Ellie W
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at Washington University in St. Louis
Expertise
Biology, Cancer biology, Genetics, Epigenetics, Genomics
Bio
Hi! My name is Ellie, and I’m currently a Senior Scientist at Pairidex Inc., a biotech startup based in St. Louis. Our company is dedicated to providing personalized gene fusion detection for patients with leukemia, with the goal of improving treatment decisions and ultimately enhancing survival outcomes. Before joining Pairidex, I completed my PhD in the Molecular Genetics and Genomics program at Washington University in St. Louis. During my graduate training, I sought broad exposure to wet-lab techniques while also strengthening my computational skills. For my thesis, I investigated the role of epigenetics in the development of acute myeloid leukemia, generating and analyzing my own genome-wide datasets on DNA methylation, histone modifications, and 3D chromatin architecture. Outside the lab, I enjoy exercising, cooking, watching movies, and spoiling my dog! I’m excited to work with motivated students who are eager to explore molecular biology and begin building the scientific perspectives and skill sets that will support them through college and beyond.Project ideas
Writing a fundable grant
Successful grant writing is an exceptionally important skill to have as an individual pursuing a career in science. It requires an ability to synthesize existing research in a field and identify gaps in current knowledge, while convincing a funding audience that your project goals are promising routes to fill those gaps. Early exposure to grant writing strategies and styles will be invaluable to any student, whether or not they continue on in a science carrier, as the root of success in this endeavor is clear, concise, and effective written communication. For this project, a student will choose research area of interest, spend ample time reading the primary literature, identify a topic of incomplete understanding in the field, and work to design a set of rigorous experiments to address that gap in knowledge. We'll look at successful grants and work to implement tactics of effective communication to leverage your research goals. Depending on future goals, you may be able to submit your grant to the appropriate funding agency with the intent of supporting an independent research project in you post secondary education!
