University: University of Rochester
Hometown: Placerville, CA
NIH Research Project:
The Effects of Microtubules and Intermediate Filaments on Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Chondrogenesis
Mentor: Rocky Tuan, Ph.D.
Cartilage Biology and Orthopaedics Branch
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
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I am a senior at the University of Rochester majoring in cell and developmental biology with a minor in medical anthropology and a concentration "cluster" in ancient philosophy. While my studies in biology are my main interest, what really drives me towards a research career is my experience in medical anthropology, which has highlighted the severity of health issues in societies worldwide.
As a UGSP Scholar, I am conducting a summer project at the NIH on bone tissue engineering using multipotent mesenchymal cells. I am training under the direction of Dr. Rocky Tuan, head of the Cartilage Biology and Orthopaedics Branch of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. The purpose of the project is to further our understanding of the processes of bone and cartilage formation and implement this in regenerating tissue for patients suffering from degenerative bone diseases, most commonly osteoarthritis as a result of aging.
I am also working in with Dr. Michael Zuscik at University of Rochester. My senior thesis involves modeling the conditions of osteoarthritis in chicken articular cartilage cells to develop a better understanding of this disease. Designing, optimizing, and running experiments on my own has greatly increased my breadth of knowledge, and I have improved my scientific thinking skills that I first developed at the NIH.
My educational goals include obtaining a Ph.D. in pharmacology through the NIH Graduate Partnership Program. I plan to conduct three years of research at the NIH for my post-doctoral studies in this field. Professionally, I would like to enter academia either as an investigator at the NIH or as a professor.
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