Todd Bernacil – Statement of Purpose

As a graduate of Cal Poly State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biological

Sciences, I am interested in studying at the graduate level in order to expand my
knowledge and laboratory experience in the Biomedical field. I am interested in
contributing to the improvement of health worldwide as a personal effort on my part to
facilitate and prolong the quality of life. If possible, I would like to pursue a career in
stem cell research in order to contribute to any scientific breakthrough in the regeneration
of organs and tissues.

Throughout my childhood I have always had an inquisitive interest in nature. I would

collect tadpoles at the lake and observe their metamorphosis. I would capture butterflies
and dragonflies to look at their anatomy, and I would read and watch topics avariciously
that involved wildlife and human biology. Whenever someone around me became ill, I
would consistently think of ways that might help the individual from a scientific
perspective. It is evident that my seemingly innate nature to explore the natural world
must have brought me to my field of study in biological/biomedical sciences, and I will
continue my pursuit of scientific truth wherever I go.

I come from a supportive and hardworking family that doesn’t necessarily have a lot of
higher education. Some of my great grandparents emigrated from Spain and Portugal and
my grandfather, who is now deceased, came from the Philippines. He was a very
disciplined person who started with nothing, not even knowing English, into establishing
his own rose business. He always inspired me to become a great asset of society. His
courage and tenacity reflected his survival of the bombing of the USS Indianapolis in
World War II. Since then, he had shared his wisdom of never giving up amongst his
family, and I have acquired some of his influence by becoming a hardworking pursuant
of knowledge.

My extant grandparents now have impaired health due to smoking and/or old age. In
addressing this situation, over the past year I have helped by providing them with
transportation, medical attention, and biological education with the doctors and nurses. I
had similarly dealt with the medical needs of sick pets in the past. These important traits
show that I am a caring and health-inspiring person that will continuously fight to
prolong life.

I have a well-rounded educational background in nearly all central topics within

biomedicine, including: Introduction to Plant Biology, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry
and Metabolism, Cell Biology, Development Biology, Immunology and
Human/Vertebrate Anatomy and Physiology, and more.

Coming from a “hands-on” driven institution with a heavy industry based educational
environment and a “learn by doing” atmosphere, my laboratory and research skills have
groomed me to become a vibrant and knowledgeable biologist. These skills include:
pipetting and dilutions, gel electrophoresis, western blotting (SDS Page), ELISA,
fluorescence microscopy, gram-staining, affinity chromatography, etc.
Todd Bernacil – Statement of Purpose – p.2

As part of an on going effort towards prioritizing higher learning, I have recently

completed a Biotechnology Certification of Achievement program in Contra Costa
College at San Pablo. Through this program I have sharpened my laboratory skills in
order to apply them towards industry practice and graduate school, while improving my
familiarity with additional lab equipment and appropriate reagents. From this program I
have learned how to both mathematically and physically prepare media for DNA, protein,
cells, etc. I have learned to perform PCR, size and cation exchange chromatography,
mammalian cell culturing, DNA manipulation and cloning, protein purification and
analysis, etc.

I am a hard worker and I will arduously serve the scientific community to benefit the
quality of life worldwide. With my knowledge and progressive technical skills in the life
sciences, I consider myself ready to tackle the challenges of graduate school.