Name: Hank Bradford
Hometown: Carlsbad, CA
Hobbies: Volleyball, guitar, cooking, and fly fishing
Lab: Farah Sheikh Lab, UC San Diego
What do you study?
My lab studies a disease that can cause young athletes’ hearts to stop working. We try to understand why certain people get this disease and think of ways to help them get better. My project studies how a single mistake in someone’s DNA can cause this heart problem. I am currently testing different ways to prevent this disease.
Why is it important?
This disease can be very dangerous so it’s important to be able to make predictions about who may get this disease and how we can help them.
What first got you interested in science?
I got interested in science when I took a college course on infectious diseases. I was amazed by the ability of scientists to study things they can’t see with their eyes and figure out solutions for complicated health problems.
What do you like about being a scientist?
I really enjoy so many things about being a scientist. It is amazing to work towards solving unanswered scientific questions that can provide important information about biology and potentially help treat disease.
What are 5 general vocabulary terms someone should know going into your field of science?
DNA, gene, protein, heart, muscle
What are 5 specific vocabulary terms someone should know about your research or profession?
arrhythmia, ejection fraction, ventricle, atrium, gene therapy
Sneak peak of my research: Below is an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) showing all four chambers of a mouse heart.
