Alumni Update: Kaelyn is currently an MSBS student at Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine in North Carolina.
Off- Campus Experience
FirstHealth of the Carolinas Intern: Shadowed lead Physicians in various departments including the emergency room, operating room, outpatient oncology, labor and delivery, anesthesiology, and clinical trials; Served as a beta tester and played an integral role in the launch of the “TeleHealth on the go” mobile app; Completed Biomedical Research CITI training courses and assisted in preparing clinical trial specimens for shipment.
Research Collaborator, Epigenoes Biosciences Inc.: Assisted in establishing lab research operations, and utilized genetic medicine in an effort to develop an epigenetic treatment for Friedreich’s Ataxia patients.
Jillian's Jitterbug Inc.: Having been inspired by my twin sister Jillian who has cerebral palsy, I founded a non-profit business whose charter is to Get Disabled Children Up and Moving. We support needy families with disabled children who require durable medical equipment to enhance their mobility (www.Jilliansjitterbug.com).
On-Campus Experience
Greek Life (Alpha Phi): Held positions such as the Panhellenic Delegate where I served as a liaison between my chapter and the overall sorority community on campus.
Undergraduate research with the Koffas Lab: Engineered chondroitin sulfotransferase (C4ST) mutant with improved enzymatic activity in an effort to treat osteoarthritis.
Intramural Sports: Hockey, basketball, and volleyball.
Women’s Mentor Program: Actively mentored first-year female students in an effort to facilitate a positive and smooth transition for them to RPI.
Admissions Ambassador: Give tours to prospective students and serve as a panelist at events.
Favorite Class
My favorite class throughout my career at RPI has been the Advanced Cell Bio Lab that I took my junior year. I learned so many vital lab skills such as bacterial cell culture, along with the importance of proper documentation that qualified me to pursue internship opportunities outside of the classroom. I also had the opportunity to design and work on our my research project throughout the semester and explore science outside of a traditional textbook. Specifically, I measured how E.coli cells responded to osmotic stress.