Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
I am an incoming MD candidate at Harvard Medical School and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's Molecular Life Sciences Program, where I studied biochemistry and biophysics. I am broadly interested in biomedical research, community development, scientific communication, and mentorship. My research experience in infectious diseases and gene therapies has urged me to think about how new technologies can augment the body's biochemistry to combat disease. I also frequently think about how business and policy practices can make treatments more available for patients and promote health equity, particularly in low-resource areas. In my free time, I enjoy playing the violin, going on runs, and reading about the latest scientific and public policy advancements. Please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]!
With the help of the University of Pennsylvania's President's Engagement Prize, I co-founded Shared Vision with two classmates at Penn. We aim to extend quality eye care to underserved populations in Philadelphia. Toward this aim, we will provide screenings for the four leading causes of blindness through a mobile vision clinic, coordinate care and social services for individuals needing vision-related treatment, and educate the public about preventable eye diseases. https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/empowering-unhoused-patients-through-comprehensive-eye-care
I research gene therapies in the Peranteau Lab, which investigates genetic diseases in young children such as Hurler's syndrome and tyrosinemia and focuses on improving delivery of gene therapies through vectors like adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) and lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). My past work has involved investigating the efficacy of adenine base editors in correcting a mutation that results in spinal muscular atrophy in neonatal mouse models, using LNLP-delivered CRISPR/Cas9 to excise pathogenic trinucleotide repeats from neurons in mouse models of Friedreich's ataxia, and writing a review on differences in fetal and adult biology that facilitate differences in LNP delivery. I am currently working on a project to deliver CRISPRoff to muscle tissue as a proof of concept for conducting epigenetic knockdowns as a therapeutic strategy to treat congenital myopathies.
I compiled data on investments, land, and cash loans granted by health systems around the United States in support of affordable housing development. Recognizing that health systems play key roles in rehabilitating their host communities and using entities in my compiled list as case studies, I am writing a white paper to advocate for Philadelphia's own health systems to invest in affordable housing development to reduce the city's overall healthcare costs.
I conduct health outreach initiatives consisting of blood pressure monitoring and referrals to free primary care and dental clinics for guests in homeless shelters in Philadelphia and explore policy solutions to bridge gaps in healthcare access. Our committee's most recent projects include distributing Narcan to four partner sites to prevent overdoses, launching a study (Institutional Review Board approval pending) to understand barriers to receiving vision healthcare in Philadelphia among the city's homeless population, and launching community eye health clinics in Philadelphia's homeless shelters.
I joined the organizing team for the first National Research Conference at Penn, which hosted 250 undergraduates from institutions across the U.S. as well as renowned Penn faculty, in March 2024. Our event featured poster sessions that connected student researchers across disciplines, career and communication workshops that introduced students across the country to Penn's unique resources, and a flagship research communication challenge judged by panels of Penn professors. As the current president of the conference, I look forward to scaling our sponsorships from both the university and external industries, increasing access to our event, and developing partnerships with local institutions to enlarge our event capacity and sponsor more discipline-specific activities.