We continue to highlight some of our outstanding graduate students. Meet Zachary VanRoy!
Name: Zachary VanRoy.
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska.
Graduate studies program: Immunology, pathology, and infectious diseases (IPID)/MD-PhD program.
Anticipated graduation date: May 2025.
Advisor: Tammy Kielian, PhD.
What do you love about your research or field of study?
Immunology is a great field! It is newer than most, and as such, it both has so much room for discovery and continues to take full advantage of the newest technology and techniques. I have projects that have used some of the oldest techniques (PCR, western blots, etc.) in step with the newest (LC-MS, scRNA-seq, etc.), which allows for a ton of creativity in experimentation. Additionally, the immune system is ubiquitous throughout the body and touches every other organ system, which keeps you on your toes.
What do you want to do after you graduate?
I will re-enter the medical school class and complete my MD training after graduating with my PhD. The end goal is to become a physician-scientist, splitting my time between running a basic science laboratory and practicing medicine in the hospital, hopefully in similar areas to allow for translational research.
What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned at UNMC that will stick with you?
I’ve learned a lot of interesting science while here at UNMC, but what will stick with me most for the rest of my career is the fact that science works best when collaborative in nature. Projects that span multiple people, or better, multiple labs, achieve so much more than one person ever could. In my experience, researchers at UNMC really get that and have been nothing but excited to collaborate when asked. I plan to explicitly look for this culture in future institutions.
What is on your bucket list?
I hope to eventually get a private pilot license.