University: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Hometown: East Peoria, IL
NIH Research Project:
Investigation of an Iron-Regulated Small Non-Coding RNA in Escherichia coli
Mentor: Susan Gottesman, Ph.D.
Laboratory of Molecular Biology
National Cancer Institute
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I am currently a senior pursuing dual degrees in bioengineering and chemistry at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Since my first exposure 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 nonnative species of beetles that was intended to control aphids and other pests but is now considered a pest itself.
This is my second year as a UGSP Scholar, and I feel blessed to have received an opportunity to learn cutting-edge science at the NIH. I continue to 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 physiological and 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 upon graduation. 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. |
