Thesis Thursday

I am currently in my second year studying Animal Sciences at the U of A. I was born and lived in Globe, Arizona before I moved to Tempe, Arizona and finally moved to Tucson to study at the U of A. I enjoy staying active and connecting with my family, and I have the best guinea pig named Jack.

Sarrah is a 4th year PhD student in Dr. Xinxin (pronounced shin-shin) Ding’s lab in the College of Pharmacy’s Pharmacology and Toxicology program. Before starting her PhD, Sarrah worked in crime laboratories as a board-certified forensic toxicologist for almost 10 years. In her spare time she is an avid disability advocate and enjoys being outdoors with her pitbull Orfie.

Hey! My name is Nicole Carmiol, and I’m a Senior at the U of A, majoring in Neuroscience & Cognitive Science. I’ve also got interests in Molecular & Cellular Biology and Bioinformatics, which, luckily, is the type of work I get to do in the Capaldi Lab. For a little over a year now, I’ve been studying a cell signaling system called the Protein Kinase A pathway, and we’re looking at how it integrates nutrient inputs to produce specific signaling outputs. When I’m not experimenting in the lab, you can usually find me experimenting with new recipes at home— I love to cook and share what I make. Aside from that, I enjoy road trips, exploring new places around town, and spending time with my family and friends.

My name is Hrithik Aghav, and I am a senior at the University of Arizona majoring in aerospace engineering and mathematics. I have been working in Dr. Laura Miller’s biological fluid dynamics lab since my sophomore year and have been investigating the flight mechanisms employed by the smallest insects. These insects flap their wings in an unusual manner and have peculiar wing structures that are not observed in their larger counterparts. I utilize computer simulations of airflow around their wings to try and explain the presence of these unusual flight features. I intend to pursue a Ph.D. in aeronautics and become a scientist in the defense sector. My hobbies include playing guitar, reading detective novels, and playing video games.

Hi, my name is Amy Fan; born in Canada, I moved with my family to Chandler where I learned to acclimate to the Arizona heat. I am a UA senior double majoring in Molecular Cellular Biology and Statistics Data Science with a minor in musical performance. As an undergraduate researcher, I work in the Gutenkunst lab studying mathematical models inferring recombination rates. Canonical models operate under the assumptions of neutrality, but in real life, we have plenty of mutations that are better or worse for us…So considering these is a must! Through my two years at UBRP, I have been fortunate enough to work in two different labs. As an undergraduate in the Gregorio Lab, I studied neonatal heart disease at a molecular level. Dr. Gregorio recognized my fascination with big data and supported my transition into a computational lab, which led me to the Gutenkunst Lab the following year. I am so grateful for my experience in UBRP which has opened me up to the world of computational biology, something I had not considered as Molecular Biology Major when I first joined as a sophomore. I am currently pursuing a Statistics research in graduate school and studying computational systems of biology. Outside of university, I enjoy watching movies with friends, running, and songwriting about the human experience. As co-president of Music and Medicine Club at the university, I also perform with fellow musicians at local clinics and hospitals.