The clinking of machines fills the biochemistry lab at Saint Louis University. Beakers and flasks are sprawled across the lab bench. A below freezing refrigerator is filled with sterile lab containers containing protein compounds. The C-Trap machine stands at attention, waiting to be loaded with protein compounds and DNA. For Aidan Antony (11), these sights and sounds are a regular part of his nine-to-five workday in the lab.

“My first discovery on an instrument [was] when I was [shadowing] undergrads in [my dad’s] lab,” Aidan said. “I got trained on the instrument called the Stop Flow. Seeing the rate of change of [proteins] made me realize that I love science.”

Sharing experiences and advice has helped Aidan adjust to the lab.

“I’m getting trained by a grad student,” Aidan said. “I talk to everyone else in the lab [to] see what they’re doing. We’re like one big community.”

Having parents that work in labs at SLU has influenced Aidan’s perception and knowledge about the scientific field.

“My parents were always like, ‘You have to work hard,’” Aidan said. “I never believed that. Seeing the amount of work
it takes and getting excited over something that I’ve been working on, it’s really cool.”

Through Aidan’s scientific experiements, his dad, Edwin Antony, has recognized his son’s curiosity in science.

“One memorable moment was when we realized Aidan’s capacity for independent research,” Edwin said. “His ability to explain [a] discrepancy highlighted his research aptitude. We’re also proud that he generated data for a paper to be published in Nature Communications, where he is listed as an author. Additionally, the optical-trap data he collected this summer will also contribute to another publication.”

Aidan has been able to apply new knowledge to the function of unfamiliar compounds by finding similarities between
his AP Biology class and his research.

“When you’re writing a research paper, you have to get background info,” Aidan said. “It’s actually understanding what’s going on with what you’re studying. We would [use] a DPOR protein, and it works in photosynthesis. I have no idea what it does, but knowing what the process of photosynthesis is helps me understand how it actually works.”

After getting a taste of the workplace environment, Aidan has used others’ behavior to improve his own work ethic.

“There’s the people in my lab, they’ll sometimes just not even show up,” Aidan said. “I don’t go every day, but the days I go, I try to make it count by staying as long as I can.”

Edwin hopes Aidan is able to reach his full potential by utilizing skills he has gained along his research journey.

“Research is not just publishing papers; it teaches one to think critically and consider all possibilities when solving complex problems,” Edwin said. “Whatever career Aidan chooses to pursue, we hope he carries forward this ability to think deeply and analytically.”