Veronica Alba

Veronica Alba
Home Institute: University of Alberta
Supervisor: Dr. Michael Hoffman

I was born in Bogota, Colombia and moved to Edmonton when I was eight years old. Having learned French in junior high, I decided to do my Bachelor of Science in French, and I am currently a third-year Biology student at the University of Alberta’s Campus Saint-Jean. For as long as I can remember, I have always been fascinated by the human body and how it works. Throughout my undergrad, I have realized that I am particularly interested in learning about genetics, biochemistry and the workings of the nervous system. During the past two summers, I have participated in clinical research at the Cross Cancer Institute looking at treatment options for breast cancer. I am looking forward to exploring new research areas through the Amgen Scholars Program. Outside of academics, I enjoy playing water polo and I love going camping and hiking in the summer.

Project Title: Computational research in epigenomics and machine learning

I will be working with Dr. Michael Hoffman and postdoctoral fellow Dr. Samantha Wilson on an extension of their work developing new spike-in controls for cell-free methylated DNA immunoprecipitation-sequencing (cfMeDIP-seq), which is a method used for epigenetic liquid biopsy. This method can be used to detect different cancer types by looking at the methylation patterns of circulating tumour DNA. 

What most drew me to apply to the Amgen Program was that I believe this will be a great opportunity for me to step out of my comfort zone, helping me grow not only from an academic perspective, but also from a personal one. I am excited to explore the world of biomedical research and to learn more about different career opportunities in the scientific field. I think that the skills and experience that I will gain from this program will help me make a more informed and confident choice about what path I want to pursue in my academic career once I finish my undergrad. I am also really looking forward to working with and getting to know the other scholars!