My name is Sarah Misenko and I am a 4th year PhD candidate in the Biochemistry department at Rutgers University. My broad research interest lies in precision medicine for the oncology field. Ultimately, I hope to work as a project manager in the pharmaceutical industry or as a clinical trial manager.
I was born in Philly but raised in South Jersey for the majority of my life. I completed my Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry with a minor in Biology at Rowan University in 2012. Along with my core courses at Rowan, I enjoyed taking various dance and language classes. I joined the lab of Dr. Gregory Caputo following my freshmen year and continued my research with him through graduation. Dr. Caputo was a great mentor with a zest for science and a fun-loving spirit. My positive experience in Dr. Caputo’s lab encouraged me to apply for an NSF-funded summer research program at the University of Rochester. My time spent researching at the University of Rochester Medical Center confirmed that cancer biology was my passion. Thus, upon my return to Rowan I started applying to graduate programs with labs working in the oncology field.
I chose Rutgers University for many reasons, but primarily for the extensive pharmaceutical presence in the area and the affiliation with the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. At Rutgers, I work in the lab of Dr. Samuel Bunting studying DNA double-strand break repair mechanisms in a mammalian model. Specifically, my work aims to better understand the key proteins involved in DNA end resection, a crucial step in the high-fidelity DNA double-strand break repair pathway. As a fellow of the Biotechnology Training Program at Rutgers, I was allotted the opportunity to do research at Celgene Cellular Therapeutics. My summer internship focused on investigating the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a cell therapy. Learning about the many projects going on at Celgene and experiencing the different dynamics of an industrial research setting was a truly exciting experience. Through the opportunities I’ve been granted while attending Rutgers, I have recently secured the New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research Pre-doctoral Fellowship for 2015 – 2017.
Though I have firm roots in New Jersey and no plans of moving in the foreseeable future, I love to travel. I have traveled throughout t
he United States, the Caribbean, Italy, Peru, and just recently Ireland! One of the most amazing experiences was a 4-day hike on the Inca Trial to Machu Picchu, which included hiking to an ultimate elevation of 13,828 ft! In general, I love to stay active and spend my free time hiking, at the beach, crafting, playing sports and even making wine.
Through various opportunities at Rutgers, I have been able to explore both clinical oncology and industrial careers, which have been invaluable experiences. I’m looking forward to broadening these experiences through iJOBS and sharing what I’ve learned through the blog! Please feel free to reach out to me via my Linkedin.