Page 12 - 2021-2022 Impact Report

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ALUMNI
As a graduate student in biomedical engineering at OHSU (Oregon Health & Science University) and a postdoctoral fellow in hematology at Harvard Medical School, Boston Children’s Hospital, my research was focused on better understanding the process of blood clotting and how to prevent harmful blood clots, such as in venous thrombosis and cancer. In 2013, I joined the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health to support research as a Program Director.
In my role, I facilitate collaborations
among scientists and establish new research programs across a broad range of cancer research and technologies throughout the United States. I feel privileged to be able to guide federal research funding and ensure we support the most promising scientists and innovative ideas.
Recently, I developed a new program
that focuses on re-engineering cells and proteins to better understand, prevent,
and treat cancer. This program is a national collaboration of over ten research institutions and more than 50 scientists to advance knowledge and push discoveries related to cancer and emerging therapies.
Also, to train the next generation of biomedical researchers, I played a key role
in launching a data science fellowship for postdoctoral scientists. This fellowship program has supported more than 50
early career scientists from across the US. Working in collaboration with clinicians, the fellows use their technical expertise to drive key insights about cancer development, prevention, and treatment from health-
care data.
While my hands are not doing the research, it’s thrilling to play a role in new scientific developments, which keep me encouraged and inspired about the future of biomedical research. Each day, I’m blown away by
new findings and the talent of the research community, keeping me eager to come
to work!
Science is challenging and uncertain, and it’s easy to doubt yourself, your abilities, and even how you’ve gotten to where you are. Knowing that the leaders of ARCS Foundation Oregon believed in me was a huge source of reassurance. Having this fantastic community of women who supported me, cared about me, and were interested in what I was doing