Degree: Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with Specialization in Biochemistry
Research Professor: Professor Steven Zeichner

Biography

Hannah grew up in Potomac, MD and graduated from Winston Churchill High School. She will be graduating from UVA with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with a Specialization in Biochemistry, with ACS certification and minors in Psychology and History.

Hannah joined the lab of Dr. Dan Gioeli in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology in Fall 2019 after spending two years in Dr. Steven Zeichner's lab in the Department of Pediatrics. Hannah's projects with the Gioeli lab originally centered around prostate cancer. Her first project focused on the lncRNA, HULLK, and its impact on tyrosine phosphorylation in cell signaling pathways. She also first authored a review on the transcription factor, RUNX, and its role in castration resistant prostate cancer. For Hannah's DMP, she switched focuses to non-small cell lung cancer. She used immunohistochemical staining of lung cancer adenocarcinomas to elucidate the differences in immune modulatory protein expression in EGFR and KRAS mutant positive non-small cell lung cancer patients. Previous research has shown differential outcomes to immunotherapies based on mutation status in lung cancer, so she hopes her project will further our knowledge into why this is the case, and thereby improve treatment for patients. 

Outside of the lab, Hannah is a huge fan of UVA basketball. She also enjoys shooting hoops with her roommate. Hannah has worked as a peer teacher for Intro Bio and as a TA for CHEM 1411. After graduating, Hannah will be working as a research technician in the Institute for Systems Genetics at NYU Langone Hospital in New York City. She eventually plans on applying to medical school.