'When I Look Back to My First Day at the University, I Can See How Far I have Come'

When I was pursuing a bachelor's degree in radiation therapy at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran, I had the opportunity to intern in a hospital. I realized firsthand how crucial it is to continually be developing new methods in cancer treatment and patient care.

My experiences as an undergraduate led me to want to pursue an advanced degree. I chose the biomedical engineering master's degree program at the University of New Haven because this program not only exposes students to a broad range of courses, it enables students to pursue a variety of research areas, allowing students to find their passion.

When I started the program in 2017, I was awarded a graduate scholarship as a research assistant in the physics and mathematics department. The program provided an excellent environment for me due to the abundance of research available in a variety of resources, the passionate faculty, and the University’s collaborations with many labs across different disciplines.

"The University of New Haven provided a great scientific community and friendly environment that allowed me to build my lab skills in biology and engineering."Negin Farzad ’19 M.S.

Under the direction of my mentors, Dr. Saion Sinha, Dr. Tina Zito, Dr. Kagya Amoako, and Dr. Ali Senejani, I began my thesis project that examined drug delivery to breast cancer cells by magnetic nanoparticles in an electromagnetic field. After just one year of research and coursework, I started my second independent research project with Dr. Sinha in which I used a combination of my skills in molecular biology and bio instruments to develop a new pathogenic biosensor.

The University of New Haven provided a great scientific community and friendly environment that allowed me to build my lab skills in biology and engineering. My time at the University was not limited to just classes and labs, however. I also attended multiple scientific conferences, including programs sponsored by the Biophysical Society and Biomedical Engineering Society, which gave me lots of opportunities to find my career path.

Presenting my research to professionals in the field helped me earn a research position in the Rong Fan Lab in the Yale School of Engineering. Here, I applied my knowledge and skills from the University of New Haven to the cutting-edge technology in single-cell RNA sequencing.

The conferences I attended also enabled me to network with Virginia Commonwealth (VCU) faculty members and to learn about their research areas. This resulted in me choosing VCU to pursue my Ph.D. in biomedical engineering. I will begin the program in the fall.

I graduated from the University of New Haven in 2019, with a completed thesis project in drug delivery, an accepted paper in the biosensor field, and an excellent academic award. When I look back to my first day at the University, I can see how far I have come. The University’s biomedical engineering program strengthened my passion and knowledge and prepared me for success in my future career as a scientist.

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