Summer Salutations

 

Hi! My name is Emily. I'm a rising junior at Johns Hopkins University studying Biomolecular Engineering. If it's not obvious from the photo, I'm a huge animal lover, which is why I'm planning on pursuing a career in veterinary medicine and research. It's also why I'm thrilled to be shadowing Dr. Dara Kraitchman and her team this summer at the Center for Image-Guided Animal Therapy (CIGAT) at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institute.

I'll be working with Dr. Kraitchman and one of her colleagues, Dr. Brian Ladle, on their canine osteosarcoma trial. The goal is to use a combination of image-guided cryoablation, where the tumor cells are killed via localized freezing, and STING, a new immunotherapy, to treat osteosarcoma. This is one of the most diagnosed forms of cancer in both canines and human kids, and in each case the options for treatment are very similar. Thus, our hope is that we can find a more effective therapy for both kids and our furry friends.

I'm so excited to have this opportunity to support such an incredible project, and want to thank Dr. Kraitchman and Dr. Ladle for having me. I'm also extremely grateful to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, as this summer experience is funded by their Pediatric Oncology Student Training (POST) program. The Foundation does incredible work for pediatric cancer research, and often hosts fun events to fundraise for the cause such as the Million Mile Challenge. I highly recommend checking out their website and finding ways to get involved!

Throughout the summer I'll be writing here about my experiences, clinical cases, and more, so check back often...who knows, some cute critters may make an appearance as well!

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