On May 28, the Nebraska Institutional Development Award Program (IDeA) Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program welcomed 29 undergraduate students from across Nebraska as they embark on their summer research experience at Creighton University, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and UNMC.
Below Joshua Lindenberger, a molecular biology major at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, talks about his INBRE experience.
Who is Joshua Lindenberger?
I am a dedicated student, friend, and family member. I was born with a physical disability known as Brachial Plexus Injury, and throughout my life I have struggled day-in and day-out. It was at the age of 14 that my dad died of cancer. My life experiences shape me into the person I am, and I have become stronger through them. At college I am a part of the Thompson Scholar Learning Committee which is the support organization for students with the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation Scholarship. This past year I worked as a peer mentor. This position also has changed and made me a better person. I am aware that I am not perfect, but it is through trying and living that I hope to be a better version of myself.
Has science always been a part of your life?
Yes, since being a small child I wanted to be a doctor like a lot of kids. I grew up with a mother in the medical field, and as a person with a physical disability I was well exposed to the field. The older I got the more I enjoyed novelty. I fell in love my sophomore year of high school with genetics. From here I shifted to enjoying the research field, I could have the chance to be a part of something great. The thought of being a small part of something that changes the world excites me. Science is a part of my identity — and is a part of who I will always be.
How is it important to you?
In 2013 my dad was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. He was shipped to UNMC for treatment. It was then that I began to really enjoy genetics, it was at UNMC that the staff of the OHSCU floor showed me the technology that they used and how it was affecting every patient on the unit. Science and medicine have always held a special place for me, but after this I realized that anyone can be deeply touched by medicine and biomedical research.
Why did you choose to participate in the INBRE program?
On my student visit to the University of Nebraska at Kearney, a professor had mentioned the INBRE program and how students really enjoy the program and how it is beneficial for graduate school. This alone excited me and I was excited to join. However, the more I dug to find out more about the program, the more I realized that I could not pass up the opportunity of the support that it would provide.
What do you hope to gain from the program?
Through the INBRE program I hope to gain fundamentals of cancer research as well as get the experience of what it is like to work in a large facility like UNMC. I am wanting to isolate what fields I would want to go in post-graduation. As of now the program is setting me up well for all of this and so much more.
So proud of this guy! Congrats on the feature Josh!
I could not be more proud of Joshua Lindenberger. I love him and respect him and admire him. I pray he does well in life.
Josh is a driven young man who knows what he wants out of life. He is an excellent student, a musician, a "one-armed golfer," and a spiritually grounded individual. His handicap has not hindered his participation in anything he has sought to learn or attempt. He is, and will be, an excellent member of the INBRE program and a credit to his chosen profession. Thank you, Josh, for all you accomplish. You make us all so proud.