Undergrad Aleah Nguyen embraces the chance ‘to write my own story’ in pediatric cancer research

By William Lineberry
University College & Honors College

As an aspiring physician, Aleah Nguyen wants to heal - and as a student researcher, she wants to reveal.

Nguyen, a rising junior in Virginia Commonwealth University's Honors College, is majoring in biology in the College of Humanities and Sciences. This summer, through the Honors Summer Undergraduate Research Program, Nguyen began building her foundation for pediatric cancer research through a collaboration with a VCU School of Medicine faculty member.

"I love the idea of constantly chasing something," said Nguyen, who was drawn to the subject by the broad potential to identify cures. "Granted, within cancer research, you are often chasing something that is really difficult to get. But I love the challenge and being able to contribute my knowledge."

Nguyen was paired this summer with Rajan Gogna, Ph.D., assistant professor of human and molecular genetics. While much of his work has targeted breast cancer, Gogna and his graduate assistant, Gaurav Bilolikar, fully supported Nguyen's pursuit of her own research around pediatric cancer.

"I was really interested in cancer research in general, but the lab allowed me to write my own story without having to be molded into the story that already existed in this lab," she said.

Nguyen focused on neuroblastoma, a rare form of pediatric cancer, and how to better classify the different types that exist. She and her advisors examined genes that are the differentiating markers within those forms of the cancer, with an eye toward how improved treatments can be formulated.

Nguyen said the Honors summer program helped her establish a baseline for the research she wants to dedicate her career to.

"Learning from research is such an experience," she said. "It's a different experience than learning in the classroom. You are able to take so much in as a student but also, for me, as a future physician. You start to understand the things you really want to look out for and how to create and hypothesize good questions and how to work with a team and get things done successfully."

"Now that I have a basic understanding of what my end goal is," she added, "what can I do now to help facilitate that moving forward?"

In late July, Nguyen presented her research project in the poster presentation that featured a dozen other participants in the summer Honors program. And though her work lasted only eight weeks, she feels she has contributed to the broader cancer research canon.

"Every little thing in cancer research is built on top of one another," Nguyen said. "Even though my research is obviously not comparable to someone who has spent their whole career doing it, my time and effort within this project still makes an impact. Through this research, I know I am making a difference in helping move the study of this forward - and that's the most important thing for me."

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