Working with Melodie from Curù Skin Inc. was an incredibly valuable component of my advanced lab course. The opportunity to engage with real-world research goals added a new level of depth and motivation to my team's efforts on the bench! Melodie was responsive, encouraging, and clearly passionate about her mission. She provided clear expectations and offered useful insights that helped us align our academic approach with industry standards. Her willingness to trust us with evaluating antimicrobial activity made the experience feel collaborative and meaningful. This partnership pushed me to think more critically about experimental design, data interpretation, and how biochemical principles apply in product development. It was also empowering to know that the results of our research could have real implications for future formulations. Overall, this experience gave me a glimpse into the intersection of science and industry and affirmed my interest in pursuing applied research in the future!