My brother and I have a complicated relationship, but what siblings don’t? I look up to my big brother and always have. When we were young we played, explored, and learned together. He inspired my early interest in science. We built spaceships out of Legos on the floor of his room, played together in the creek that runs behind our house, and learned about the world side-by-side. However, our childhood joy and freedom quickly came to an end. My brother was thirteen when his disorder decided to show itself, starting with a migraine that just never left. After a year and a half of uncertainty, he was finally diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome or POTS, for short. He experiences a whole range of symptoms that include dizziness, nausea, and constant exhaustion, which prevent him from attending school regularly, doing the things he wants to do, and accomplishing the things he wants to accomplish. Every day he struggles with chronic illness. A little-known, under-researched disorder stole a career in engineering from my brother and my brother from me. My brother has faced failing classes and lost aspirations. He has faced crippling depression and blinding anger. I felt heartbroken because it hurt so much to see him in pain and losing everything. In our search for a solution or even just answers, he saw countless neurologists, cardiologists, pain specialists, physical therapists, ophthalmologists, and psychologists. He went through myriad tests, MRIs, and blood diagnostics. He was given numerous cocktails of drugs and medications, many with devastating side effects. Through all of this, we have never found a cure. Over the past ten years, my brother has gained strength and learned how to manage his symptoms. He is still not healthy; he has to struggle ten times harder to reach the same goals as others, but he is able to do a lot more and function a lot better. His bravery all these years has inspired me throughout my education. He has worked so hard to achieve his goals and I will do the same. I am headed into my junior year at Seattle University. I am working on a major in cellular and molecular biology and minors in chemistry and data science. I will go on to earn a Master’s and a Doctorate and I will become a medical researcher. I will dedicate my career to finding treatments for diseases like the one my brother faces. I will provide families like my own with answers and people like my brother with hope. I have found great passion in learning about the microscopic workings of the human body and the medical breakthroughs of past scientists. I am honored to have the ability to someday add to the collective knowledge of the scientific community and work towards improving the quality of life for those experiencing chronic illness.

How is multicellularity possible? Evolutionary biologist Lynn Margulis (1938-2011) set out to answer this age-old biological question through her Theory of Endosymbiosis; the idea that mitochondria, chloroplasts, and other organelle began as separate single-cellular organisms. According to her theory, these organisms developed a symbiotic relationship with larger cells, producing energy for the cell and receiving protection in return, before eventually evolving into permanent cellular structures. Like many female scientists, Margulis was largely ignored and disregarded for several decades before the scientific community finally realized the significance of her work and awarded her the credit and recognition she had so clearly earned.