Max Z
- Research Program Mentor

PhD candidate at University of Rochester

Expertise

Biology, aging, cancer, computational biology, stem cell biology, evolutionary biology, genetics, synthetic biology, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals

Bio

I am a biology PhD student who studies aging and cancer resistance in mammal species with different lifespans. The approach I use in my research is called comparative biology. Because evolution has produced species with a wide range of lifespans and cancer incidence, we can identify mechanisms responsible for these traits by looking at how these species differ at the cellular and molecular level. These findings can point toward ways to address age-related diseases and cancer in humans. Beyond my research, I am a big animal lover and have a Dalmatian (Ollie) and a cat. I also love the outdoors and taking my dog out somewhere new to explore. I love traveling to different cities and countries when I have the chance.

Project ideas

Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.

Features of protein X associated with longevity

You select a protein (Protein X) which previous research has shown to affect an age-related disease or cancer (or another disease/trait that interests you). You are interested to see if long-living species may have evolved changes in this protein that affect lifespan. For your project, you will collect amino acid sequences for the protein from different species from publicly available databases, and conduct an analysis to see if there are particular amino acid changes associated with species lifespan.

Coding skills

Python, Bash scripts, Excel/VBA

Languages I know

Dutch (fluent), Spanish (limited conversational)

Teaching experience

As a PhD student, I personally mentored 3 undergraduate researchers. 2 had no prior lab experience, but ended up doing work that will contribute to a publication. I was a teaching assistant for a college biochemistry course and a genetics course and directed lab sessions/graded lab reports. In college, I tutored other students in chemistry and genetics. I also spent a summer teaching a math course for middle school students at a charter school.

Credentials

Work experience

Clarion (2015 - 2018)

Life Sciences Strategy Consultant

Education

Harvard University

BA Bachelor of Arts (2015)

Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology, secondary field Organismic and Evolutionary Biology

University of Rochester

MS Master of Science (2020)

Biology