How/Why Research? I initially became involved in clinical research in high school through a summer program. During that experience, I learned a lot about the basics of clinical research and scientific writing. Through the program, I was introduced to the role of statistics in clinical research, and wanted to explore the connection between medical research and data analysis further. Once I joined UNC as an undergraduate, I attended several OUR workshops, one of which was a panel discussion where my current lab mentor was a panelist. Upon learning more about the lab at that panel event, I expressed my interest in joining and was fortunate to be given a project focused on my interests in bioinformatics at the lab!
Research Experience: During high school, I participated in a summer program called Summer Training in Academic Research (STAR) at Duke Clinical Research Institute. I completed a research project on medication management for neonatal hypertension, and worked with a team to co-write a manuscript on the topic. The program was highly beneficial for me as it exposed me to clinical research methods, gave me access to valuable mentorship, and inspired an interest in scientific research. Upon joining UNC, I worked for a semester at the Berg Lab, conducting literature annotation about the VWF gene. Currently, I’m involved with the Pecot Lab, where I use bioinformatics tools to explore the connection between miRNAs and lung tumor growth. I’ve learned a lot about cancer biology from my fellow lab mates, and continue to grow as a student researcher through this experience!
Student Organizations/Clubs: Narratives in Medicine, Carolina Cancer Association, APPLES, AMWHO, ACM at Carolina.
Random Fun Fact: I can speak in five languages!