Hi! I’m Stephanie Song, Class of 2019 Neuroscience major and Statistics minor. I joined the Tetel lab fall of my sophomore year. In collaboration with the Drs. Nicholas Chia and Marina Walther-Antonio at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN), I worked on a women’s health study on the vaginal microbiome to determine how microbiota relate to the menstrual cycle, diet, and mood. Our ultimate goal is to find a vaginal microbial biomarker for endometrial and ovarian cancer. For two summers, I traveled to the Mayo Clinic to learn the tools and techniques used for analyzing microbiome data in Dr. Chia’s lab. There, I examined how extreme and rare microbial events following power laws may describe adenomatous polyp growth and colorectal cancer.

Currently, I am back in Dr. Chia’s lab doing research as part of a Graduate Research Employment Program, which provides research opportunity and educational activities for students taking a “gap year” (or two!) between undergraduate and graduate school. I plan on continuing my education following these two years with an MD-PhD.

I came into Wellesley thinking I would study anything from Sociology to Business, and I am so glad to the path I did eventually take led me to women’s health, the brain, and the intricate ties between ourselves and the bugs that live inside us. I would be more than happy to talk about my experience or try to give college/life advice for anybody who is interested! My Wellesley email will remain active forever so feel free to shoot me a message.

In college, I was part of Wellesley Wushu, a Chinese performance martial arts group. In my free time now, I love to cook, ride my bike, play video games with friends, and be outdoors.