SUMMER RESEARCH FELLOW: Gabriela Garza ’25

Gabriela Garza ’25, a rising senior from Westminster College, was granted a 2024 Summer Research Fellowship for her work with kombucha tea fermentation. Garza is a biochemistry major from Spring Hill, Tenn., and one of 10 students selected for this year’s program. Garza’s work, “To Ferment or Not to Ferment: Exploring the Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Properties of Kombucha Tea,” was examined with her mentor, Dr. Jessica Sarver, associate professor and chair of the chemistry department. Garza is an active member of Student Government Association (SGA), the Sexuality and Gender Alliance club (SAGA), Chemistry Club, Tri-Beta and Greek life on campus.  
 
Why did you apply for the fellowship?
I applied for the fellowship to work on my capstone project in more depth than I can during a regular academic semester and to gain more experience in the lab.

Can you briefly describe your project?
My project aimed to conduct a comprehensive analysis to identify the chemical profile of kombucha. I did this by focusing on how different components of the teas changed over the fermentation process. I focused on changes in antioxidant and phenolic content, antimicrobial activity, protein content and monitoring the pH change.

What have you learned from your collaboration with Dr. Sarver? What kinds of insight and support does she contribute to your project?
I learned a lot from my collaboration with Dr. Sarver. She left a lot of the planning to me, which allowed me to feel in control of the project, but she was always there to provide support and help me troubleshoot when something did not go as planned. Through this process, Dr. Sarver helped me learn how to be more confident in my lab skills and how to work my way through problems that may arise during research.

What aspects of research have been your favorite and most challenging?
I loved running assays and collecting data from the procedures used. I think the process of collecting data and seeing how the experiment results relate back to the original question is like solving a fun puzzle.

How do you think your work as a student researcher will shape your future student and career success?
Having research experience on my resumé will make me a more competitive candidate for graduate school and will further my experience in my field of study.

What is your favorite thing about being a Westminster student?
I love how supportive the community is and how easy it is to build connections with faculty which allows students to get the opportunity to do summer research.

What are your plans for the future?
I want to go to earn a Ph.D. in biochemistry or oral biology to do dental research. My ultimate goal is to be able to do some kind of research in the future.

Sponsored by the Drinko Center for Undergraduate Research, Summer Research Fellowships at Westminster College allow students to conduct hands-on research and creative projects under the guidance of our experienced faculty mentors.

For more information about Westminster’s biochemistry major, please visit www.westminster.edu/biochemistry.

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