Diligent student well versed in both biological and physical sciences as well as the Spanish language. Offers solid critical thinking skills and a desire to pursue a career in medicine and scientific research.
• GPA: 3.94
• MCAT: 35 (PS: 11, V: 10, BS: 14)
• Dean's List
• Comprehensive Honors Student
• Biology Core Curriculum Graduate
• Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society Member
• Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society Member
• $175 Travel Award Winner for the Southeastern Medical Scientist Symposium
• Hilldale Undergraduate Research Fellowship Recipient
• Summer Undergraduate Stem Cell Research Fellowship Recipient
• Spanish Major Achievement Award Recipient • Well-rounded coursework in the biological sciences, physical sciences, social sciences, and humanities (including graduate coursework)
I served as student liaison and ambassador that promoted the educational mission of Phi Beta Kappa. Responsibilities included organizing campus events, managing social media, attending meetings with faculty officers, and leading the teaching award submission and selection.
During the preparation of the publication of the first issue during the Spring Semester, I worked closely with the Editors-in-Chief to ensure journalistic integrity and the efficient coordination of the Editors of Content and the Faculty Advisory Committee during the peer review process.
As an experienced Biology Core Curriculum (Biocore) graduate, I aided in the development of new teaching materials to confront challenges students may face when learning about the nuances of cervical cancer in the capstone Biocore course (Biocore 587) that revolves around learning to critically read and analyze scientific journal articles.
The Maimonides Jewish Leadership Fellowship aims to empower modern-day Jewish college students, through upper-level Jewish education, with the information and inspiration necessary to become passionate Jewish leaders of the next generation. I took part one of the educational course in Fall 2015 and have continued with the second part in the Spring 2016. I also had the opportunity to partake in immersion cultural experiences, including a trip to Poland and an orthodox Shabbat.
As a summer undergraduate stem cell fellow, I attended weekly seminars in conjunction with my work in the Chang Laboratory that aims to use stem cell modeling to study Rett Syndrome. I also honed my in vitro skill set as a researcher by culturing stem cells, created targeted mutations with the CRISPR/Cas9 system, and characterizing morphological and functional changes in neuronal behavior.
BRIDGE is an intercultural exchange program in which I mentored an international student during their time at the university in order to aid in their cultural and educational transition. In addition, I had the opportunity to become better familiarized with the culture of the country of origin of my exchange partner.
I conducted scientific writing and peer review training in order to become an undergraduate teaching assistant for the Biocore Animal & Plant Physiology Lab Course (Biocore 486) during Fall 2015. I aided students and the instructional staff by giving feedback on written papers and oral presentations.
I evaluate and review undergraduate research manuscripts for publication in the realm of biological sciences. I also work closely with research editors to ensure that feedback is provided to researchers in a timely manner. I was just granted a promotion. As one of two Senior Research Editors, I now report to the Editor-in-Chief of the journal and co-lead the editorial team. I recruit, train, and coordinate the efforts of all Research Editors and Associate Editors and oversee their work. I also maintain the journal's relationship with professional faculty advisors.
I volunteered in the neurological ICU in order to make patients feel more comfortable and aid the care team in efficiently completing their assigned tasks. After one semester, I changed positions in order to become a hospital escort that aided patients in finding their way around the hospital. My main goal was to seek out Spanish-speaking patients and their families in order to utilize my cultural competencies to aid the Spanish-speaking population in a medical setting.
The Biocore peer mentoring program aims to help first-year students improve problem solving skills and study habits in order to succeed in learning the rigorous honors Biocore curriculum. I held weekly meetings with another mentor for a group of 8 students to discuss lab and lecture concepts of the week. I was promoted to a leadership role for my Senior Year which entailed leading the rest of the peer mentors in discussion during our weekly meetings.
I participated in a Spanish language immersion internship while studying abroad in Toledo, Spain, taken concurrently with a course on Hispanic Sociology. I worked in the department of Sociocultural Animation at the Nacional Paraplegic Hospital which utilizes artistic rehabilitation techniques in order to aid patients in regaining strength and fostering confidence associated with their new limited mobility. Overall, this experienced deepened my understanding of the global medical landscape.
As a national member, I attended national leadership conferences such as AMSA Training Ground (Chicago, IL) and the AMSA National Conference (Washington DC) in order to hone my leadership and advocacy skills. I also attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison AMSA chapter meetings and participate in chapter- sponsored volunteer events (relay for life, nursing home visits).
I shadowed Dr. Wainwright and his team at Lurie Children's Hospital where I observed rounds in the neurocritical care ward. This helped me better understand what the busy schedule of an MD/PhD entailed and how much teamwork is involved in caring for critical patients with multiple ailments. I also attended seminars detailing complicated diagnostic cases.
My first project entailed conducting immunohistochemistry and neurological scoring analysis in order to elucidate the effects of minocycline on microglial activation following hypoxia-ischemia. I have also conducted a Senior Honors Thesis research project using qRT-PCR in order to better understand how gene expression plays a role in age-dependent responses to minocycline following hypoxia-ischemia. I also utilized in vitro immunohistochemistry probing for pro- and anti-inflammatory microglial markers.
Biocore Outreach Ambassadors is an organization created by the honors Biology Core Curriculum Program to extend science education to elementary and middle schools throughout Wisconsin, especially those in underserved communities. I participated in science outreach events at elementary and middle schools and coordinated monthly bedside science outreach events at American Family Children's Hospital for patients and their siblings.
I participated on a recreational volleyball team for four semesters with residents of my freshman and sophomore year dorm. I led the team as captain for both semesters my sophomore year which entailed taking an online course on volleyball rules, familiarizing my team with these rules, and ensuring they were followed.
I help organize the food drives conducted as part of the Mindful Mitzvot projects at my temple in Long Grove, Illinois during the times in which I am home for an extended break (winter break, spring break, summer break) or during the Jewish Holidays (Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah).
Ulas Cikla, Vishal Chanana, Douglas Kintner, Lucia Convert, Taylor Dewall, Alex Waldman, Paul Rowley, Pelin Cengiz, Peter Ferrazzano, Suppression of microglia activation after hypoxia-ischemia results in age-dependent improvements in neurologic injury, Journal of Neuroimmunology (Accepted 12/9/15)
Alex Waldman, Vishal Chanana, Lucia Covert, Taylor Dewall, Paul Rowley, Eshwar Udho, Ulas Cikla, Grace Gavin, Douglas Kintner, Pelin Cengiz, Peter Ferrazzano, Age-dependent differences in the effect of microglial inhibition after hypoxia-ischemia in the developing brain, December 2015, Madison, WI, Waisman Center Poster Fair (Poster Presentation)
Alex Waldman, Vishal Chanana, Lucia Covert, Taylor Dewall, Paul Rowley, Eshwar Udho, Ulas Cikla, Grace Gavin, Douglas Kintner, Pelin Cengiz, Peter Ferrazzano, Age-dependent differences in the effect of microglial inhibition after hypoxia-ischemia in the developing brain, October 2015, Chicago, IL, Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting (Poster Presentation)
Alex Waldman, Qian Bu, Qiang Chang, One-step generation of an MECP2R294X/R294X ES Cell Line Using the CRISPR/Cas9 System, September 2015, Madison, WI, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Symposium (Poster Presentation)
Alex Waldman, Vishal Chanana, Lucia Covert, Taylor Dewall, Paul Rowley, Eshwar Udho, Ulas Cikla, Grace Gavin, Douglas Kintner, Pelin Cengiz, Peter Ferrazzano, Age-dependent differences in the effect of microglial inhibition after hypoxia-ischemia in the developing brain, September 2015, Nashville, TN, Southeastern Medical Scientist Symposium (Poster Presentation)
Peter Ferrazzano, Vishal Chanana, Lucia Convert, Taylor Dewall, Alex Waldman, Ulas Cikla, Douglas Kintner, Pelin Cengiz, Age-dependent differences in the effect of microglial inhibition after hypoxia-ischemia in the developing brain, October 2014, Baltimore, MD, 139th Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association (Abstract)
Peter Ferrazzano, Vishal Chanana, Lucia Convert, Taylor Dewall, Alex Waldman, Ulas Cikla, Douglas Kintner, Pelin Cengiz, Age-dependent differences in the effect of microglial inhibition after hypoxia-ischemia in the developing brain, September 2014, Seattle, WA, 12th Annual Meeting of the Neurocritical Care Society (Abstract)
Alex Waldman, Vishal Chanana, Ulas Cikla, Douglas Kintner, Pelin Cengiz, Peter Ferrazzano, Age-dependent microglial activation in response to minocycline treatment after hypoxia-ischemia, April 2014, Madison, Wisconsin, Undergraduate Research Symposium (Poster Presentation)
Peter Ferrazzano, Vishal Chanana, Paul Rowley, Alex Waldman, Ulas Cikla, Lucia Convert, Taylor Dewall, Douglas Kintner, Pelin Cengiz, Age-dependent differences in the effect of microglial inhibition after hypoxia-ischemia in the developing brain, December 2014, Madison, Wisconsin, Waisman Center Poster Fair (Poster Presentation)
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