Did you know that most cells in the human body contain six billion nucleotide pairs? A six billion piece puzzle that makes you unique from anyone or anything that has ever existed. That alone was almost impossible to wrap my mind around. But getting to cut and explore parts of that complex puzzle with my own two hands has shown me the endless possibilities unlocked by curiosity. My biotechnology class was the first to introduce me to the complex nature of genetics and was my first taste of freedom in the labs that I chose. Fascinated by how DNA affects everything about who we are, I conducted experiments testing theories like whether a particular phenotype is linked to a dominant or recessive gene. From there, I wanted to further explore my interest in cellular biology with the idea of using technology to alter cellular functions. So, I joined the biotechnology event for Technology Student Association (TSA). Through TSA, I explored CRISPR/Cas9, a powerful gene editing tool, as a solution to severe muscle atrophy, specifically focusing on muscle atrophy from a microgravity environment. These opportunities ignited my passion for investigating the intersection of technology and healthcare. So, I began pursuing my own independent research into cancer treatments. While many other diseases I had heard of were incredibly complex, none were quite as undeniably clever as cancer appeared to be. It seemed to know exactly when to spread, where to go, and how to avoid detection. So I decided to study it and the ways that it could be treated beyond conventional approaches like chemotherapy. Of course, I couldn’t exactly conduct clinical trials, so instead, I did a deep dive to find data I could interpret on the specific disease I was tackling: leukemia. I focused on data from experimental treatments, including immunotherapies and nanoparticles. In conducting my study, I found significant gaps in the research on those treatments. My research paper discusses a path forward to address gaps in knowledge such as how to avoid toxicity to healthy cells which is a path I hope to pave with my career in biomedical engineering. The truth is that inadequate healthcare access plagues countless individuals around the world. Individuals who are punished for their financial situations and geographic locations. This injustice cannot continue. Everyone from healthcare providers to international organizations to the broader public has a moral responsibility to do their part in making healthcare affordable, high quality, and accessible through donations, activism, research, volunteering, and more. I refused to stand by and watch this suffering. In the coming years, I see myself expanding on my path towards improving access to healthcare worldwide through biomedical research that will contribute to medical innovations to save lives and through international advocacy to amplify the voices of communities in need. As a biomedical engineering student, I will expand on my interest in gene therapy and immunology by seeking out undergraduate research opportunities in biomedical laboratories. The Science and Advocacy Scholarship will help me gain insights from my professors, network and make friends, and advance my own independent research projects to create a better tomorrow.