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Anna Koroleva

845

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Bio

Living with Hashimoto's Disease has profoundly shaped my identity, imparting strength through resilience amidst daily struggles with fatigue, brain fog, and the emotional toll on my mental health. This autoimmune journey has forged a path of personal growth, leading me to earn a degree in chemical engineering and instilling a newfound purpose: to raise awareness and enhance the lives of those grappling with chronic conditions. As I venture further into shaping my career in biotechnology, my life goals evolve into establishing a women-led biotech company dedicated to revolutionizing the detection and management of thyroid autoimmune diseases. My main goal revolves around making a lasting impact on the lives of individuals with autoimmune diseases through innovative biotechnological solutions. This profound desire stems from witnessing and experiencing the struggles of managing these complex and life-altering conditions firsthand. The foundation of my vision rests on integrating cutting-edge research, a domain I am currently immersed in as a biomedical engineer. My passion for this cause, coupled with my academic and professional background, compels me to transform my struggle into strength and set an example for those who continue to battle this condition.

Education

Johns Hopkins University

Master's degree program
2024 - 2025
  • Majors:
    • Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
  • Minors:
    • Data Science

University of California-San Diego

Bachelor's degree program
2015 - 2019
  • Majors:
    • Engineering, General
    • Biochemical Engineering
  • Minors:
    • Nanotechnology

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Master's degree program

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

    • Data Science
    • Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
    • Biochemical Engineering
  • Planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Biotechnology

    • Dream career goals:

      My long-term career goal is to establish a women-led biotech enterprise focused on advancing early detection, monitoring, and prevention of thyroid autoimmune conditions such as Hashimoto's and Graves' disease. Drawing from my extensive background in the biosensing field and my personal experience with Hashimoto's, I aim to pioneer a revolutionary technology grounded in electrochemical immune-assay detection of thyroid-specific biomarkers. This journey undoubtedly presents challenges, yet the potential to reshape the landscape of thyroid autoimmune disease treatment fuels my unwavering determination and passion.

    • Biomedical Researcher

      University of California San Diego
      2016 – 20193 years
    • Nursing aid, Clinical Intern

      Palomar Health Medical Center
      2018 – 20213 years
    • Process Sustaining Engineer

      Dexcom
      2020 – 20211 year
    • Biomedical Engineer

      Cambridge Medical Technologies
      2022 – Present2 years

    Sports

    Aerobics

    Club
    2015 – 20194 years

    Research

    • Nanotechnology

      National Collegiate Research Conference, Harvard University — Educate the scientific community on the topic of tissue engineering
      2018 – 2018
    • Nanotechnology

      University of California San Diego — Co-authored Biomaterials Research article. Developed bioinks with tunable mechanical properties
      2016 – 2019
    • Biochemical Engineering

      University of California San Diego — Co-authored Biomaterials Research article. Carried out material characterization, analyzed and interpreted data results using statistics tools.
      2016 – 2019

    Public services

    • Volunteering

      International Olympic Committee — Winter Olympics Olympic Committee Interpreter
      2014 – 2014
    • Volunteering

      Hillsides Foster Care — Tutor
      2010 – 2012
    • Volunteering

      Palomar Health Medical Center — Clinical Intern, Volunteer Nursing Assistant, Recruitment Team Lead
      2018 – 2021

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Volunteering

    Philanthropy

    Entrepreneurship

    Chronic Boss Scholarship
    Throughout my life, persistent fatigue, brain fog, and emotional challenges were mistakenly perceived as laziness, character flaws, and personal shortcomings. Little did I know, these struggles intricately linked to an autoimmune condition silently infiltrating my thyroid would profoundly shape my identity and change my life forever. Living with Hashimoto's Disease has undeniably been a daily struggle, encompassing physical, emotional, and mental dimensions of my life. Navigating life with an autoimmune disorder has been a profound journey marked by the ebb and flow of energy levels, muscle weakness, and joint pain. Overcoming these obstacles required cultivating a unique resilience, discipline, and forethought. Committed to self-care, I continuously educated myself about the disease. Armed with the knowledge of my condition, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. To combat my cognitive impairment, I embraced creativity and organization. Overcoming daily lapses in memory involved meticulous organization, repetition, and visual aids. To maintain focus, I often had to silence my cell phone and isolate myself in a room without any distractions while studying or working. Medication management, dietary adjustments, and a healthy lifestyle became cornerstones of my newfound resilience. This resilience extended beyond health to influence various aspects of my life. In order to fight my fatigue and muscle weakness, I had to adjust my lifestyle and incorporate frequent rest breaks into my daily routine. Exercise became my new energy booster. I developed an innate strength to face and conquer the physical limitations imposed by my condition. The unpredictability of emotional states led me to incorporate meditation into my daily routine. Though this journey hasn't been easy, it led to unexpected triumphs, including the attainment of a degree in engineering and the pursuit of a career in the biomedical field. This discipline mirrored the resilience developed in managing my health and instilled a sense of purpose and advocacy for autoimmune awareness. Hashimoto's Disease served as the catalyst that inspired my journey into the biomedical field. The foundation of my entrepreneurial vision rests on integrating cutting-edge research, a domain I currently engage in as a biomedical engineer. Because of my thyroid condition, my life goals revolve around making a lasting impact on individuals with autoimmune diseases through innovative biotechnological solutions. Fueled by passion and driven by my academic and professional background, I am compelled to set an example for those facing similar challenges. This determination propels me towards the realization of my vision – the establishment of a groundbreaking biotech company.