The Levinson Emerging Scholars Program supports talented and highly motivated UW juniors and seniors who want to pursue creative and advanced bioscience and related research. Two of our students, Daniel Brock and Ethan Hills, have received the 2018-2019 Levinson Emerging Scholar Award.
Daniel is a senior majoring in biochemistry and molecular, cellular, and developmental biology, with a minor in chemistry. An internship at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center during his sophomore year got him interested in research. Daniel joined the Brockerhoff lab in the department of biochemistry during the summer of 2017. His current project focuses on studying how the mitochondria in the retina respond to circadian rhythm and cellular stress. His research aims to support advancements in understanding blindness associated with mitochondrial damage, like Age-Related Macular Degeneration. After graduation, Daniel plans on taking a gap year, conducting clinical research at the NIH’s National Cancer Institute. He eventually plans on pursuing an MD/PhD degree and researching Leukemia.
Ethan is a senior majoring in biochemistry with a minor in mathematics. After his freshman year, he began working in Dr. Stan Fields’s lab studying genetics and molecular biology. In his current research, Ethan is investigating the biosynthesis and evolvability of lasso peptide antibiotics and how they respond to genetic mutation. Through this study, he hopes to gain insight on how manipulating the microbial pathways in which these peptides are synthesized allows for the discovery of novel antibiotics and their ability to overcome bacterial resistance. After graduating from UW, Ethan hopes to attend a graduate program in biochemistry studying drugs and medicine.
Congratulations to both Daniel and Ethan!
