Faheed Shafau

Faheed was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan to Nigerian immigrant parents.  He later moved to Sterling Heights, a suburb of the Detroit Metropolitan area.  He is the youngest of three children who have all chosen career paths in medicine. His upbringing was influenced by his parents, who emphasized and prioritized education above everything else.

In his free time, he enjoys lifting weights, playing sports, and spending time with friends and family. Sports has always been a main interest for him, having played multiple sports growing up. Although he no longer plays sports, he enjoys watching them and keeping up with the latest games. Outside of sports, he enjoys sitting back and playing video games. He also enjoys food, especially exploring new cuisines from different cultures.

Faheed is a Biomedical Laboratory Science major which he chose because of his interest in biological science and desire to learn through hands-on experience. He has long-term goals of becoming a urologist. In preparing this career he has had ample shadowing and scribing experience in urology where he has observed the specialty’s unique combination of procedural and clinical operations. He understands that urology patients are in incredibly vulnerable states and it is paramount to him to provide them with  the highest quality of care. 

As a physician, he plans to work with underserved groups in urban communities with the overarching goal of bridging the gap between these groups and the field of medicine.  He is excited to pursue a medical career because it directly aligns with his values and desire to impact others positively.  To that end, he has recently applied to and interviewed with the MSU College of Human Medicine through the Early Assurance application process.

As an undergraduate researcher in an integrative biology lab, he examined amino acid precursors' role in synthesizing a neurotoxin produced by bacteria living on rough-skinned newts. His role includes measuring the growth curves of various bacterial strains and collecting data for an NSF grant proposal on symbiosis. 

He initially faced difficulties getting the desired results even after tweaking his methods and reading peer-reviewed articles, but required more help overcoming the obstacle. Determined, he and his research mentor and the principal investigator, Dr. Heather L. Eisthen switched his approaches and studied the microbes that they believed produced the toxin. After much hard work, he was finally able to achieve the results he sought.  This is an experience he is very proud of because it underscored for him the importance of perseverance, determination, and a deeper understanding of research methods and the scientific process.

Faheed is grateful for the mentorship of Dr. Eisthen and faculty collaborator Dr. Elizabeth Heath-Heckman.  Working with them has considerably accelerated and expanded his capabilities as an undergraduate researcher.

He has presented his preliminary findings at the "Mid-SURE" research symposium and contributed data to a poster at the "Beneficial Microbes Conference." He has received $800 in funding from MSU Undergraduate Research Office this academic year.

INVESTIGATING POTENTIAL PRECURSOR MOLECULES IN THE BIOSYNTHESIS OF TETRODOTOXIN IN NEWTASSOCIATED BACTERIA

Co-Author:  Fernanda Lopez Bermejo

Mentor:  Heather Eisthen, Ph.D.

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent neurotoxin found in organisms such as pufferfish, mollusks, and some amphibians. TTX blocks voltage-gated sodium channels, preventing action potentials and thereby causing paralysis. Little is known about how TTX is synthesized, and no genes involved in synthesizing this molecule have been identified. The Eisthen lab discovered that TTX-producing bacteria can be isolated from the skin on rough-skinned newts (Taricha granulosa), and we are using strains of these bacteria to identify possible precursors in the TTX biosynthesis pathway. Previous researchers have suggested that arginine is a potential TTX precursor because both arginine and TTX contain a guanidinium group, an unusual molecular structure, and because arginine serves as a precursor for other guanidinium-containing toxins. However, before we test whether arginine contributes to TTX synthesis we must determine how it affects baseline growth of these strains. We measured growth patterns in 3 replicates of both Pseudomonas and Aeromonas strains in media supplemented with both L- and D-arginine, as both forms of the amino acid may be available to the bacteria in the environment on the newts' skin. We are currently repeating this experiment with L- and D-histidine supplemented media as a negative control, as histidine is positively charged like arginine, but lacks the guanidinium group that is hypothesized to enable TTX synthesis. After quantifying the effect of these amino acids on bacterial growth, we will assess the effect of amino acid supplementation on TTX production using LC-MS/MS to determine if TTX production is increased by supplementation of arginine.

Poster

Faheed has shared what it means to be a Drew scholar:

Being a Drew Scholar has dramatically impacted my overall experience at MSU. The email informing me that I had been chosen for the program significantly influenced my decision to attend MSU. I was considering two different schools, and being invited to join the Drew Scholars program solidified my choice to come to MSU. I wanted to be a part of something that would give me the best opportunity to receive a top-quality education. 

Joining the Drew Scholars program has made my transition from high school to college much smoother. As a Drew Scholar, I have been fortunate to be part of a diverse, supportive community of students working toward academic excellence. Being part of a family of STEM students from underrepresented backgrounds has exposed me to diverse personalities and cultures, and I am grateful to be a part of this community. 

The experiences I have benefited from as a Drew Scholar have been exceptional. For example, being in a small class for my survey of calculus course allowed me to speak directly with the instructor and learn the material to the best of my ability. I have also learned valuable professional skills in the Drew seminar classes, such as writing a cover letter, CV, and resume and communicating and acting professionally. 

Furthermore, the Drew Scholars program has provided me with a research opportunity. My principal investigator has told me that she looks explicitly for Drew Scholars because she knows they are typically high-achieving students. That distinction and expectation speaks volumes about the program's impact on student's education. Additionally, being a part of the MSU College of Human Medicine Mission SMART pathway program has allowed me to apply to medical school early through the Early Assurance application without the financial burden, which is a tremendous relief. Knowing that my program advocates for me and recommends me to medical school is fantastic.

I have also taken on roles as a peer mentor and mentee, which have been very impactful. I’m also an undergraduate learning assistant for the Drew Seminar II class. All these unique and valuable experiences have been made possible through my participation in the Drew Scholars program. My college experience would have been quite different without it.

Resident Assistant, Shaw Hall, REHS

Volunteer Coordinator, American Medical Student Association Chapter

Peer Mentor, Drew Scholars

NSC Undergraduate Learning Assistant, Drew Scholars

Medical Scribe, MSU Urology (former)

Volunteer Patient Visitor Guide, Sparrow Hospital

Undergraduate Research Assistant, Eisthen Lab

MSU NatSci Dean's List (all semesters)

Charles Drew Science Scholars Alumni Endowed Scholarship (2022)

College of Natural Science Undergraduate Research Support Scholarship (2022)

Eleanor L. Barrett Medical Technology Discretionary Endowed Fund BLD Scholarship (2022)

Correctional Leaders Association Susan M. Hunter Scholarship (2021)

Eleanor L. Barrett Medical Technology Discretionary Endowed Fund BLD Scholarship (2021)

Michigan Department of Corrections MCO Scholarship (2021)

Michigan State University Honors College Honors Enrichment Scholarship (2021)

Sterling Heights Community Foundation Scholarship (2021)

Michigan Student Aid Michigan Competitive Scholarship (2020)

Here is a message from Faheed to peers and successors:

To my dear peers and successors, I will provide you with wisdom. Seek out experiences that genuinely ignite your passion and curiosity, for it is in those moments that you will find enrichment beyond measure. Be infinitely curious and never shy away from treading the border of possibility to impossibility. Let your creativity and imagination soar to new heights, unveiling concepts yet to be fully understood by the world.