Hobbies and interests
Research
Teaching
Mentoring
Kanita Chaudhry
795
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WinnerKanita Chaudhry
795
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Finalist1x
WinnerBio
MD/PhD candidate at the Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Aspiring pediatric oncologist and physician-scientist.
Education
University at Buffalo
Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)Majors:
- Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
- Medicine
University of Vermont
Bachelor's degree programMajors:
- Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
Career
Dream career field:
Medicine
Dream career goals:
physician-scientist in the area of pediatric oncology
Undergraduate Researcher
University of Vermont2009 – 20134 yearsSummer Undergraduate Researcher
University of Vermont2010 – 2010Summer Undergraduate Researcher
University of Pennsylvania2011 – 2011Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow
Rockefeller University2012 – 2012Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellow
National Institutes of Health2013 – 20152 years
Research
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center — PhD Candidate2018 – 2023
Public services
Volunteering
University at Buffalo — Co-President, Internal Medicine Interest Group2017 – 2018Volunteering
University at Buffalo — Student Interviewer, MD Admissions Committee2018 – 2020Volunteering
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center — Co-Leader, Buffalo Health Exploration Research Day2023 – 2023Volunteering
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center — Teaching Assistant2023 – 2023Volunteering
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center — Course Co-Coordinator2021 – 2023Volunteering
New York State Area Health Education Program — Mentor2024 – Present
Future Interests
Volunteering
Philanthropy
Saswati Gupta Cancer Research Scholarship
WinnerAs an M.D./Ph.D. student at the Jacobs School of Medicine, my ultimate dream is to become a physician-scientist specializing in pediatric oncology. I am currently pursuing my third year of medical school studies. I recently completed the PhD part of my dual-degree program at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center where I studied neuroblastoma, a deadly pediatric cancer affecting nerve cells of the body. More than half of high-risk neuroblastoma patients will ultimately die from progressive disease, highlighting the critical need for new therapy options. Under the direction of my mentor, Dr. Anna Bianchi-Smiraglia, I identified and characterized the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) as a new tumor promoting-protein in neuroblastoma. Excitingly, my work revealed clofazimine (CLF), an already FDA-approved drug for leprosy, as a potential new treatment for neuroblastoma in laboratory models. We plan to test the safety and effectiveness of clofazimine in high-risk neuroblastoma patients in clinical trials.
Ultimately, I aspire to lead a laboratory as a principal investigator and study the molecular basis underlying pediatric tumors, including neuroblastoma. In addition, I plan to care for childhood cancer patients and their families in the hospital. My unique M.D./Ph.D. training background in both medicine and cancer biology will allow me to ask clinically relevant questions in the lab and bring my discoveries in the lab back to the patients in the clinic. My goal is to find novel therapies for pediatric cancers such as neuroblastoma in the lab, and ultimately run clinical trials. I want to be a physician-investigator at a leading academic hospital, where I can make the greatest impact on patients while being the most caring and compassionate provider that I can be.