Dear SigLa Education Scholarship Committee Members, This fall, I will apply to the Robinson Life Sciences & Business Entrepreneurship at Cal, which will allow me to pursue the intersection of my niche interests in natural sciences and business. This program was why I pursued higher education and made me reconsider alternative approaches to helping groups of underrepresented communities through biotechnology. In subsequent classes, it was stressed to me that in today's medical field, it is not enough to understand the biological pathways to conduct translational research; you must require knowledge to bring your innovative solution to market equitably. Thus far, my experience has compelled me to believe in two ideals: Problems in medicine need a multifaceted approach to translate better care to patients. Patients from all backgrounds deserve advocacy collectively to achieve health equity. I will work toward these two ideals by setting ambitious short/long-term goals. While at Cal, I plan to follow in the footsteps of one of my mentors, Dr. Fyodor Urnov, who detailed a call to action to streamline gene editing for underrepresented patients. With today's advancements in medicine, we have the means to create curative treatments for rare pediatric genetic diseases; however, large biotech pharmaceutical companies refuse to bring these cures to market because they are not seen as profitable to serve such a small patient population. It was heartbreaking to hear Dr. Urnov read the hundreds of emails he receives daily from frustrated parents begging him to take action for the curative treatments to cure their kids' rare diseases. As an individual who is an underrepresented minority, areas of healthcare injustice become more apparent and drive me to push back against the biotech industry and prioritize other underrepresented communities ahead of financial profitability. Since joining Dr. Urnov's lab, we have united groups, including the Innovative Genomics Institute and Danaher Corporation, to make this dream a reality by platforming CRISPR/Cas9 to streamline this reprogrammable technology for standardization by building a national network of CRISPR cure centers. In doing so, we will reduce the time/cost to create these therapeutics from millions of dollars over the years to <150k in only three months needed to save the lives of countless underrepresented children suffering from rare diseases. After Cal, I plan to enroll in a dual MD/MBA program to take on health inequity from two backgrounds: medicine and business. If I gain a deep understanding of the medical field, I can identify limitations in current therapeutic areas and create novel approaches to prevalent oncologic, neurodegenerative, and pediatric diseases to find innovative methods to inhibit, alter, or edit new pathways. Additionally, medical school clinical experience will broaden my perspective on how to serve the needs of patients while discussing current treatments and standards of care. From a business background, I want to analyze patient models and identify dispositions regarding treatment accessibility in our flawed healthcare system. It will challenge me to process large amounts of information and synthesize a concise plan of action to mitigate issues. I submit my application for the SigLa Education Scholarship with the intention it will reduce the financial burden that stands in my path toward having the greatest possible impact in medicine. As only a rising sophomore, I have already expended the last of my college savings account and now rely on the generosity of external scholarships to assist in funding my next three years of undergraduate education and four years of valuable tertiary education. Any type of contribution would be greatly appreciated and never forgotten. Thank you very much for your time and consideration of my application. Sincerely, Rohan Kumar Sinha

Rohan Kumar Sinha 6 Topwood Ct, Parkville, MD, 21234 June 30th, 2024 To: Caring 4 Carrie Kidney Advocacy Scholarship Selection Committee Subject: Caring 4 Carrie Kidney Advocacy Scholarship Dear Selection Committee Members, I submit my application for the Caring 4 Carrie Kidney Advocacy Scholarship with the intention that its generosity will reduce the financial burden that stands in my path toward having the greatest possible impact in medicine. Cancer put everything into perspective. A seemingly impossible challenge tackled by almost every scientist before me. A battle that requires a multi-faceted understanding of cell biology, structural chemistry, and processive informatics to develop a therapeutic to conquer it. It's a disease that has plagued many families, including my own, which makes it so much more personal. Both my dad's parents died while he was in his late teenage years and I always wondered how I would be different if I had met them. My grandfather, in particular, suffered from a rare form of kidney cancer that has been passed down for generations. I still believe everything happens for a reason, but I refuse to pass this germline mutation to my future children. As I came to college, I aspired to break into the intersectional space between cancer therapeutic discovery and oncologic clinical translation, but I didn't know how to go about this path. To get started in the right direction, I applied to the Robinson Life Science and Business Entrepreneurship program at Cal and met my mentor, Dr. Fyodor Urnov, who conducts research surrounding genetic diseases like kidney cancer. "With advancements in our current field of medicine, we have the means to cure rare genetic diseases; however, pharmaceutical companies refuse to bring these treatments to market," Dr. Urnov told me. This is because developing a therapeutic from lab→bedside takes about four years and $8 million, which is financially unprofitable to treat only a handful of rare patients. This system is not viable for patients who might only have months to live. Yet, it does not have to be this way. Dr. Urnov partnered the Innovative Genomics Institute & Danaher Corporation to platformize gene therapy using CRISPR Cas-9 technology to edit out specific DNA mutations causing these diseases. I was driven to this cause as I wondered if my grandmother would have been saved with CRISPR. This Fall, our team will create a disease database and annotate each site for guide-RNA reprogrammability. We aim to provide this treatment method to as many patients as possible by building a national network of CRISPR cure centers that will reduce the time/cost from point mutation to clinical lead with $150k in precisely three months. CRISPR cure centers are a glimpse into the future of medicine. The hope is to have patients walk into their doctor's office and walk out a healthier person as a result of a one-time treatment that could cure monogenic diseases. Giving people a second chance in life through CRISPR gene therapy would be gratifying, and I hope my grandfather would be proud of his grandson for everything he wants to change in medicine for the betterment of others. Thank you for taking the time to consider my application. Sincerely, Rohan Kumar Sinha

Rohan Kumar Sinha 6 Topwood Ct, Parkville, MD, 21234 June 30th, 2024 To: Nikhil Desai Reinventing Healthcare Scholarship Selection Committee Subject: Nikhil Desai Reinventing Healthcare Scholarship Dear Selection Committee Members, I submit my application for the Nikhil Desai Reinventing Healthcare Scholarship with the intention that its generosity will reduce the financial burden that stands in my path towards having the greatest possible impact in medicine. Cancer has plagued many families, including my own. Both my dad's parents died while he was in his late teenage years. The stories about my grandparents always made me wonder how I would be different if I had met them. My grandmother, in particular, suffered from a rare form of breast cancer that was passed down to my dad's sister. I still believe everything happens for a reason, but I refuse to pass this germline mutation to my future children. My family's history has compelled me to believe in two ideals: 1.Issues in medicine need a multifaceted approach to translate better care to patients. 2.Patients from all backgrounds deserve advocacy collectively to achieve health equity. Thus, as I aspired to break into the intersectional space between therapeutic discovery and clinical translation, I applied to the Robinson Life Science and Business Entrepreneurship program at Cal. Through the program, I met Dr. Fyodor Urnov, who conducts biomedical research surrounding genetic diseases like breast cancer. "With advancements in our current field of medicine, we have the means to cure rare genetic diseases; however, pharmaceutical companies refuse to bring these treatments to market," Dr. Urnov told me. This is because developing a therapeutic from lab→bedside takes about 4 years and $8 million, which is financially unprofitable to treat only a handful of rare patients. This system is not viable for patients who might only have months to live. Yet it does not have to be this way. Dr. Urnov partnered the Innovative Genomics Institute & Danaher Corporation to platformize personalized gene therapy using CRISPR Cas-9 technology to edit out specific DNA mutations causing these diseases. I was driven to this cause as I wondered if my grandmother would have been saved with CRISPR. This Fall, our team will create a disease database and annotate each site for guide-RNA reprogrammability. We aim to provide this treatment method to as many patients as possible by building a national network of CRISPR cure centers that will reduce the time/cost from point mutation to clinical lead from millions of dollars over years to $150k in precisely three months. CRISPR cure centers are a glimpse into the future of medicine. The hope is to have patients walk into their doctor's office and walking out a healthier person, as a result of a one-time treatment that could modify/cure monogenic diseases. In doing so, we work towards putting the needs of patients above the business of the industry. Giving people a second chance in life through CRISPR gene therapy would be the ultimate fulfillment, and I hope my grandmother would be proud of her grandson for everything he wants to change in medicine for the betterment of others. Thank you for taking the time to consider my application. Sincerely, Rohan Kumar Sinha

Rohan Kumar Sinha 6 Topwood Ct, Parkville, MD, 21234 June 30th, 2024 To: Darius Lee Memorial Scholarship Selection Committee Subject: Darius Lee Memorial Scholarship Dear Selection Committee, I submit my application for the Darius Lee Memorial Scholarship with the intention that its generosity will reduce the financial burden that stands in my path toward having the greatest possible impact in sports medicine. It's the dead of winter, which meant snow days, hot chocolate, and well-earned winter vacations for most middle schoolers. Not to me; Spring was right around the corner. My evenings were spent at the batting cages with my teammates, fielding ground balls on the Astroturf, hitting off pitching machines in the tunnels, and anticipating Opening Day. I left that seemingly ordinary practice without a care, but little did I know that it would change the rest of my early childhood. I knew something was wrong when I woke up the next morning. I couldn't move my legs from the throbbing pain that filled them. My parents carried me down the stairs and into the car as we drove off to Kennedy Krieger Institute, where I was admitted as a pediatric inpatient. So many questions pervaded me, "Why is this happening?", "Will they ever return to normal?" and "Will I be able to walk and play baseball again." Baseball was my backbone, bringing me closer to my father, who coached; my mother, who supported me; and my brother, who I mentored. It forged my steadfast discipline, relentless work ethic, and assertive leadership. When I lost baseball, I lost myself. I spent some of my lowest days in a wheelchair at the hospital. But I will never forget the volunteer staff, whose sincere compassion and relentless commitment to my recovery were instilled within me for the years to come. Their infectious enthusiasm uplifted me, their unparalleled excitement every time we got to work together, and their dedication to bringing me happiness through it all made me realize the nobleness of their cause. I remember asking each of them why they had chosen pediatric rehab, and they each shared with me their unique personal stories of their childhood injuries and the volunteers who made a difference in their lives. Through our time spent together during the long days of intensive therapies, I was slowly rehabilitated from a wheelchair to a walking cane to walking with my own two legs. Now, looking back, it was these volunteers who truly transformed my life and quite literally brought me back on my feet. Even though my dream of playing baseball at the next level is over, I still owe it to these individuals to carry on the hope instilled within me. I believe giving young children a second chance to take on their athletic dreams with a newfound invigoration would be personally fulfilling and, most of all, make my middle school self proud of the man I became. Thank you for taking the time to consider my application, Respectfully, Rohan Kumar Sinha

Rohan Kumar Sinha 6 Topwood Ct, Parkville, MD, 21234 June 2nd, 2024 To: Our Destiny Our Future Scholarship Selection Committee Subject: Our Destiny Our Future Scholarship Dear Selection Committee, I submit my application for the Our Destiny Our Future Scholarship with the intention that its generosity will reduce the financial burden that stands in my path towards having the greatest possible impact in medicine. In middle school, I was admitted as a clinical inpatient at the Kennedy Krieger Institute for severe chronic leg pain. My days were filled with pain-intensive therapies to help mobilize my lower body. However, I remember the volunteer staff, whose sincere compassion and relentless commitment to my mental well-being were instilled within me for the years to come. It shaped my early impetus for helping pediatric patients through medicine. My childhood experience compelled me to believe in two ideals: 1.Issues in medicine need a multifaceted approach to translate better care to patients. 2.Patients from all backgrounds deserve advocacy collectively to achieve health equity. Thus, I aspire to break into the intersectional space between therapeutic discovery and clinical translation to pediatric patients by applying to the Robinson Life Science and Business Entrepreneurship program at Cal to pursue my niche curiosities in natural sciences & business. It was stressed to me that in today's medical field, it is not enough to understand the biological pathways to conduct translational research; you must require knowledge to bring your innovative solution to market equitably. Through the program, I met my mentor Dr. Fyodor Urnov, who conducts biomedical research surrounding rare pediatric diseases. "I receive hundreds of emails a day from parents begging me to use the science we have created to save their children who are going to die from curable pediatric diseases," Dr Urnov told me. With advancements in our current field of medicine, we have the means to cure rare genetic diseases; however, pharmaceutical companies refuse to bring these treatments to market. This is because developing a therapeutic from lab→bedside takes about 4 years and $8 million, which is financially unprofitable to treat only a handful of rare patients. This system is not viable for children who might only have months to live. Yet it does not have to be this way. Dr. Urnov united the Innovative Genomics Institute & Danaher Corporation to platformize personalized gene therapy using CRISPR Cas-9 technology to edit out specific DNA mutations causing these diseases. This Fall, our team will create a disease database and annotate each site for CRISPR treatability. We hope to expand this reprogrammable technology with a national network of CRISPR cure centers. This would reduce the time/cost to develop these therapeutics from millions of dollars over years to only $150k in exactly three months. This is what is needed to save children suffering from these rare genetic diseases. After Cal, I will matriculate into a dual MD/MBA program to take on health inequity from medicine and business. If I gain a deep understanding of the medical field, I can identify limitations in current therapeutic areas and create innovative methods to manipulate biological pathways to treat prevalent pediatric diseases. From a business background, I want to analyze patient models and identify dispositions regarding treatment accessibility in our flawed healthcare system. CRISPR cure centers are a glimpse into the future of medicine. In doing so, I hope to put the needs of pediatric patients above the business of the industry. Giving young children a second chance in life through CRISPR gene therapy would be personally fulfilling. Thank you for taking the time to consider my application. Respectfully, Rohan Kumar Sinha

Rohan Kumar Sinha 6 Topwood Ct, Parkville, MD, 21234 June 2nd, 2024 To: Eleanor Anderson-Miles Foundation Scholarship Selection Committee Subject: Eleanor Anderson-Miles Foundation Scholarship Dear Selection Committee, I submit my application for the Eleanor Anderson-Miles Foundation Scholarship with the intention that its generosity will reduce the financial burden that stands in my path towards having the greatest possible impact in medicine. In middle school, I was admitted as a clinical inpatient at the Kennedy Krieger Institute for severe chronic leg pain. My days were filled with pain-intensive therapies to help mobilize my lower body. However, I remember the volunteer staff, whose sincere compassion and relentless commitment to my mental well-being were instilled within me for the years to come. It shaped my early impetus for helping pediatric patients through medicine. My childhood experience compelled me to believe in two ideals: 1.Issues in medicine need a multifaceted approach to translate better care to patients. 2.Patients from all backgrounds deserve advocacy collectively to achieve health equity. Thus, I aspire to break into the intersectional space between therapeutic discovery and clinical translation to pediatric patients by I applying to the Robinson Life Science and Business Entrepreneurship program at Cal to pursue my niche curiosities in natural sciences & business. It was stressed to me that in today's medical field, it is not enough to understand the biological pathways to conduct translational research; you must require knowledge to bring your innovative solution to market equitably. Through the program, I met my mentor Dr. Fyodor Urnov, who conducts biomedical research surrounding rare pediatric diseases. "I receive hundreds of emails a day from parents begging me to use the science we have created to save their children who are going to die from curable pediatric diseases," Dr Urnov told me. With advancements in our current field of medicine, we have the means to cure rare genetic diseases; however, pharmaceutical companies refuse to bring these treatments to market. This is because developing a therapeutic from lab→bedside takes about 4 years and $8 million, which is financially unprofitable to treat only a handful of rare patients. This system is not viable for children who might only have months to live. Yet it does not have to be this way. Dr. Urnov united the Innovative Genomics Institute & Danaher Corporation to platformize personalized gene therapy using CRISPR Cas-9 technology to edit out specific DNA mutations causing these diseases. This Fall, our team will create a disease database and annotate each site for CRISPR treatability. We hope to expand this reprogrammable technology with a national network of CRISPR cure centers. This would reduce the time/cost to develop these therapeutics from millions of dollars over years to only $150k in exactly three months. This is what is needed to save the lives of countless children suffering from these rare genetic diseases. After Cal, I will matriculate into a dual MD/MBA program to take on health inequity from medicine and business. If I gain a deep understanding of the medical field, I can identify limitations in current therapeutic areas and create innovative methods to manipulate biological pathways to treat prevalent pediatric diseases. From a business background, I want to analyze patient models and identify dispositions regarding treatment accessibility in our flawed healthcare system. CRISPR cure centers are a glimpse into the future of medicine. In doing so, I hope to put the needs of pediatric patients above the business of the industry. Giving young children a second chance in life through CRISPR gene therapy would be personally fulfilling. Thank you for taking the time to consider my application. Respectfully, Rohan Kumar Sinha

Rohan Kumar Sinha 6 Topwood Ct, Parkville, MD, 21234 June 2nd, 2024 To: Reginald Kelley Scholarship Selection Committee Subject: 2024 Reginald Kelley Scholarship Dear Selection Committee, I submit my application for the Reginald Kelley Scholarship with the intention that its generosity will reduce the financial burden that stands in my path towards having the greatest possible impact in medicine. In middle school, I was admitted as a clinical inpatient at the Kennedy Krieger Institute for severe chronic leg pain. My days were filled with pain-intensive therapies to help mobilize my lower body. However, I remember the volunteer staff, whose sincere compassion and relentless commitment to my mental well-being were instilled within me for the years to come. It shaped my early impetus for helping pediatric patients through medicine. My childhood experience compelled me to believe in two ideals: 1.Issues in medicine need a multifaceted approach to translate better care to patients. 2.Patients from all backgrounds deserve advocacy collectively to achieve health equity. Thus, I aspire to break into the intersectional space between therapeutic discovery and clinical translation to pediatric patients by I applying to the Robinson Life Science and Business Entrepreneurship program at Cal to pursue my niche curiosities in natural sciences & business. It was stressed to me that in today's medical field, it is not enough to understand the biological pathways to conduct translational research; you must require knowledge to bring your innovative solution to market equitably. Through the program, I met my mentor Dr. Fyodor Urnov, who conducts biomedical research surrounding rare pediatric diseases. "I receive hundreds of emails a day from parents begging me to use the science we have created to save their children who are going to die from curable pediatric diseases," Dr Urnov told me. With advancements in our current field of medicine, we have the means to cure rare genetic diseases; however, pharmaceutical companies refuse to bring these treatments to market. This is because developing a therapeutic from lab→bedside takes about 4 years and $8 million, which is financially unprofitable to treat only a handful of rare patients. This system is not viable for children who might only have months to live. Yet it does not have to be this way. Dr. Urnov united the Innovative Genomics Institute & Danaher Corporation to platformize personalized gene therapy using CRISPR Cas-9 technology to edit out specific DNA mutations causing these diseases. This Fall, our team will create a disease database and annotate each site for guide-RNA reprogrammability & CRISPR treatability. We hope to expand this reprogrammable technology with a national network of CRISPR cure centers. This would reduce the time/cost to develop these therapeutics from millions of dollars over years to only $150k in exactly three months. This is what is needed to save the lives of children suffering from these rare genetic diseases. After Cal, I will matriculate into a dual MD/MBA program to take on health inequity from medicine and business. If I gain a deep understanding of the medical field, I can identify limitations in current therapeutic areas and create innovative methods to manipulate biological pathways to treat prevalent pediatric diseases. From a business background, I want to analyze patient models and identify dispositions regarding treatment accessibility in our flawed healthcare system. CRISPR cure centers are a glimpse into the future of medicine. In doing so, I hope to put the needs of pediatric patients above the business of the industry. Giving young children a second chance in life through CRISPR gene therapy would be personally fulfilling. Thank you for taking the time to consider my application. Respectfully, Rohan Kumar Sinha

Rohan Kumar Sinha 6 Topwood Ct, Parkville, MD, 21234 June 2nd, 2024 To: Brotherhood Bows Scholarship Selection Committee Subject: 2024 Brotherhood Bows Scholarship Dear Selection Committee, I submit my application for the Brotherhood Bows Scholarship with the intention that its generosity will reduce the financial burden that stands in my path towards having the greatest possible impact in medicine. In middle school, I was admitted as a clinical inpatient at the Kennedy Krieger Institute for severe chronic leg pain. My days were filled with pain-intensive therapies to help mobilize my lower body. The emotional distress was challenging to deal with as a young kid who was going through the formative years of my childhood. However, I remember the volunteer staff who truly became the light in my life. Their sincere compassion and relentless commitment to my mental well-being throughout this uncertain period were instilled within me for the years to come and shaped my early impetus for helping pediatric patients through medicine. My childhood experience has compelled me to believe in two ideals: 1.Issues in medicine need a multifaceted approach to translate better care to patients. 2.Patients from all backgrounds deserve advocacy collectively to achieve health equity. Thus, I aspire to break into the intersectional space between therapeutic discovery and clinical translation to pediatric patients. Therefore I applied to the Robinson Life Science and Business Entrepreneurship program at the University of California Berkeley to pursue my niche curiosities in natural sciences and business. It was stressed to me that in today's medical field, it is not enough to understand the biological pathways to conduct translational research; you must require knowledge to bring your innovative solution to market equitably. Through the program, I met my mentor Dr. Fyodor Urnov, who conducts biomedical research surrounding genetic diseases. "I receive hundreds of emails a day from parents begging me to use the science we have created to save their children who are going to die from curable pediatric diseases." Dr. Urnov said this to our Introduction to Biotech class as he detailed an alarming call to action to streamline gene editing to improve our dated healthcare system. What struck me immediately was that Dr. Urnov was an accomplished researcher in molecular therapeutics, yet he was coming to a class full of undergraduate freshmen to humbly ask for our attention and assistance. "With advancements in our current field of medicine, we have the means to cure rare genetic diseases; however, pharmaceutical companies refuse to bring these treatments to market," Dr. Urnov told me. This is because developing a therapeutic from lab→bedside takes about 4 years and $8 million, which is financially unprofitable to treat only a handful of rare patients. This system is not viable for children who might only have months to live. Yet it does not have to be this way. Dr. Urnov united the Innovative Genomics Institute and Danaher Corporation to platformize personalized gene therapy using CRISPR Cas-9 technology to edit out specific DNA mutations causing these diseases. This Fall, our team will create a disease database and annotate each site for guide-RNA reprogrammability & CRISPR treatability. We hope to expand this reprogrammable technology by creating a national network of CRISPR cure centers. Each center will follow a cyclic blueprint outlined from patient to causative variant, to editing approach to method of delivery, to assessing the safety/efficacy to clinical trials, and back to the patient. This would reduce the time/cost to develop these therapeutics from millions of dollars over years to only $150k in a matter of three months. This is what is needed to save the lives of countless children suffering from these rare genetic diseases. The hope is to have patients walk into a regular doctor's office and walking out a changed person, a healthier person as a result of a one-time treatment that could modify/cure these monogenic diseases. After Cal, I plan to enroll in a dual MD/MBA program to take on health inequity from two backgrounds: medicine and business. If I gain a deep understanding of the medical field, I can identify limitations in current therapeutic areas and create novel approaches to prevalent oncologic, neurodegenerative, and pediatric diseases to find innovative methods to inhibit, alter, or edit new pathways. Additionally, medical school clinical experience will broaden my perspective on how to serve the needs of pediatric patients while discussing current treatments and standards of care. From a business background, I want to analyze patient models and identify dispositions regarding treatment accessibility in our flawed healthcare system. It will challenge me to process large amounts of information and synthesize a concise plan of action to mitigate issues. Together, this will make me a more rounded physician if I pursue a medical residency; likewise, if I gravitate towards business, I will use the knowledge from Cal’s LSBE Program + MBA to create a biotech startup using CRISPR gene therapy to develop therapeutics for pediatric patients. CRISPR cure centers are a glimpse into the future of medicine. In doing so, I hope to put the needs of patients above the business of the industry. Giving young children a second chance in life through CRISPR gene therapy would be the ultimate fulfillment. Thank you for taking the time to consider my application. Respectfully, Rohan Kumar Sinha

Cancer has a personal impact on my family. Both my grandparents died while my dad just started college. I always heard such amazing stories about them and wondered what it would have been like if I had the chance to meet them. Moreover, I wondered what my dad would have been like going through his late teenage years with his parents still around to support him. My grandmother, in particular, suffered from a rare form of breast cancer, the same type that was passed down to my dad's sister, my Aunt Rani, who was diagnosed years ago. Through it all, I still believe everything happens for a reason. However, I refuse to accept the fact that I am okay with this disease affecting my daughter if I have children in the future. This year, as I came to the West Coast to begin my college education, I wanted to involve myself in biomedical research surrounding genetic diseases such as breast cancer. I was pleased to meet Dr. Fyodor Urnov, a Molecular Therapeutics Professor at Cal Berkeley. "With advancements in our current field of medicine, we have all of the means to cure rare genetic diseases; however, large pharmaceutical companies refuse to bring these treatments to market," Dr. Urnov told me. This is because these business ventures are seen as financially unprofitable. To develop a therapeutic from lab→bedside, it takes about (4 years and $8 million) to treat only a handful of rare patients. This system is not viable for these patients who might only have months to live, yet it does not have to be this way. Since then, Dr. Urnov has united the Innovative Genomics Institute and Danaher Corporation, working to platformize personalized gene therapy using CRISPR Cas-9 technology. This solution is possible with reprogrammable guide RNA to edit out specific mutations of patients' DNA. After hearing about Dr. Urnov's mission, I knew I wanted to be a part of this process to bring CRISPR-based discoveries to the bedsides of patients. In this pursuit I am driven by the question: could my grandmother have been saved if she had access to CRISPR-based gene therapies? This fall, our team will create a database of every single monogenic disease among clinical patients and annotate each mutated site for guide-RNA reprogrammability, which will narrow down the number of treatable diseases with CRISPR Cas-9. In the bigger picture, we hope to provide this treatment method to as many patients as possible by building a national network of CRISPR cure centers. Each center will follow a cyclic blueprint outlined from patient to causative variant, to editing approach to method of delivery, to assessing the safety/efficacy to clinical trials, and back to the patient. This patented procedure will reduce the time and cost from point mutation to clinical lead, from millions of dollars over many years to developing a therapeutic with only $150k in precisely three months. Ethically, I have always believed that patients should always come before the business of the industry. CRISPR cure centers are a glimpse of what the future of medicine will resemble and are essential to have the most significant possible impact on as many patients as possible. In doing so, we are working towards something larger than the actions of any one individual. To give people a second chance in life through the innovation of CRISPR Cas-9 personalized gene therapy would be the ultimate fulfillment. I am confident that my grandmother would be proud of her grandson's service to his community and everything he wants to change in medicine for the betterment of others.

This fall, I intend to apply to the Robinson Life Sciences & Business Entrepreneurship at Cal, which will allow me to pursue the intersection of my niche interests in natural sciences and business. This program was why I pursued higher education and made me reconsider alternative approaches to helping groups of underrepresented communities through biotechnology. In subsequent classes, it was stressed to me that in today's medical field, it is not enough to understand the biological pathways to conduct translational research; you must require knowledge to bring your innovative solution to market equitably. Thus far, my experience has compelled me to believe in two ideals: 1. Problems in medicine need a multifaceted approach to translate better care to patients. 2. Patients from all backgrounds deserve advocacy collectively to achieve health equity. I will work toward these two ideals by setting ambitious short/long-term goals. While at Cal, I plan to follow in the footsteps of one of my mentors, Dr. Fyodor Urnov. I first met Dr. Urnov as he visited our Introduction to Biotech class to detail a call to action to streamline gene editing. What struck me immediately was that he was an accomplished researcher in molecular therapeutics, yet he was coming to a class full of undergraduate freshmen to humbly ask for our attention and assistance. With today's advancements in medicine, we have the means to create curative treatments for rare pediatric genetic diseases called Inborn Errors of Immunity; however, large biotech pharmaceutical companies refuse to bring these cures to market because they are not seen as profitable. It was heartbreaking to hear Dr. Urnov read the hundreds of emails he receives daily from frustrated parents begging him to take action for the curative treatments to cure their kids' rare diseases. In this instance, Dr. Urnov took a stand against what he knew was morally wrong and asked us to join his research lab to push back against the biotech industry and put patients before the business. Since then, Dr. Urnov has united communities, including the Innovative Genomics Institute and Danaher Corporation, to make this dream a reality by platforming CRISPR/Cas9 to streamline this reprogrammable technology for standardization. He hopes to expand this idea by building a national network of CRISPR cure centers that would follow a cyclic blueprint from mutation to a clinical lead. In doing so, Dr. Urnov is reducing the time/cost to create these therapeutics from millions of dollars over years to <150k in only three months needed to save the lives of countless children suffering from IEI. After Cal, I plan to enroll in a dual MD/MBA program to take on health inequity from two backgrounds: medicine and business. If I gain a deep understanding of the medical field, I can identify limitations in current therapeutic areas and create novel approaches to prevalent oncologic, neurodegenerative, and pediatric diseases to find innovative methods to inhibit, alter, or edit new pathways. Additionally, medical school clinical experience will broaden my perspective on how to serve the needs of patients while discussing current treatments and standards of care. From a business background, I want to analyze patient models and identify dispositions regarding treatment accessibility in our flawed healthcare system. It will challenge me to process large amounts of information and synthesize a concise plan of action to mitigate issues. Together, this will make me a more rounded physician if I pursue a medical residency; likewise, if I gravitate towards business, I will create a biotech startup with acquired knowledge, experience, and network.

In middle school, I was admitted as a clinical inpatient at the Kennedy Krieger Institute for severe chronic leg pain. My days were filled with pain-intensive therapies to help mobilize my lower body. The emotional distress was challenging to deal with as a young kid who was going through the formative years of my childhood. However, I remember the volunteer staff who truly became the light in my life. Their sincere compassion and relentless commitment to my mental well-being throughout this uncertain period were instilled within me for the years to come and shaped my early impetus for helping pediatric patients through medicine. Following these aspirations, in November, I intend to apply to the Robinson Life Sciences & Business Entrepreneurship at Cal, allowing me to pursue the intersection of my niche interests in natural sciences and business. This program made me reconsider my dream of taking an alternative approach to helping groups of underrepresented children through biotechnology. In subsequent classes, it was stressed to me that in today's medical field, it is not enough to understand the biological pathways to conduct translational research; you must require knowledge to bring your innovative solution to market equitably. At Cal, I will follow in the footsteps of my mentor, Dr. Fyodor Urnov, whose mission is to streamline gene editing using CRISPR Cas-9. Today, we have all of the means to create curative treatments for rare pediatric genetic diseases. However, large biotech pharmaceutical companies refuse to bring these cures to market because they are not seen as profitable. I joined Dr. Urnov's research lab to push back against the eccentric industry, prioritizing pediatric patients before pharmaceutical business ventures. We hope to expand this reprogrammable technology by creating a national network of CRISPR cure centers, which would reduce the time/cost to develop these therapeutics from millions of dollars over years to only $150k in a matter of three months. This is what is needed to save the lives of countless children suffering from these rare genetic diseases. If selected, the John Young “Pursue Your Passion” Scholarship will reduce the financial burden that impedes my dream of having the greatest possible impact in reducing healthcare disparities. After Cal, I plan to enroll in a dual MD/MBA program to take on health inequity from two backgrounds: medicine and business. If I gain a deep understanding of the medical field, I can identify limitations in current therapeutic areas and create novel approaches to prevalent pediatric diseases to find innovative methods to inhibit, alter, or edit new pathways. From a business background, I want to analyze patient models and identify dispositions regarding treatment accessibility in our flawed healthcare system. It will challenge me to process large amounts of information and synthesize a concise plan of action to mitigate issues. Together, this will make me a more rounded physician if I pursue a medical residency; likewise, if I gravitate towards business, I will create a biotech startup that can bring therapeutic treatments to market equitably.

This fall, I intend to apply to the Robinson Life Sciences & Business Entrepreneurship at Cal, which will allow me to pursue the intersection of my niche interests in natural sciences and business. This program was why I pursued higher education and made me reconsider alternative approaches to helping groups of underrepresented communities through biotechnology. In subsequent classes, it was stressed to me that in today's medical field, it is not enough to understand the biological pathways to conduct translational research; you must require knowledge to bring your innovative solution to market equitably. Thus far, my experience has compelled me to believe in two ideals: 1. Problems in medicine need a multifaceted approach to translate better care to patients. 2. Patients from all backgrounds deserve advocacy collectively to achieve health equity. I will work toward these two ideals by setting ambitious short/long-term goals. While at Cal, I plan to follow in the footsteps of one of my mentors, Dr. Fyodor Urnov. I first met Dr. Urnov as he visited our Introduction to Biotech class to detail a call to action to streamline gene editing. What struck me immediately was that he was an accomplished researcher in molecular therapeutics, yet he was coming to a class full of undergraduate freshmen to humbly ask for our attention and assistance. With today's advancements in medicine, we have the means to create curative treatments for rare pediatric genetic diseases called Inborn Errors of Immunity; however, large biotech pharmaceutical companies refuse to bring these cures to market because they are not seen as profitable. It was heartbreaking to hear Dr. Urnov read the hundreds of emails he receives daily from frustrated parents begging him to take action for the curative treatments to cure their kids' rare diseases. In this instance, Dr. Urnov took a stand against what he knew was morally wrong and asked us to join his research lab to push back against the biotech industry and put patients before the business. Since then, Dr. Urnov has united communities, including the Innovative Genomics Institute and Danaher Corporation, to make this dream a reality by platforming CRISPR/Cas9 to streamline this reprogrammable technology for standardization. He hopes to expand this idea by building a national network of CRISPR cure centers that would follow a cyclic blueprint from mutation to a clinical lead. In doing so, Dr. Urnov is reducing the time/cost to create these therapeutics from millions of dollars over years to <150k in only three months needed to save the lives of countless children suffering from IEI. After Cal, I plan to enroll in a dual MD/MBA program to take on health inequity from two backgrounds: medicine and business. If I gain a deep understanding of the medical field, I can identify limitations in current therapeutic areas and create novel approaches to prevalent oncologic, neurodegenerative, and pediatric diseases to find innovative methods to inhibit, alter, or edit new pathways. Additionally, medical school clinical experience will broaden my perspective on how to serve the needs of patients while discussing current treatments and standards of care. From a business background, I want to analyze patient models and identify dispositions regarding treatment accessibility in our flawed healthcare system. It will challenge me to process large amounts of information and synthesize a concise plan of action to mitigate issues. Together, this will make me a more rounded physician if I pursue a medical residency; likewise, if I gravitate towards business, I will create a biotech startup with acquired knowledge, experience, and network.