WYOMISSING, Pa. — Two Penn State Berks students will conduct research related to drug exposure and ovarian cancer treatment as part of their U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) this summer. Daniel Abramov and Lauren Conrad, biochemistry and molecular biology majors who have conducted research at Penn State Berks, are also Schreyer Scholars and Penn State Berks Cohen-Hammel Fellows.
Daniel Abramov, a rising senior from Brooklyn, New York, is participating in RISE at Rutgers University, a nationally acclaimed summer research program for outstanding undergraduates from diverse backgrounds, according to the program website. Specifically, he will research cellular bioengineering with Ionnais Androulakis, a professor who holds positions in the biomedical engineering and chemical and biochemical engineering departments.
Building on a previous research study, Abramov’s project will use mathematical models to investigate how biological systems exhibit irreversible responses — such as cellular fate decisions like division or death — through signaling dynamics. He will explore how acute, repeated or chronic drug exposures can push cellular responses past critical thresholds, triggering long-lasting or permanent changes even after the stimulus is removed.
“As a student with a strong foundation in biochemistry, I’m driven to understand not just the molecular components of biological systems, but also how these components interact dynamically at the cellular and systems level,” Abramov said. “Expanding into cellular and bioengineering allows me to apply my biochemical knowledge to quantitative models, feedback networks and control mechanisms that govern real physiological responses.”
Abramov said the program supports his career goals.
“This program's emphasis on systems biology, mathematical modeling and translational research aligns perfectly with my goal of integrating biochemistry with engineering tools to study complex biological phenomena,” Abramov said. “I see this research experience as essential training to bridge disciplines and prepare me to solve problems in drug design, disease modeling and engineering therapeutics.”
Lauren Conrad, a rising senior from Fleetwood, Pennsylvania, is completing an undergraduate research fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where she will conduct research on high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). She will focus on investigating the molecular mechanisms behind the cancer and how that knowledge might help make treatments more effective. Conrad will work with Arun Kanakkanthara, assistant professor of pharmacology and senior associate consultant in the Department of Oncology.
According to Conrad, one molecular mechanism that appears to be defective in approximately 50% of all HGSOCs is called homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair, which is a process that helps correct breaks in DNA. She said she hopes to study how these HR defects can be prevented or corrected.
“I wanted to conduct research at the Mayo Clinic this summer because the Mayo Clinic is an internationally renowned medical facility that conducts cutting-edge research,” Conrad said. “Furthermore, I currently plan to pursue a doctoral program in either biochemistry or pharmacology upon graduation next spring, so I am excited to learn more about pharmacology and conduct research to discern if pharmacology is the right field for me.”
About the U.S. National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates
The U.S. National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF REU) program supports intensive research by undergraduate students in any area of research funded by NSF. For more information, visit nsf.gov/funding/initiatives/reu.