How/Why Research? I’ve been conducting basic science research since the 8th grade (through local and state science fairs). In my senior year, I spearheaded a larger project, which used artificial intelligence and machine learning to aid prognosis of glioblastoma. Before entering college, I knew I wanted to continue my research. I wanted to use my knowledge to help advance research efforts here at UNC. During my freshman year, I began my search by looking at various labs (in the Department of Neurology, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, and Lineberger Institute) to narrow down which labs matched my interests.
Research Experience: In the Boerwinkle – UNC Resting State fMRI Lab, I am currently researching differences in brain connectivity patterns between healthy controls and individuals diagnosed with chronic facial pain. Currently, I am working on developing an automated pathway to analyze resting-state fMRI data with Python programming. We hope our insights will deepen our understanding of facial pain pathophysiology but also help the development of targeted therapeutic treatment for facial pain patients. In the Department of Mathematics, I work to forecast glioblastoma growth. Similar to how hurricanes can be forecasted on a map, we hope to create an accurate graph to reflect the possible inflection point of growth and final size of glioblastomas.
Student Organizations/Clubs: Railcare Health, Carolina Cancer Association
Also Happy to Chat about: SURF, Navigating Paid v. Unpaid Opportunities
Random Fun Fact: I’ve read the Harry Potter series over 100 times.