After graduating from OES in 1974, I earned my MD from the University of Sarajevo in 1980 and completed a residency in Dermatology and Sexually Transmitted Diseases. I practiced medicine in the Sarajevo Dermatology Clinic until 1992. Due to violence stemming from the war in Bosnia, I became a refugee in Germany before coming to Portland in 1994. I started working at OES as a Lab Director organizing science labs and working with students to help them navigate the newly developed independent inquiry-based research program. In 1998, I also began teaching an Anatomy and Physiology elective and discovered my passion in education and teaching. I enjoy using my knowledge and skills to inspire young OES scientists to explore careers in health fields and to enable students to learn more about human physiology, health issues in general, and modern trends in medicine. Besides teaching, I introduced a Cell culture research program in 2003 to give students interested in biotechnology a hands-on research opportunity to study in vitro cellular responses.