Amy T
- Research Program Mentor
PhD at Stanford University
Expertise
Cancer Biology, Molecular/Cellular Biology, Biochemistry, Science Communication, Immunology, Medicine, Biochemistry, Cell Death, Metabolism
Bio
My name is Amy and I am a cancer biologist, science communicator, and artist. My mission is to make science interesting and accessible to everyone using storytelling, art, and design. I'm excited to help my mentees discover the thrill of scientific research and gain the skills and knowledge that will bolster their success in college and beyond. I was born and raised in suburban New Jersey. Since then, my career in science has given me the opportunity to live all over the country. I completed my undergraduate studies in Biology and Visual Studies at the University of Pennsylvania in 2012 (B.A., Summa Cum Laude). After working as a researcher at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for 2 years, I began my Ph.D. studies at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA. I completed my thesis on cancer cell death in April of 2020. I continued my scientific journey studying cancer metabolism as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX. My research was supported by a highly competitive fellowship from the National Cancer Institute (NIH/NCI F99/K00). Throughout my academic career, I have published numerous papers in journals such as Nature Communications, Cell Reports, and Cell Chemical Biology. I also co-authored review articles and textbook chapters on cancer metabolism and cell death. After completing my postdoctoral training, I decided to pursue a career beyond the lab and currently work as a medical writer at a medical communications agency. Every day I work with pharmaceutical companies to help them effectively communicate their scientific and medical breakthroughs to patients, doctors, and scientists. I love working in a role that lets me combine my scientific training with my passion for communication, art, design, and storytelling! I current live in Portland, OR where I spend my free time drawing, writing fiction, playing Dungeons and Dragons, lifting weights, and playing the banjo. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions! I look forward to working with you.Project ideas
Project 1: How to Cure Cancer
How do scientists develop new therapies for cancer? The goal of this project is for students to brainstorm new ways to treat cancer. Students will conduct their own guided research on the biology of cancer and create a written or oral presentation about a new way to treat cancer. Along the way, students will learn the core principles of molecular and cellular biology, develop skills in critical thinking and problem solving, learn to design rigorous experiments, and be challenged to think creatively about real-world scientific problems. This project will lay strong foundations to prepare students for college-level biology/pre-med courses, as well as laboratory research in the life sciences.
Project 2: The Book of the Dead
Did you know that there are many ways for cells to die? Why is cell death important for health and disease? The goal of this project is for students to research the fascinating biology of cell death and create their own blog, website or 'zine about cell death. This project will teach students the basic principles of cellular and molecular biology, scientific communication, and information design. Students will gain experience creating and analyzing scientific data and visuals, and will learn how to present complex scientific ideas in an accessible manner. This project will help build skills important for future studies in both the humanities and STEM fields.
Teaching experience
Oral Communication Tutoring: I worked for 6 years as an Oral Communication Tutor at the Stanford Hume Center for Writing and Speaking. In this role, I helped students effectively organize and deliver academic presentations across a huge array of subject areas. I also conducted mock interviews for jobs and academic positions. Laboratory Mentorship: During my doctoral studies, I had the opportunity to mentor five students (including high schoolers, undergraduates, and graduate students) in the laboratory. As a mentor, I helped students gain both the technical and academic skills necessary to succeed in scientific research.Credentials
Work experience
Education
Reviews
"Amy made scientific literature approachable. I don't think I am capable of giving a higher compliment than that. I was very apprehensive about trying to write a research paper, but her awesome hand outs, detailed explanations, and her thoughtful and specific advice really were key to my success. I am so incredibly happy to have been matched with her, as along with her focus on academic rigor and specificity, she is also unfailingly kind. I still can't believe that I actually wrote a research paper, and Amy's help and guidance was definitely very important to my success."
"Amy was an amazing mentor who greatly advised me with my project. She went above and beyond to help me develop skills that I not only used in writing my review article but those that I will also use in my future endeavors. For example, she taught me how to research, how to write a review article, how to properly make biology diagrams, and many more assets that I will practice in my coming projects."