Gaining Real World, Hands-On Experience
Each summer GGC welcomes several undergraduate students who are looking for real-world experience to explore careers in the field of medical genetics.
“The goal of our summer college internship program is to provide college students with an in-depth look at a field they are considering – to show them what the day-to-day work involves,” said Leta Tribble, PhD, GGC’s Director of Education. “Our program is designed to be more than a job shadowing experience. Students work on laboratory and research projects, sometimes even earning a coauthor credit on a scientific paper.”
Each year selected students spend 8-10 weeks immersed in areas including diagnostic testing, research, bioinformatics, and genetic counseling. The Center also organizes a professional development workshop for the students to network with each other, tour the Greenwood campus, and learn workplace etiquette from the human resources team. The summer will conclude with each student presenting their work to an audience of GGC faculty and staff.
Meet GGC’s 2026 Summer Interns…
Sophia Bialoglaw
Sophia, Greenwood, SC, is a rising senior at The Pennsylvania State University majoring in biology. She plans to attend medical school and become a pediatrician with a focus in genetics.
What are you working on this summer?
I am working in GGC’s Cytogenetics Laboratory under Dr. Atlas Sardoo. Within the lab I have learned about/observed SOPs, amnios, products of conception, blood culturing, FISH, and karyotyping. I have also performed blood culturing on myself and karyotyped my own chromosomes. Right now, with Dr. Sardoo’s help, I am finalizing my research on Potocki-Lupski Syndrome (PTLS) and Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS).
Why did you apply to GGC’s internship program?
Last summer I shadowed Dr. Meg West, a pediatrician at LeBonheur Pediatrics. During my shadowing a young girl came in with a rare genetic disorder, and it sparked my interest. I thought how cool it would be to work within genetics and maybe even preventative medicine! Soon after, I began to search for internship opportunities and came across the GGC internship. Not only was the GGC renowned, but it was exactly what I was looking for to expand upon my knowledge and understanding of genetics.
What has been your favorite experience so far?
My favorite part has been working so closely with my supervisor and getting to do my own research. I really have enjoyed researching PTLS and SMS. My supervisor has been extremely helpful and encouraging, ready to answer every question I have, even if it may be a silly question.
Hayden Bush
Hayden, Atlanta, GA, is a rising senior at Erskine College majoring in health science and international studies with a minor in biology. She plans to pursue a PhD focused on biomedical nutrition, metabolism, and genetics, and work in a research laboratory studying molecular mechanisms, biomedical pathways, and genetic factors that influence disease.
What are you working on this summer?
I am working in the Diagnostic Molecular Laboratory at GGC where I am gaining hands-on experience with PCR testing and molecular workflows and learning to identify and analyze genetic variants. I am involved with two research projects during my time this summer.
One project focuses on a variant in the RNU4-2 small nuclear RNA gene, which has been associated with ReNU syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder. We are developing approaches to screen patient samples and investigate whether this variant is present and may help explain previously undiagnosed clinical testing.
I am also studying the carnitine and folate biochemical pathways to explore how disruptions in nutrient metabolism may interact with genetic variation and potentially influence neurodevelopmental outcomes. These projects have strengthened my knowledge and interest in genetics, molecular biology, and nutrition.
Why did you apply to GGC’s internship program?
I applied for the GGC summer internship because I wanted to gain hands-on lab experience while exploring the field of genetics and molecular biology. This internship has allowed me to develop my laboratory skills while learning from professionals who are passionate about genetics and research.
What has been your favorite experience so far?
My favorite and most rewarding experience at GGC has been the people I have worked with. Everyone has been incredibly supportive, patient, kind, and willing to teach me. I appreciate how people take time out of their day to answer questions and explain concepts. I have learned so much from the people here, and the collaboration and attention to detail between the various labs and teams has inspired me and strengthened my interest in pursuing this field.
Lucas Kirby
Lucas, Greenwood, SC, is a rising junior at Winthrop University majoring in biology with a concentration in biomedical research. He plans to become a genetic counselor with a goal of attending the University of South Carolina’s genetic counseling program and then working at GGC.
What are you working on this summer?
I am working on a project to further characterize the phenotypic variability, testing indications, and cytogenetic findings of chromosome 1q21.1 distal deletion and microduplication syndromes.
Why did you apply to GGC’s internship program?
I applied to this internship because I wanted to gain hands-on experience in a field of biology that I am truly passionate about while also learning how an organization like the GGC functions on a daily basis.
What has been your favorite experience so far?
My favorite experience so far has been observing how the cytogenetics laboratory operates and learning each person’s role in the process. I have truly enjoyed seeing how well the team works together and how welcoming they are to those who are eager to learn like myself.
Lucy Parker
Lucy is from Montclair, NJ, and a rising junior at Connecticut College majoring in biology with minors in data science & statistics and chemistry. She wants to pursue a career in genetics, considering graduate programs in areas such as genetic counseling or molecular genetics and hopes this experience will help her better understand where she can make the greatest impact.
What are you working on this summer?
I’m working in GGC’s Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, currently getting PCR certified so that I will be able to run tests on DNA samples and interpret the results myself. I’m working with Dr. Sneha Mokashi on a project that uses RNA sequencing data from 700 patients to better understand the biology underlying neurodevelopmental disorders. By analyzing patterns of gene expression in patients with similar clinical features, we hope to identify biological pathways associated with specific symptoms and gain insight into how genomic data can be used to support diagnosis and improve understanding of disease.
I will also be working on a research project with Hayden looking at variants in the RNU4-2 snRNA that cause a common neurodevelopmental syndrome. We’ll be testing for this variant in our sample pool to determine if any individuals have this variant and are a phenotypic match to this neurodevelopmental disorder.
I also will be working on a project that introduces a new kind of BigDye (fluorescent dye used in sequencing to determine the nucleotide sequence of DNA) to testing. We will be working to figure out how it can be used in our lab, if it speeds the sequencing process up and if it should be used as a replacement for the BigDye we currently use.
Why did you apply to GGC’s internship program?
I applied to GGC because it was an opportunity to see how different parts of the genetics field interact with each other. Counseling, diagnostics, and research are all integrated at GGC, which provides a great opportunity to learn from individuals in all of these fields. I also wanted hands on lab experience where I could see how genomic findings/data move from the lab to interpretation to patient impact.
What has been your favorite experience so far?
My most rewarding experience so far has been training to run a PCR on my own. Being able to be a part of the testing in the molecular lab is very rewarding, and I’ve learned a lot from all the lab technologists by watching them and hearing about their own backgrounds in genetics. The people at GGC are kind and encourage learning, so being able to ask any questions that I have has been a great experience. Working on multiple projects in different areas has been a great opportunity because it’s helping me identify my strengths and weaknesses, and what I may want to do further along in my career.
Wyatt Wilson
Wyatt is a native of Lexington, SC and is a rising junior at Clemson University majoring in biological sciences. He plans to go to medical school to become a physician.
What are you working on this summer?
I am analyzing copy number variants (CNVs) containing genes that are highly sensitive to mutations and cannot tolerate losing a copy to identify candidate genomic regions and genes that may contribute to specific clinical phenotypes. By examining recurrent CNVs and associated patient features, I sought to uncover genotype–phenotype correlations that could improve interpretation of variants currently classified as uncertain significance.
Why did you apply to GGC’s internship program?
I applied for the GGC summer internship after hearing about it from my grandparents and learning more about the program. It seemed like an incredible opportunity to gain hands-on research experience, learn from experts, and be part of an organization that is a leader in genetics in South Carolina.
What has been your favorite experience so far?
My favorite part of the internship has been the people. Everyone at GGC goes above and beyond to help me learn and succeed, providing far more support and guidance than I ever expected. It has also been great getting to meet the other interns and build connections with people who share similar interests. The combination of a supportive environment, new friendships, and the opportunity to learn from so many knowledgeable professionals made this experience especially rewarding.