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Abigail Wald
Year started program: 2006
Program name: Molecular Virology And Microbiology
2006 - B.S. - Genetics, Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin - Madison

I knew I wanted to go to graduate school, but I was unsure of the specific area of research that would interest me. When I visited the University of Pittsburgh, I was impressed with the caliber and variety of research and the dedication of mentorship. I chose to come to the University of Pittsburgh because of its broad interdisciplinary program. As soon as I started my rotations at Pitt, I knew I made the right choice. The faculty, staff, and students were very welcoming and helped me with lab rotations, classes, and graduate student life. Throughout my time here, I have presented my work at local, national, and international conferences and retreats.

I am studying the role of microRNAs in human papillomavirus-related cancers. Specifically, I am looking into cellular miRNAs altered specifically by HPV in head and neck cancers. We have identified a subset of miRNAs that are altered in response to HPV infection. These miRNAs will be further studied to determine how/why they are up- or down-regulated and potential gene targets will be elucidated. Understanding how miRNAs play a role in altering genes and pathways in HPV-positive and HPV-negative head and neck cancers may identify mechanism involved in the development of these cancers.

Abstracts: Boster AI, Ferris RL, Khan SA. 2009. HPV-16 Infection Alters Cellular MicroRNA Expression in SCCHN. 25th International Papillomavirus Conference, Malmo, Sweden. Oral Presentation. Boster AI, Gardiner AS, Ferris RL, Khan SA. 2008. Dysregulated Cellular microRNA Expression in HPV-positive Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck (SCCHN). Molecular Biology of DNA Tumor Viruses Conference. Madison, WI, USA. Oral Presentation Boster AI, Gardiner AS, Ferris RL, Khan SA. 2007. Identification of Differentially Expressed microRNAs in HPV-positive Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck (SCCHN). 24th International Papillomavirus Conference. Beijing, China. Poster Presentation.

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