Name: Kristina Peck
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Lab: Regulatory Biology Laboratory of Dannielle Engle
Lab websites: https://engle.salk.edu/
Hobbies: Hiking, reading, baking, finding new coffee spots
What do you study? I work as a Research Assistant in a pancreatic cancer research lab. I help coordinate my labmates’ research goals and help them in their protocols and experiments. I work with 2D cells, 3D cells that act as mini-organs, and mouse models.
Why is it important? Pancreatic cancer has the second leading cancer fatality rate. It’s nearly impossible to detect early, and patients need all the help they can get once they are diagnosed. There are no early detection tests like there are for breast cancer or colon cancer. My lab focuses our efforts on early detection, which could allow a patient to be diagnosed early and have a better chance of winning their fight.
How did you become interested in science? Biology was the course I struggled with most in high school actually! I had so many questions all the time, and there was so much to learn and wrap my head around. My questions never stopped, and I became fascinated with how much you could do with biology and how much there still is to learn.
What do you like about being a scientist? I like that I don’t have to work in a small cubical. I get to be on my feet, meeting new people and doing hands-on work. I always get to ask as many questions as I want.
What are 5 general vocabulary terms someone should know going into your field of science?
cloning, metastasis, inflammation, DNA, protein
What are 5 specific vocabulary terms someone should know about your research?
organoid, oncogene, downstream gene expression, genetically engineered mouse model, biomarkers