Summer Internship

During Summer 2025, I worked as a Microbiology intern at Ocean Spray Cranberries’ headquarters in Lakeville, Massachusetts, where I focused on studying the development of patulin, a mycotoxin produced by the mold Byssochlamys nivea, in cranberry juice. My main goal was to develop growth curves for the mold and measure patulin levels over time to determine the rate of development and when they exceeded the FDA regulatory limit of 50 ppb. The internship involved extensive hands-on lab work—such as inoculating juice samples, plating dilutions, running qPCR, and learning High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)—as well as data analysis and protocol design. In addition to my primary project, I completed smaller tasks like lab inventory, developing a standard curve for Alicyclobacillus, preparing media, and assisting with lab maintenance. I presented my findings in a 25-minute talk to the FSQA department, gained valuable technical and professional skills, and benefited from mentorship and collaboration across multiple teams, making the experience both scientifically rewarding and personally inspiring.