What was your career goal when you graduated, and where are you up to on that journey?

When I graduated, I made it my goal to pursue opportunities that would offer me the chance to learn new methods and topics in biology. I wanted to maximize my toolkit so that I would have the freedom to apply for a variety of positions within the industry when it comes time to advance my career. This drove me to start my Biology PhD with a lab at Wake Forest University that focuses on plant molecular biology. During my first year in the program I have picked up the basics of working with plants as a model system and I've gotten the chance to work on new skills that I will use in my future studies and career such as confocal microscopy and liquid-chromatography mass spectrometry.

What are you currently working on professionally?

I am investigating the interactions between hormone signaling pathways and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the roots of the plant model organism Arabidopsis thaliana. ROS are required for regular cell signaling, but when these molecules accumulate in high concentrations this can lead to oxidative damage to DNA, proteins, and cell membranes. My studies include how ROS and phytohormones are required for root hair growth and root gravitropism and how an overload of ROS due to stressful conditions would affect these processes.

How has the Department of Biological Sciences helped you prepare for your goal?

The Department of Biological Sciences at UB provided me with opportunities to conduct meaningful research in biology and take courses that prepared me for grad-school level work. I was also fortunate enough to be awarded an undergraduate fellowship through the Department of Biological Sciences, the Joseph T. Abate Research Fellowship.

What faculty member or class brings back the best memories?

Dr. Yu took me on as an undergraduate researcher during my sophomore year at UB and I had an amazing 3 years at the Yu lab. I made new friends, learned countless lessons and techniques in molecular biology, and developed science communication skills from presenting PowerPoint presentations, research articles, and posters to peers.

What is your advice to the current/future BIO students?

Start research early! During undergrad you have a heavy class schedule and sometimes extracurriculars that take up a lot of your time each day, and this can make it hard to push forward a research project, especially in a wet lab setting where experiments can take multiple hours. If you can get into a lab early in your undergraduate, you have the chance to make real progress on a project and take ownership of it in a way that will look very impressive on grad school and med school applications.