Congratulations to Floyd Lab members Reid Chen (Research Technician II) and Katherine Long (Undergraduate Researcher), who were recently accepted into MD/PhD and PhD programs.
Reid's work in the Floyd Lab has involved researching the impact of the tumor microenvironment on cancer's response to radiation therapy – specifically on how chromatin remodeling proteins may be a therapeutic target to enhance tumor sensitivity to radiation. He was accepted into the Duke University School of Medicine's Medical Scientist Training Program and will start in August.
"After working in radiation oncology, oncology remains a core interest of mine, but I'm looking forward to taking a break from the research to learn about other aspects of medicine and how to improve the lives of patients in the clinic," said Reid. "Over the past several years, I've had the opportunity to collaborate with so many great people in the Radiation Oncology department. I'm especially grateful for Dr. Floyd, who put me on the physician-scientist path three years ago and has given me so much support and guidance. Luckily, I'm only moving across the street so I can continue bothering him and everyone else in the LSRC for eight more years!"
Katherine's research in the Floyd Lab primarily focused on characterizing proteins that affect radiation sensitivity in glioma. "I learned so much about research and about myself as a scientist from my experience in Dr. Floyd's lab," said Katherine, who is pursuing a PhD in cell biology and physiology and will begin training at the Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program at UNC-Chapel Hill this August.
"I hope to one day run my own lab focusing on cellular signaling in development and disease," she said. "I also hope to stay involved in scientific communication and community outreach throughout my career, using my education to encourage curiosity and revitalize trust between scientists and the public."