University: Hood College
Hometown: Martinsburg, WV
NIH Research Project:
Digital Imaging in Lung Cancer Diagnosis
Mentor: Maria Teresa Landi, M.D., Ph.D.
Genetic Epidemiology Branch
National Cancer Institute
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I am a rising senior at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland, where I am pursuing a major in chemistry. Additionally, I am very involved on campus in many organizations as well as the honors program.
As a country girl coming from West Virginia, NIH has presented me with a toolkit for success. Outside of providing a means for my education, the NIH has opened doors for me in the research field. I have had numerous internships at the NIH, two during my high school career. I was able to partake in top notch cancer research and drug development at the best research institute in the world. The experiences gained from this exposure are priceless, and this was only the beginning.
Before this point in my research career, I was never personally affected by cancer. I had seen many cancer patients at the NIH, but I was relatively impassive. This previous summer my aunt, age 48, passed away from lung cancer. She died at such a young age leaving behind two young children and a loving family. It was a difficult situation to handle as I felt helpless. As a result of this tragedy, I have discovered my passion for lung cancer research.
This is my second-year in the UGSP, and I am training with Dr. Maria Teresa Landi in the Genetic Epidemiology Branch in the National Cancer Institute. I am studying the budding technology known as virtual microscopy. Additionally, I am utilizing this technology in the field of lung cancer diagnosis. The vast amount of lung cancer types and subtypes causes obstacles in diagnosis, and consequently many cases are mis-diagnosed. My project evaluates the use of real and virtual microscopy for diagnostic capabilities.
After graduation, I plan to come back to the NIH to fulfill my two years of payback. Afterwards, I aspire to pursue a career in the medical field, but more importantly impact a person's life.
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