University: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Hometown: East Peoria, IL
NIH Research Project:
Investigation of the Physiological Effects of an Iron-Regulated Non-Coding Small RNA in E. coli
Mentor: Susan Gottesman, Ph.D.
Laboratory of Molecular Biology
National Cancer Institute
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I am currently a senior majoring in both bioengineering and chemistry at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Since having been first exposed to research through the Howard Hughes Undergraduate Research Fellowship, I have enjoyed working in the laboratory. Under this program, and the mentorship of Dr. May Berenbaum in the Department of Entomology, I study a non-native beetle species meant to control aphids and other pests.
I am very fortunate to have been selected as a UGSP Scholar, and this, my first year, has more than surpassed my expectations. At the NIH, I train with Dr. Susan Gottesman, chief of the Biochemical Genetics Section of the Laboratory of Molecular Biology in the National Cancer Institute. My research is primarily concerned with determining the global metabolic effects of a small RNA in Escherichia coli. Gaining insight into the role of this molecule may allow the identification of new targets for drugs, which is important in decreasing the pathogenicity of bacteria in humans.
In an effort to continue to develop as a physician-scientist, I plan to enroll in an M.D./Ph.D. program. The NIH and the UGSP have given me the opportunity to gain an insight, like no other, into the realm of research and solidified my decision to pursue clinical research as a career path. |
