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Melanie Donahue

Biomedical Researcher

+Education

Graduated from Sturgis in 2007 Researched and applied to undergraduate

institutions with strong math and science programs Narrowed options to Worcester Polytechnic Institute

based on: science and engineering opportunities job placement project oriented education quarter system financial aid

Got involved: extracurriculars Graduated with a B.S. in Biology & Biotechnology,

minor in Mathematics in May 2011

+Undergraduate Research Experience One year internship at the Proteomics and Mass

Spectrometry Core Facility for UMass Medical School One year Major Qualifying Project (MQP) capstone in

the Gateway Life Sciences & Bioengineering Center at WPI – “Role of SOD and Cathepsin-D in Alzheimer’s Disease Aβ cascade models” Included final paper and poster

presentation documenting findings

+Current Work

Research Associate in the Cancer Program at the Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard

Member of the 20+ person Connectivity Map (“C-Map”) project team of biologists, chemists, computer scientists, computational analysts, and interns

+“C-Map”

Development of inexpensive genomics platform that combines biology and technology to connect genes, drugs, and diseases using their genetic “fingerprints” A publically available “Google” for genomics research with

enormous potential for biological research and drug discovery

+Cell Culture

The maintenance or growth of cells in highly controlled conditions outside of the body

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+My Job: Cell “Perturbation”

Daily tasks focus on “perturbing” cell cultures ranging from skin cancer and breast cancer to neurons and fat cells with viral infections and drug treatments in order to better understand their biology

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+Career Plans & Additional Preparation

Volunteering in the surgical department of Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital

Completing pre-medical coursework through evening classes at Harvard University

MCAT & medical school applications for Fall ‘12 or ‘13

+Facts & Figure$

Biomedical Researchers Bachelor’s degree or higher and laboratory training required Job availability is projected to increase at or above the national average,

and average wages range from $30,000 to $80,000 annually depending on education level and experience

MDs Required education & training includes:

bachelor’s degree (arts or sciences) with pre-medical courses medical degree residency board certification ……………………………..between 11 and 16 years of preparation

Job availability is projected to increase well above the national average between 2010 and 2020, and wages average above $150,000 annually