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Personal Statement, Relevant Background and Future Goals

Personal and Educational Experiences

I am motivated by the process of discovery. Whether that be at the lab bench, in front of a

computer, playing a sport, or helping other students in their own discovery process, I want to

intricately understand a topic and attack it from all angles. In all aspects of life, I systematically

plan to make this process efficient. I want to understand the problem: why people care, how they

chose to study the problem, and what aspects have been addressed in the past. Only then do I delve

into potential methodologies to solve the problem. By engaging in this preparation, I enhance my

potential to thrive an otherwise uncertain discovery process.

Undergraduate Research and Education: My research background includes a broad curriculum

of both experimental and computational methods, indicative of my desire to foster interests in

biology, chemistry, and computation. To drive this desire, I sought out interdisciplinary

research in the form of multiple National Science Foundation - Research Experience for

Undergraduates (NSF-REU) summer programs. My first REU took place at

in Summer 2013 with , under whose supervision I began exploring

the fields of molecular biology and microbiology. I investigated the functionality of the epithelial

sodium channel (ENaC) by characterizing random mutagenesis of these channels in yeast.

Learning how to probe biological systems on a reductionist scale taught me fundamental biological

principles. Along with research experience, the program emphasized innovation and

entrepreneurship through coursework and building a business plan for a local scientific

start-up, for which I won Best Business Plan Proposal. This research experience gave me an

appreciation of reductionist biology. However, I soon became excited at the prospect of biology

on a larger scale – the effect of perturbation on whole systems rather than on a single protein. To

this end, I completed my next REU in Chemical Biology with at

during the Summer of 2014. In this setting, I utilized computational modeling tools to

understand the enormous scope of biology and what it means to perturb an entire system. My main

objective was to create a mechanistic model of cell cycle dynamics, given previous literature and

mathematical equations. In doing so, I enhanced my knowledge of chemical kinetics and

developed programming skills to create models for each of the main cell cycle checkpoints.

Studying under , I became excited about systems biology research, where I could

synthesize my aforementioned interests in both experimental and computational work.

Education is and has been a very important aspect of my life. I was given the opportunity

to pursue my undergraduate education as a student-athlete (golf) at

. Golf was my first true passion, and the opportunity to compete on a national collegiate

level was my main goal since adolescence. During my second year of college, I found myself

becoming more enthralled in my science courses and excited about research. Golf became my

second priority, and I made the decision to focus on pursuing the best education and research

opportunities possible. I chose to transfer to a university where I could truly mold myself into a

scientist. At The , I was able to challenge myself intellectually with

a diverse set of courses not available at and work with peers and professors that

pushed me to strive for larger academic goals.

As an underrepresented minority student, I have seen the impact of lack of education

and how it limits the individual. My mother was a first-generation college student in a male-

dominated field, and she was an inspiration to pursue the sciences. She was one of the only women

in her graduating class for computer science, and although she was successful, it was a challenging

task for her. One of my goals was to build upon her legacy, not only by pursuing the sciences as a

career but also through identifying and helping students in a similar position. Therefore, I make a

Personal Statement, Relevant Background and Future Goals

point to encourage other young minority students to pursue the sciences. Other influences on my

pursuit of higher education in science were my grandparents. Children of Mexican immigrants

living in they were not able to receive an education past high school. From a young

age, my grandparents taught me that education was power, and that success was dependent on my

individual work ethic. When my grandfather passed away from colon cancer in July 2014, I

promised myself that I would strive to reach the peak of education.

Graduate Research and Education: Since joining the

program at in August , I have delved into new scientific disciplines to mold myself

into an increasingly well-rounded scientist. I chose this interdisciplinary program, which sculpts

students to attack biological problems from the perspective of physics, mathematics, and

chemistry, so I could continue to diversify my scientific interests. A first year of research rotations

allowed me to sample the scientific spectrum, with the end goal of finding a way to incorporate

experiments and computation. To enhance my computational skillset, I sought to train with a

bioinformatician. Under , I learned genetics and structural biology approaches to

understand human evolution. In this rotation, I investigated human-derived single-nucleotide

polymorphisms (SNPs) and their relatedness to ancestral genetic traits. I mapped these SNPs back

onto previously-solved protein structures to determine location, solvent accessibility, and amino

acid composition of these structures. Through this analysis, we were able to discern novel

evolutionary reasoning for the specific locations of amino acids in protein structures. During this

time, I became interested in regulatory mechanisms of proteins on cellular processes. To fuel this

interest, I trained with to explore novel vesicular trafficking proteins and

attempt to discern a key regulator of invadopodia binding to the cell surface. In addition to learning

many cell biology approaches, she also challenged me to use bioinformatics tools to investigate

publically-available patient datasets in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC).

Using a network analysis methodology that uses mathematical concepts to cluster high-

dimensional data, I sought to tease apart genetic drivers of HNSCC to use as a model of underlying

biology. During my interlude into cancer bioinformatics, I became aware of the widespread

heterogeneity in these datasets. That observation spurred me to explore the contributing factors of

cancer heterogeneity. I was able to pursue this interest with my eventual thesis mentor,

By performing systems-level analyses, I was finally able to combine my joint interests

in computation and experimentation. In his laboratory, I am using mathematical models of

population dynamics to understand the emergence of heterogeneity at the single-cell level. Since

joining the laboratory, I have enhanced my knowledge of several single-cell approaches to study

this phenomenon, including flow cytometry, fluorescence imaging, mathematical modeling, and

bioinformatics. My coursework has primarily focused on development of skills in quantitative

experimentation, mathematical modeling, and bioinformatics. In pursuing a PhD in systems

biology, I will apply these new skills to continue studying the evolutionary development of cancer

heterogeneity.

Intellectual Merit: Educational, Career Development, and Future Goals: My overarching

goals evolve from my belief that a scientist must be able to think critically in the context of a larger

purpose. Over the next several years as a graduate student, I expect to build myself into a well-

rounded scientist by absorbing a wide variety of techniques, and developing critical thinking skills

to best analyze and process data. I want my training to focus on learning an integrated approach to

science, guiding experiments with bioinformatics data mining and computational simulations.

After I end my doctoral training, I hope to apply for an academic or industry post-doc that allows

for iterative modeling and experimental probing of a biological system. I eventually want to

Personal Statement, Relevant Background and Future Goals

become a scientific team leader in academia or industry, with a strong emphasis on utilizing the

skillsets of experimentalists and theoreticians.

During my graduate career at I will have an ideal setup for career development.

In fact, it was one of the main reasons I chose for my graduate education. With broad,

interdisciplinary training and the freedom to pursue my own research interests, I have been able to

forge my own path to becoming a scientist. An example of this educational environment is

exemplified in the which brings

together biologists, physicists, chemists, mathematicians, and engineers from around campus to

collaborate on projects. The open collaboration between quantitative scientists allows me to not

only receive feedback from different perspectives, but also learn how these scientists deal with

similar problems in adjacent fields. In addition to educational development in the laboratory, I

have also chosen to add a clinical aspect. Through the

an initiative that pairs basic science PhD students with a clinical mentor to inform

translational research, I have been able to add new perspectives to the way I perform research. By

participating and becoming a student representative in this program, I have been able to

elevate my drive to solve the many daunting challenges in biological research. These resources

have and will continue to shape my educational and career development as a graduate student at

Broader Impacts: Outreach, Leadership, and Mentoring: My interest in service extends

further than science. At The , I served as student recruitment

and retention co-chair for the Senate of College Councils, the academic branch of student

government. In this organization, I was able to not only mentor and lead two groups of high-

achieving students, but also plan events to benefit the community. Along with my committee, we

were able to champion a college-readiness workshop for dozens of -area high-school

students and their families, as well as organize a college exposure event for several classes of

elementary-school students. In addition, we spearheaded a transfer student committee that worked

to improve the retention rates and find funding sources for transfer students. I have continued this

leadership and mentoring experience at through leading recruitment weekend

activities and serving as a mentor for upcoming students in my PhD program. I will continue

my dedication to student affairs by serving in a leadership position in my program’s Graduate

Student Association. Through these experiences, I have shown my commitment to promoting

higher education and my passion to help students achieve their goals in science and otherwise.

The process of discovery and education means little to society if we do not pass it forward.

During my short career in science, I have taken many opportunities to promote scientific education

and understanding. I took part in an after-school elementary school teaching program,

Science Outreach, which was founded at my undergraduate institution to promote

scientific learning in early education. With a partner, we would prepare a weekly science lesson

and mini-lab to teach to these students. It was an extremely rewarding experience to watch these

young children become comfortable and progress in their scientific understanding. It has also

taught me the merit of explaining my own science in a concise and simple way. I will continue

this scientific outreach at this Spring through the

program, which is a similar program that emphasizes science community

outreach and service to -area elementary- and middle-school students. By

continuing to expand my service roles in the community, I hope to make an impact on students in

their pursuit of STEM education and contribute to their interest in scientific discovery.!