“I am fascinated by how we can rewire our own immune system to fight cancer. Following my graduation from Carleton College, I am going to work as a research technician in the immunology laboratory of Dr. Kai Wucherpfenning at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for two years. I am intending to pursue MD/PhD in immuno-oncology afterwards. In a long run, it is my hope to investigate novel immunotherapies and to combine my research with clinical practice in oncology.
“I grew up in the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv. My junior year of high school, I received a chance to spend an exchange year in the U.S. After encountering mind-blowing opportunities within the American educational system, I decided to pursue my undergraduate education at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. Here, I looked through a real microscope for the first time, got fascinated by science, and ended up pursuing immunotherapy research internship at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. This experience solidified my interest in immuno-oncology research, which led me to studying mechanisms of resistance to immunotherapy at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. I love the research and the city and will be coming back for couple of years to enjoy both for a little longer.”