Hi, I’m Jessica! I’m originally from Ghana and Togo, West Africa. I moved to Chicago before middle school and have lived in the U.S. since. I earned my B.S. in Biochemistry and French/Francophone Studies from Bates College in Lewiston, ME. While at Bates, I conducted research in the Williams’ lab, where we aimed to understand the mechanisms by which organisms adapt to environmental challenges such as toxins. Following my sophomore year, I spent a summer at the Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard creating a statistical model that can predict how gene expression levels predict cancer cell line genetic dependencies.The following summer, as an Amgen scholar at Johns Hopkins, I studied early life adversities and how they impact the lateral habenula brain region.
I joined the Goins Lab as a Stanford Medicine Postbaccalaureate Experience in Research Scholar (formerly known as REACH). In the lab, I work on a little bit of everything ranging from WNT signaling to reactive oxygen species (ROS), and more.
Outside of the lab, I enjoy taking workout classes with friends, going on walks, and traveling. I am passionate about mentorship and currently serve on the internship team of the Community College Outreach Program (CCOP). My long term goals include earning my MD and playing a role in making healthcare more accessible in underdeveloped countries!