Mentor: Kristi Thiel, PhD

Research: 

Endometrial cancer is unique among cancers due to increasing incidence and mortality rates since the mid 2010s. Among endometrial cancer patients, those harboring mutations in the tumor suppressor p53 have significantly worse overall and progression-free survival. My graduate research aims to identify new treatments for patients with mutations in p53. The overall goal is to enhance therapeutic efficacy while decreasing therapy induced adverse side-effects through the development of RNA biodrugs and investigating novel compounds in combination with the current chemotherapeutic regimen.  

Presentations:

2026 Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center Scientific Research Retreat, June 2026 – Combination treatment with novel compounds potentiates paclitaxel activity in high-grade endometrial cancer.

2025 University of Iowa Obstetrics & Gynecology Postgraduate Conference, November 2025 – Development of aptamers for specificity to mutant p53 in gynecologic cancer.