Aliza S. 2026 | BASIS Independent McLean
- Project Title: Are the side effects of psychoactive drugs worth their intended purpose?
- BASIS Independent Advisor: Monica Isquith
- Internship Location: APG Labs
- Onsite Mentor: Irfan Saeed
Through this research project, I want to draw attention to the side effects of medications that have been repurposed from their original intent and their impact on patients’ quality of life. While some medications are necessary for patients, altering them for different goals can shift the cost-benefit ratio. This change is not necessarily accounted for by the U.S. healthcare system, where they focus on fast symptomatic relief rather than long-term treatment. During my internship at APG Labs in Baltimore, I will survey patients to learn about their symptoms and medication side effects. I aim to understand the patient's personal experience with the medication and the cost-benefit ratio they undergo.
My Posts
Blog #5: On-site internship placement
April 16, 2026
This week marked the official beginning of my in-person commute to my internship at APG Labs. During this in-person, I was first introduced to the foundational principles of how an organization works within a laboratory setting. One of my main responsibilities was to develop an inventory log, a tool used to track items. As part […]
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Blog #4: First Draft!
April 6, 2026
This week, I focused on the upcoming first draft of my senior project. I worked on creating a more engaging introduction for my paper to grab people’s attention. I decided that for my introduction, I would focus on how psychoactive drugs are becoming easier for the general public to access. Through this introduction, I want […]
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Blog #3: Internship Prep
March 25, 2026
This week, I focused on clarifying my writing so that the information is presented in a way that is clear and engaging. This involved fixing grammatical errors, simplifying unnecessary text, and using imagery to explain complex topics. Similar to last week, I analyzed two more sources and developed narrative-style paragraphs. I have also begun to […]
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Blog #2: More Literature Review
March 25, 2026
This week, I continued exploring the narrative writing style. My goal has been to create a more engaging and simplistic way to present information. As I mentioned in last week’s blog, I created narrative paragraphs of about five different sources to present information in an approachable way. These paragraphs served as a foundation for me […]
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