Consultant Spotlight - August 2024

How long have you been with miLEAD? 

I joined MiLEAD during the Fall 2022 semester (almost 2 years).

What is the focus of your research?

My research focuses on characterizing the structural and functional properties of human cytochrome P450 7B1 (CYP7B1), an enzyme known to primarily metabolize cholesterol derivatives in the liver and brain. Mutations in this enzyme cause a rare neurological disorder called spastic paraplegia type 5 (SPG5), and currently there is little known about how these mutations affect protein function to cause disease. We are interested in addressing this knowledge gap to advance the molecular understanding of SPG5 defects and potentially support future therapeutic treatments for SPG5 patients.

What are your current career goals?

Although I am still in the midst of career exploration, my current career aspiration is to work in the biotechnology industry as a research scientist.

What roles have you played on projects? 

As a consultant, I participated in two projects - one in the automotive industry and the other in the biotechnology industry. Both projects contained various degrees of primary and secondary research, and I was able to work with two amazing teams to fulfill the clients' expectations both times. Recently, I was promoted to project manager, and I am looking forward to being on a project soon in this new role.

What led you to seek out milead?

I sought out miLEAD because I knew I wanted to be a part of an organization that values professional development, provides real-life client experience, and combines research with problem-solving skills. Being a part of miLEAD has truly provided me with all of this and then some!

Since joining miLEAD, what skills have you been able to develop?

miLEAD has truly amplified my professional and critical thinking skills as a whole. Being a part of two projects in completely different fields has taught me how to efficiently research and present data to the client - both invaluable skills that I will carry forward into my professional career. I have also gained more confidence in conducting primary research interviews as well as experience in working with a team.

What has been one of your most rewarding experiences thus far working with miLEAD? 

One of the most rewarding experiences thus far was getting the chance to interview medical professionals and residents to collect data for the biotechnology project. In this experience, I was able to hear firsthand how certain learning technologies directly impacted resident learning as well as training for medical professionals. The data collected from these interviews was provided to our client, which sparked major enthusiasm and praise from them. Seeing the client's excitement to this feedback made this entire process very fulfilling and rewarding.