Hometown: Lexington, KY
Year I became a Gator: 2022
Department: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mentor: Ramon Sun, PhD
Research focus: My research is focused on lung cancer. Specifically, I will be studying the role that a hypoxic environment plays in lung tumor growth by utilizing MALDI mass spectrometry imaging.
What drives me: I am driven by wanting to make new discoveries. Being from Kentucky, lung cancer is a big killer, especially in the Appalachian region. Being able to help out the people from my home, but also people around the world inspires me to continue with my research.
What I like most about the BREATHE Training Program: I like that the BREATHE program offers a chance to expand knowledge on my area of study. I think that by being able to talk and collaborate with brilliant people in your similar field, even if they don’t do exactly what you do, can stimulate a lot of ideas.
What I like about Gainesville: I enjoy that it is a ‘college town’. It is a smaller place, but when class is in session, the town is very lively. I also enjoy the year round warmth.
Why I chose BREATHE at the University of Florida: I wanted to get a deeper knowledge of the respiratory mechanisms I would be studying. I thought that this program would provide me with a breadth of knowledge that I could not get through research on my own.
What makes the BREATHE Training Program unique? The thing that makes BREATHE unique is the collaboration between different disciplines. Something that drew me to Dr. Sun’s lab initially was the collaboration with other labs. I think that being able to continue to collaborate with others in the breathing field can benefit everyone’s research.
What I do for fun: I like to play golf, workout, and try new restaurants. Also, since I live in Florida now, I am trying to take advantage of going to the beach as much as I can!