e n ts CA L S St u dM ark M a k e T h e ir
THE BOLD RESEARCH AND OUTREACH BEING DONE IN AND THROUGH THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND LIFE SCIENCES ISN’T JUST THE DOMAIN OF FACULTY AND STAFF. OUR UNDERGRADUATES ARE LEAVING THEIR BIG RED PAW PRINTS FROM ITHACA TO INDONESIA. JOIN US AS WE GET TO KNOW SOME SUPER STUDENTS, INCLUDING AN ENTOMOLOGICAL EXPLORER, A GASTRONOMIC SOCIAL SCIENTIST, A CRUSADING BREEDER, A CONSCIENTIOUS CONSULTANT, AND YOUNG SCIENTISTS PURSUING CURES FOR CANCER AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.
Am y Zhao , From Canines to Cancer CELLULAR BIOLOGY AND SALSA DANCING ARE THE TWO GREAT PASSIONS AMY ZHAO ‘14 HAS DISCOVERED DURING HER TIME AT CORNELL. A TRANSFER STUDENT FROM RUTGERS, ZHAO ORIGINALLY STARTED DOWN THE PRE-VET PATH UNTIL A COURSE IN DOMESTIC ANIMAL BIOLOGY TOOK HER FROM PUPPIES TO PORPHYRINS. BY MANIPULATING ONE OF THE BEST-KNOWN PORPHYRINS, HEME—THE CORE OF THE SUBSTANCE THAT GIVES BLOOD ITS COLOR—CANCER CELLS CAN BECOME PHOTOSENSITIVE. THIS COULD LEAD TO NOVEL LIGHT-BASED TREATMENTS FOR TRICKY CANCERS LIKE ORAL, ESOPHAGEAL, COLON AND LUNG. ZHAO IS TRYING TO ENCOURAGE THE BODY’S OWN CELLULAR MECHANISMS TO PRODUCE MORE OF THESE CANCER-FIGHTING AGENTS. ZHAO SAYS SHE SLEEPS AT HOME AND LIVES IN HER LAB, BUT THIS ENERGETIC GAL FROM THE GARDEN STATE DOES TAKE THE OCCASIONAL BREAK TO SHAKE HER HIPS AT THE BIG RED BARN. NEXT ON HER TO-DO LIST? HORSEBACK RIDING. SHE PLANS TO STAY IN ITHACA AND CONTINUE ON AS A DOCTORAL CANDIDATE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SCIENCE.
by ellen leventry photos by robyn wishna unless otherwise noted
24
Help PeriodiCALS Go Green. Opt to receive the magazine online at periodicals.cals.cornell.edu