The Nebraska Institutional Development Award Program (IDeA) Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program has welcomed 27 undergraduate students from across Nebraska as they embark on their summer research experience at Creighton University, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and UNMC.
Below, Quinn Nelson, bioinformatics and IT innovation major at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, talks about his INBRE experience.
Tell me about yourself. Who are your heroes?
I am an Omaha native, graduating from Westside High School. In addition to having strong interests in biomedical research, science and medicine, I also am a Division 1 student-athlete, playing goalkeeper for the men’s soccer team at UNO. I love the outdoors, especially fishing and hiking. I also love to travel, and listen to and play music. Some of the heroes in my life are those who fight in our armed forces, sacrificing their life for our freedom. Furthermore, my grandpa and my father are two of my heroes. They both have a strong set of morals and values, hard-working attitudes and a selfless demeanor, all of which I try to model in my life.
What are your career goals?
In my career, I would like to earn a graduate or professional degree of some kind (M.D. or Ph.D., or both) that revolves around health care and health science. My undergraduate education has been focused on bioinformatics and the integration of information technology into a health care setting. There are great advances to be made in the way patient health data is relayed to doctors, and how it can be analyzed to provide enhanced diagnostic information to practicing health professionals. My career goals lie within the development and enhancement of this idea known as “personalized medicine.” In addition, I would love to interact with patients and act as the doctor who creates a plan to bring patients back to health from their illnesses or injuries.
What do you hope the INBRE program will do for you?
I hope the INBRE program provides me with a set of core experiences in biomedical research that will allow me to be very informed in my next life/career decision. In addition, I hope the INBRE program will provide me with opportunities to create relationships with members of the science community, both in biomedical research and medicine.
Congratulations Quinn! It is always exciting to see another UNMC High School Alliance alum on back on campus pursuing their passion for the health sciences.