in contact over the past couple of years, and Smeltzer suggested that DeLaMater apply for the Summer Research Internship program.
The program, which is part of UAMS Academic Pathways and Workforce Partnerships, is open to high school juniors and seniors and to undergraduate college students. It provides an opportunity for participants to expand their understanding of health careers by working with mentors to conduct research in laboratory settings.
DeLaMater said his health history informed his decision on what research to pursue. He and Smeltzer spent the summer searching for compounds that inhibit the formation of bacterial biofilms, which would prevent bacteria from aggregating and make it easier for the immune system, combined with antibiotic treatments, to fend off infections.
“When bacteria come together and attach to part of your body, they can often form a biofilm, acquiring an intrinsic resistance to antibiotics and a new set of toxin defenses against the body’s immune system,” he said. “What we’re trying to do is prevent infections from reaching that stage.”
He said Smeltzer served as a mentor throughout the project, giving him the freedom to experiment and showing him that even negative results can offer insights that advance their research.
“I came into this knowing that I wanted to work with Dr. Smeltzer on a subject that was really important to me, and that made all the difference in how impactful this internship was,” he said.
DeLaMater began the summer unsure about what path to take in health care, but he said his experience in the program has fostered a love for research. He said that once he earns his undergraduate degree in chemical and biological engineering, he plans to enroll in an M.D./Ph.D. program with the goal of becoming a physician scientist.
“It’s the best of both worlds,” he said. “I can help individual patients face-to-face as a physician, but then I can also conduct research that might help save countless lives on a broader scale in the future.”
DeLaMater said he encourages other aspiring researchers to apply for the internship program, noting that it will help them develop the problem-solving skills that they’ll need in their careers.
“You learn so much not only about your field of research but also about yourself,” he said. “There are going to be times when things go wrong or you get results that don’t quite make sense, but you figure out how to deal with those problems, roll with the punches and move forward, all in the name of helping others.”
Patrice Storey, Ph.D., director of student, postgraduate and faculty engagement for UAMS Academic Pathways and Workforce Partnerships, said DeLaMater’s journey embodies the mission of the Summer Research Internship program.
“His dedication to investigating biofilm inhibitors and his evolving passion for translational research highlight the transformative power of hands-on mentorship and laboratory experience,” she said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see how early exposure to research can clarify students’ paths and inspire future physician scientists.”