I recently graduated with a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Connecticut after pivoting from a doctorate in pharmacy. Though I was a chemical engineering student during my undergraduate studies, my passions actually lie in the realm of pharmaceutical research ignited from shadowing oncology pharmacists at my local hospital in high school. During my time shadowing, I noticed that Zofran, a nausea prevention medication, was a common prescription for patients undergoing harsh cancer treatment. This experience alone sparked my curiosity at a young age. What if cancer treatment could be revolutionized where these undesirable side effects could potentially be mitigated, thereby significantly improving patient care?

This lead me to join a research lab in pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Connecticut that specializes in gene delivery for disease and cancer therapy applications. I have had the utmost privilege in being a part of manuscript preparation, abstracts, scientific posters, literature review, and research under the mentorship of Dr. Bodhisattwa Chadhuri and Dr. Leila Sharifi for around two years. Since my research work is computational, I have also had the ability to extend my research contribution past graduation. That way, during my cancer research training award (CRTA) post-baccalaureate fellowship under Dr. William Figg at the National Cancer Institute, I can contribute to two meaningful research fields that ultimately align with my interests in cancer therapeutics.​​

​