Anna Luong
Undergraduate Student (2023 - )
Harvard College 25'

Background: My name is Anna Luong and I am from Worcester Massachusetts, which is just about 45 minutes away from Boston. Currently, I am a sophomore at Harvard University, studying Human Developmental & Regenerative Biology. Since I have been at Harvard, I have developed a fond interest in studying stem cells and how they could be used and studied to further therapeutics for those that have cancer. In my stem cells and regenerative biology class I had the opportunity to learn about embryonic development with a particular focus on gastrointestinal development and regeneration, which led me to pursue an interest in looking at ways to treat gastrointestinal cancer. I have been working with the Sethi Lab since the spring of 2023 and hope to continue to contribute to the wonderful research being done at Dana Farber. My long-term goals include pursuing a medical school education to further bring my research from bench side to bedside.

Research Interests/Projects: As far as my roles in the lab I will be helping Nilay and other fellow colleagues look at how retinoic acid (RA) signaling and dysfunction may play a role in gastrointestinal cancers to learn more about possible therapeutics using RA. I will also be working with our lab's mice and helping to genotype, breed, and take care of mice in our lab to be used as model organisms in our RA projects. I am beyond excited to be a part of this wonderful team of scientists and hope to continue to further my own education on cancer therapeutics in the lab. 

Fun Facts & Interests: My fun fact is that while I am not afraid to work with mice I am terrified of cats! I have three younger sisters and I am the oldest, being an older sister and a first-generation low-income (FGLI) student is a big part of my identity. My hobbies include math games and puzzles, crotching, and binge-watching movies/cliche medical dramas. In my spare time, you'll find me chatting with friends at a nearby coffee shop. At Harvard, I am a part of Advocating Sucess For Kids (ASK) a clinic at Boston Children's Hospital that works with children with learning disabilities, Asian American Dance Troupe (AADT), and HarvardBIOME which seeks to provide shadowing experience to Harvard undergraduates with a focus on FGLI students.