University: Elizabeth City State University
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
NIH Research Project:
Development of New Gene Transfer Vector for Gene Therapy of Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome
Mentor: Fabio Candotti, M.D.
Genetics and Molecular Biology Branch
National Human Genome Research Institute
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As a child I discovered a passion for science while watching television shows such as the Magic School Bus and Bill Nye, the Science Guy. By the time I was in high school I had my first internship at Fox Chase Cancer Center researching the Hei10 gene and its role in the morphology and division of cancerous cells. A few months before my high school graduation my grandmother died of ovarian cancer, and at that moment I decided to dedicate my career to the development of a better treatment and/or cure for cancer.
As a rising junior at Elizabeth City State University, I have had various research experiences, including optimizing protocols for rapid cycling fast plants and transforming Crithidia ricardoi with genes of interest by way of electroporation. Participating in these research projects and developing relationships with the faculty at my school have opened up many doors for me, most notably the door to the NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program. With encouragement from the biology and honors departments at my school, I applied for the UGSP, and now I have the opportunity to work with Dr. Fabio Candotti, the head of the Disorders of Immunity Section in the Genetics and Molecular Biology Branch of the National Human Genome Research Institute. My current project focuses on developing retroviral gene therapy to correct genetic mutations that cause immunological disorders such as Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome (WAS).
In the future, I plan to obtain a Ph.D. in genetics and go into the field of gene therapy as a means of treatment for cancer patients.
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