Meet the scientists!

I am PhD student at Harvard University working as a joint student in two labs; one biophysics and the other cancer cell biology based.   I use structural biology to try to get a snapshot of how specific molecules in our cells look to broaden our understanding of molecular pathways that could be important in diseases like cancer and leverage that information to design new drug candidates.   

As a scientist you tend to work a lot. I try to get to lab before 8am and I rarely leave before midnight- it’s a full day of experiments, reading papers, discussing ideas, and then testing them out.  It keeps me quite busy and it’s a lot of fun.  I also started my own fashion company, “Lizzard Fashion” (www.lizzardfashion.com), which seeks to promote science through fashion.  In between running western blots and setting up an NMR experiments I’ll design a new T-shirt.  Lizzard, makes science fashionable.  

I recently started a computer recycling program called “Proyecto Chispa” (Project Spark), a new project designed to encourage the education of underprivileged children. As part of the program, we recycle used computers, refurbish them and install educational games (teaching English, Math, Science, Grammar and so much more). The computers are then sent to children in orphanages in Central and Latin America. I hope that these computers will serve as the “chispa” or spark for the children to continue learning at the highest level possible and, through education break the cycle of poverty.   We have sent over 90 computers so far and w/ this money we could send even more!  

more about proyecto chispa can be found here!  http://lizzardfashion.com/proyecto-chispa/

or watch our youtube video! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpbRauE663g

o and if there’s any dinero left over- I’ll probably get burritos for all my friends.