Title: Chemistry PhD Student
Organization: Duke University
Previous Roles: Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellow; Chemical Biology Lab, National Cancer Institute

After graduating in 2019 with an Integrative Biology major and Chemistry minor, Alex worked as a Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellow at the National Cancer Institute.

This fellowship paid him to work full-time in a research lab and allowed him to gain valuable experience en route to graduate school. The NIH Postbaccalaureate Fellowship is an outstanding opportunity for recent college graduates who plan to apply to graduate or professional school (medical/dental/pharmacy/etc.). While Alex’s research was a blend of organic chemistry and biology, the NIH offers a wide variety of research focus areas, including immunology, microbiology/infectious diseases, and biomedical engineering.

Here’s the link to learn more: https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/postbac_irta

Currently, Alex is a graduate student in the Chemistry PhD program at Duke University. He works in Dr. Matthew Becker’s lab, a chemistry and bioengineering group interested in degradable polymers for use in medicine. Alex’s research encompasses 1) synthesizing new polymers for drug delivery platforms and 2) 3D-printing polymers for biomedical applications.

Additionally, Alex had a unique path through his undergraduate research career. He first got involved with research his sophomore year in the lab of Dr. Stephen Moose (Crop Sciences). After his junior year, he spent a summer in the lab of Dr. Gene Robinson (Entomology & Genomic Biology) before joining the lab of Dr. Paul Hergenrother (Chemistry) for his senior year.

Advice: "I appreciated my time in IB because it gave me the flexibility to explore different interests during undergrad. In my junior year I became interested in organic chemistry (though I know most people have very different experiences!), and I realized that I could use my biology background to inform my research pursuits in chemistry. Now, my PhD research draws inspiration from both disciplines!"

“Making the jump into a chemistry lab was very intimidating… but I’m extremely grateful for taking that leap. My advice for undergrads – don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone!”

Alex is a great person to talk to about research, graduate program, post-bacc opportunities, and the intersection of chemistry and biology. Contact Christina Swanson at alumnimentor@sib.illinois.edu if you would like to connect with Alex.