Mariah Thompson
Mariah Thompson is a graduating senior majoring in biochemistry and philosophy. Since high school, she has had an interest in virology and began working in a virology lab at the UW Medicine South Lake Union campus her freshman year at UW. Working in the Lagunoff lab, her research has focused on the Kaposi Sarcoma’s Associated Herpesvirus (KHSV) latent protein, vFLIP, and its role in promoting lipid droplet formation in endothelial cells. Her current research is focused on determining the mechanism through which vFLIP up-regulates lipid droplet formation in endothelial cells. Her time in the Lagunoff lab has grown her passion for science and virology research.
The Thomas Sedlock Icon Scholarship and the Mary Gates Research Scholarship will help support her research and allow her to devote more time to her work in the lab. This will prepare her for graduate school applications and a career in academia as she fulfills her childhood dreams of becoming a scientist.
Outside of the lab, Mariah enjoys reading and playing stardew valley.
Goals
In the short term, Mariah plans to apply for post-baccalaureate programs in the greater Seattle area to gain some full-time research experience before applying to graduate programs. In the long term, Mariah hopes to earn her PhD in molecular and cellular biology and work as a research scientist in academia.
Tips
Be sure to talk about your passions while writing your applications. Connecting your personal interests with your research goals will help your application stand out and give it more personality.
