Laura Herron

Photo of Laura Herron current student MS Plan 1

Can you describe your background and your journey?
I did my undergrad at UC Berkeley, where I studied both Data Science and Molecular Cell Biology: Biochemistry. I took up data science later in my college career as I was lucky enough to be involved in two labs and an internship experience which made it evident how much data was being generated from screening experiments, and how crucial it was for scientists to be able to handle their own data. In particular, my mentors, Dr. Alice Refermat at the IGI and Dr. Jon Oyer at Pfizer, encouraged me to continue to find ways to merge my interest in wet lab work with computing skills. This is my main motivation for my master's, as I seek to become a more independent scientist that can see experiments from start to end, and design them to be statistically significant and powerful.

Why are you serving as the Master's Student Ambassador?
UC San Diego felt so large and foreign just over a year ago, but I have found a community of scientists and friends here in such a short time. While I am building confidence and skills as a scientist and researcher, the biggest asset to my time here has been the other motivated, and interested people I have found around me. I want to help continue showing students the community I have found, and empower them to carve out their own. I also want to share my own successes and failures, and how I would do it all again, if I was only so lucky for that chance.

Describe your area of research and/or your area of specialty?
I work in Dr. Prashant Mali's lab on building an RNA-editing technology to act as a genetic switch. I was initially interested in epigenetic control and biosensors, and have been able to work in the fundamentals of bio sensing for my project. For my first quarter, I was assigned an older graduate student to be my mentor, but now work with another graduate student in my year, Jack Bryant, to co lead our own project. Between us we mentor 3 undergraduate students who work on our project. We have been working on this project for 10 months and have made massive progress, so am excited to see where it leads.

Describe your involvement within the department and UC San Diego 
I take part in a myriad of BEGS sponsored activities and highly suggest all first years take advantage of as much of the BEGS programming as possible. I hope to find the time to do outreach with BEGS this school year, where they teach science lessons in local schools. Additionally, I am currently teaching BENG 162, a senior level biotechnology lab and last quarter I taught in the O Chem lab. I have really enjoyed teaching and getting to know undergraduate Bioengineers. The rest of my time is taken up tutoring and enjoying San Diego!

Have you received any outstanding mentorship or guidance during your time in the program that made an impact on your research and/or the trajectory of your career?
My favorite thing about my lab is how much I enjoy the people I work with and look forward to our conversations every day. Science can be difficult and frustrating, but I feel that the older students are always there to bounce off ideas or just give moral support. In particular, Michael Tong (4th year PhD student) has always been there to re-contextualize my failed experiments, give suggestions when I reach a wall, and support me as a scientist and friend!

What has been your favorite part about your graduate experience in the program?
I have found a real love of communicating science and finding ways to speak about it with students, friends and colleagues. Although I did not take quals, I took Dr. Kwon's spring quarter class that helps prep students for it, and really enjoyed the process of writing and proposing and explaining it to my classmates. Beyond that, I have massively enjoyed getting to work on an independent project and make experimental decisions and plans. Lastly, my close friends that I have made have been the absolute best part of this program and I am so lucky to have people I can do homework, talk about science, or go bougie boarding with! 

Any words of wisdom or advice you want to share with prospective graduate students?
Get involved in a research lab sooner rather than later, but do not hesitate to start slow and ramp up as you become more comfortable.

What are your career prospects and plans for the future (post graduation)?
I am hoping to go into industry in an R&D role straight after graduation. I would like to be in some sort of screening or target discovery role. However, eventually, I think I would like to transition to science policy or science advocacy work.