Research and Career Oriented Experiences
Liberty Science Center Partners In Science Research Intern
40 hrs/8 weeks; Summer 2025- Research intern with Dr. Andrew Gow at Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University
- Studied effect of World Trade Center dust and hypoxia on mice alveolar macrophages, learning techniques like single-cell Western Blot and mice takedowns
- Communicated findings to lab members, post-docs, and mentors
- Selected to make opening remarks at final symposium
- Created final deliverables of presentation, poster, and paper
- Received $1,200 stipend
- Attended 5 workshops discussing science communication, resume writing, interview skills, and creation of final deliverables
Long Lab Research Intern at NYU Langone
(Summer 2024)
- 35+ hours/8 weeks in summer 2024; plans to continue
- communicated research findings in weekly lab meetings, receiving feedback from mentors on research and data analysis procedures
- assisted in CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing research, gained proficiency in new lab techniques such as PCR, bacterial transformations, mini-prep and maxi-prep, and gel electrophoresis
New Jersey Governor’s STEM Scholars
(2023-2024)
- admitted into highly selective STEM program to collaborate with scholars all around New Jersey to create a research project
- attended conferences at Rutgers University, Princeton University, Kean University, and site visits at Bristol Myers Squibb
to experience discussion held by professionals in their respective STEM fields research project focused on protective diets against Alzheimer’s Disease and their accessibility for New Jersey populations
- published two articles for conferences at Princeton and Rutgers
- presented final project in front of a panel at Kean University, receiving constructive feedback and completion of program
- participated in educational videos created by the Governor’s STEM Scholars
BergenSci Challenge
(2024-2025)
BergenSci Challenge is a middle school science fair. Students share their research through poster presentations and are introduced to the world of science. Co-Director of Safety, Keynote Speaker, and Judge (2024-2025)
- Keynote speaker for award ceremony, message focusing on science communication
- OOversee all student safety forms and registration
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Ensures that students meet all requirements
- Provides feedback on safety forms and communicates with participants through email
- Present day of conference, guiding volunteers
- Evaluated student projects in the Biological Sciences category, giving input on which projects were selected for the Thermo Fisher Science Fair
Mentorship Committee Member (2024)
- paired Bergen County Academies student mentors with middle school students
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stayed up-to-date with mentorship sessions through email and zoom meetings
- was present day of conference, leading volunteers to ensure rubrics were transported to correct locations
- presented awards at awards ceremony
Publications
Impact of Blueberries and Pomegranates on Rheumatoid Arthritis (2023)
Published after participation in the Research Scholars Program by Harvard Student Agencies in collaboration with Learn with Leaders
Abstract:
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disorder, has become one of the most prominent healthcare challenges that people face in this world today. Symptoms of this disease include inflammation, redness, pain, and fever. Left untreated, RA can cause long-term irreversible damage to joints, severely impacting one’s quality of life. There are four main drugs currently on the market. However, some have side effects, and others are immunosuppressants. Thus, looking into more natural methods is preferred for some patients. Pomegranates and blueberries were focused on in this study. Blueberries showed great antioxidant capabilities due to the phenolic compounds that they contained. Additionally, quercetin, which is a common compound found in blueberries, has been shown to decrease the symptoms of RA in clinical studies. Pomegranates contain ellagitannins, which are known to reduce inflammatory markers. In clinical trials, pomegranate extract continues to show protective effects. Although both clinical trials and in vitro studies have been proven to show the benefits of blueberries and pomegranates, not enough research has been done to show that these methods can completely replace the medications on the market. However, blueberries and pomegranates, as well as fruits in general, can greatly benefit one's overall lifestyle and reduce the symptoms of RA.