Va’Shayna Williams is a Chemical Biology major at Stevens Institute of Technology working towards her Master of Science in Bioengineering. She graduated from Stevens in May 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering. Va’Shayna joined Dr. Iwanicki’s lab in November 2020 interested in the mechanisms of chemotherapy resistance of ovarian cancer using 3D models. Although unprecedented times due to COVID-19 have hindered normalcy, Va’Shayna remained determined in remaining active in the lab. In doing so, she has been diligent in attending weekly remote meetings and contributing to constructive discussion and analysis of laboratory data and literature. During her senior year, Va’Shayna conducted a research project on the role of ECM in Chemotherapy projection in ovarian cancer 3D models. In the future, Va’Shayna looks forward to growing her hands-on research experience and advancing her knowledge in the depths of ovarian cancer. Over the summer of 2022, Va’Shayna completed an internship with RWJ Barnabas Jersey City Medical Center under the Chair of the OBGYN Oncology department, Dr. Lance Bruck. In the operating room and oncology clinic, she actively discussed patient cases with residents and expanded her ability to think divergently about pathologies and diagnoses. She observed surgical procedures such as vaginal biopsies, hysterectomies, and endocervical curettages. When frozen samples were sent to pathology, Va’Shayna observed the steps involved in the staining and sectioning of the samples and then worked to identify where the cancer was prevalent. The clinic’s patient population consisted primarily of post-menopausal HPV positive and Cervical cancer cases. She stated that observing the progression of HPV neoplasia to malignancy due to the immune system’s inability to clear the viral infection was enlightening. When sitting in on Tumor Board she watched radiology, oncology, and pathology physicians come together to discuss future treatment options for the best outcomes. The opportunity to apply her research in a clinical setting over the past couple of months was riveting and she is tremendously grateful to have had this experience.
