Elizabeth T
- Research Program Mentor
MD/PhD candidate at Northwestern University
Expertise
cancer biology, reproductive science, medicine, ovarian biology,
Bio
My research area of interest is the study of ovarian development and biology in the context of pediatric cancer. Many of the therapies used in the treatment of cancer are gonadotoxic, with significant consequences for the future health of the cancer patient and their family even after their cancer is cured. As an MD/PhD student, I am motivated to utilize understanding of microenvironmental differences in pediatric vs. adult ovaries to improve and/or design novel reproductive technologies that enable restoration of fertility or hormone function in these patients. Outside of the lab, I spend lots of time hanging out with my dog exploring Chicago. If you see us out and about, we’re often having a snack and enjoying the amazing food options the city has to offer! Food is definitely a passion of mine, and I am always eager to talk recipes and restaurants.Project ideas
Developing a project blueprint - putting together a specific aims page!
An essential skill in research is the design and implementation of experiments to test a scientific question. However, it can often be difficult to get started without a clear plan of action. This projects aims to develop student skills in thinking through experimental design and distilling down a large overarching scientific question into a specific plan with clear, actionable, and testable hypotheses and questions that are thoroughly addressed with a defined experimental plan. This will additionally teach skills in selecting the most appropriate research technique for a specific question and ask students to consider potential pitfalls and alternative approaches as they work through their experimental design.
Frontiers in reproductive medicine - literature review and topic selection
Reproductive medicine is a field that has made significant progress in recent years, adopting state of the art techniques to tackle important clinical questions in the field of reproductive biology and medicine. These techniques integrate multiple fields in novel ways and can range from generation of induced pluripotent stem cells to use as individualized model systems or the development of artificial "organ on a chip" systems. This project will provide students with an initial introduction to some of these scientific frontiers and encourage students to explore a specific frontier of interest. In doing so, the student will develop skills in reading and interpreting scientific research, consider the ethical conundrums that may arise in this field, and develop a research plan for furthering their "frontier of interest."
Basics of Experimental Design
So you've got a scientific question...how do you answer it? This project would be a tutorial on figuring out how to answer a scientific question using experimental approaches. This would involve a review of the literature to understand current and upcoming molecular biology techniques to assay the molecular mechanisms behind a specific question.