How/Why Research? I’ve always been passionate about the idea of working in a lab and conducting research. Therefore, as soon as I arrived at UNC, I began cold-emailing the PIs of labs that piqued my interest. In terms of my career aspirations, I am planning to enter the industry and focus on drug manufacturing and quality assurance. Consequently, I knew that I wanted to work with something closely related to drug delivery. Utilizing the BBSP database, I discovered labs that were involved in drug delivery and RNA therapeutics and secured a position in my current lab.
Research Experience: In my current lab, I study the use of various carriers, specifically Lipid Nanoparticles (LNPs), for RNA therapeutics. Throughout my projects, I have formulated different mRNA lipid nanoparticles, similar to those employed in the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA LNPs. Additionally, I have conducted research to identify the distinct components that contribute to their stability. My objective has been to establish a correlation between these diverse molecular interactions, responsible for LNP stability, and the uptake of mRNA as well as gene expression in immune cells. Throughout this experience, I’ve been able to enhance my skills in formulating research questions, performing data analysis and broadened my understanding of various research methods.
Student Organizations/Clubs: Mi Pueblo
Also Happy to Chat about: Research in Social Science and/or Humanities.
Random Fun Fact: I’m a huge dog person and I have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Sofia!