As a laboratory assistant at the University of Connecticut Health Center this past summer, Trinity neuroscience major Duarte G. Machado ‘01 conducted research that fills in some of the gaps, neuron by neuron, of what is known about how the brain processes auditory stimuli. The painstaking work required visual documentation of cellular activity--with the aid of a computer-microscope interface--to trace the pathways taken by auditory information as it travels from the cochlear nucleus to different parts of the brain. This research is the basis for Machado’s senior thesis and builds upon his earlier work at UConn, which has been published in the Journal of Comparative Neurology, with Machado named as a coauthor. These laboratory-based achievements are but a few of the milestones to be traced on Machado’s pathway to becoming a physician. He is so accomplished, in fact, that he has already been accepted to the University of Connecticut Medical School.

An Excellent Student
Machado’s distinguished career at Trinity began with his enrollment in the honors Interdisciplinary Science Program, where he shone in such courses as "Analytical Chemistry" and in the laboratories of Charles A. Dana Professor of Psychology and Director of the Neuroscience Program Priscilla Kehoe and Associate Professor of Chemistry William H. Church. Three years later, having been nominated by Trinity’s faculty, Machado was among an elite group of mathematics, science, and engineering majors in the nation--one of only four Connecticut natives--to be recognized as a Barry M. Goldwater Scholar. (Named in honor of the late senator from Arizona, the scholarships provide up to $7,500 per year.)

Professor Church, Machado’s academic adviser, says, "Duarte is the kind of student that every professor would love to be associated with. He is an excellent student in the classroom and a superb researcher in the laboratory. He is one of the most adept laboratory researchers I have ever had the pleasure of working with."

Dr. Duck Kim, a UConn Health Center physician, has been a mentor to Machado since the summer before Machado’s junior year at Crosby High School in Waterbury (from which he graduated as class valedictorian). Kim speaks with pride and affection of Machado’s "tremendous growth" in both "personal and professional development" over the past six years. Kim praises Machado for his work ethic in the laboratory, in particular for "being so reliable and paying great attention to make sure the tasks and operations are done in the best possible way."

Machado’s preparation for his future career goes beyond his extensive laboratory experience. As a Health Fellow last spring semester, Machado was among a select group of Trinity students who did internships at medical institutions in Hartford, participated in an intensive seminar, and fulfilled other requirements aimed at giving prospective health care professionals an insider’s view of the field. Branching out from his focus on neuroscience, Machado opted to intern in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, where he studied asthma in children. Machado furthered his clinical experience this past summer at UConn Health Center. There, his laboratory work was complemented by a weekly clinical rotation in which he explored a variety of medical specialties. Appreciating the opportunity to "see real patients in all different areas," Machado says the experience "reaffirmed my decision that this is what I want to do." The human side of medicine motivates him as much as the scientific questions he wishes to answer. His interest in becoming a doctor--and his focus on neuroscience--was in part sparked by his grandmother’s affliction with Parkinson’s disease. He finds it difficult to watch her condition deteriorate and says, "I wish I could do something about that."

A Campus Contributor
An inquisitive student and exacting scientist, Machado is also personable, upbeat, and a strong contributor to Trinity’s residential and extracurricular life. A member of a number of student organizations, Machado last fall founded the Trinity College Portuguese Club with a few friends. In its inaugural year the small student group hosted ethnic-fare dinners, sponsored a lecture by a Portuguese writer, brought two Portuguese films to Cinestudio, launched a Web site, and organized a student trip to Washington, D.C., for an exhibit by a Portuguese artist.

This year Machado has his sights set on starting up the Trinity College Premedical Club. He says, "I noticed a need for this type of group at Trinity," adding that sponsoring MCAT practice sessions might be among the ways that such a group could support and benefit premed students.

Establishing that club is just one item on Machado’s busy fall agenda. He’ll also be a first-year mentor for Interdisciplinary Science Program students, and he will continue his thesis work at UConn Health Center while also keeping up with his Trinity courses. Machado says he’s looking forward to spring term, when he will serve as a Thomas Hume Bissonette Teaching Fellow at the College and will have completed his major requirements, affording him the opportunity to sample more of Trinity’s diverse curriculum. One of his favorite courses to date has been "20^th-Century Architecture" with Associate Professor of Fine Arts Kathleen A. Curran. He says, "I like reading and writing about different things because I do so much technical reading for science courses."