WASHINGTON, PA (May 8, 2024)—Five Washington & Jefferson College (W&J) students have received stipends from the College’s Merck Internships for Excellence in Science Program, which supports off-campus summer biomedical research internships.
The students include Sierra Kuzak, Vaishnavi Peyyety, Abigail Staub, Victoria Stracci and Michael Wageley.
Learn more about each student and their research below.
Sierra Kuzak ’25
Major: Biology, Psychology, and Spanish
- Kuzak will return for a third summer internship in Dr. Visvanathan Ramamurthy’s laboratory in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the West Virginia University School of Medicine in Morgantown, West Virginia. Her research will continue to focus on determining the role of the microvilli of Müller glial cells in the retina of mammalian eyes. The Merck program funded Kuzak’s summer 2023 internship, while a Magellan Franklin Internship Award supported her summer 2022 internship.
Vaishnavi Peyyety ’24
Major: Chemistry
Minor: Business Administration
- Peyyety will return for a third summer internship in Dr. Mary Ellen Vajravelu’s laboratory in the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her research will continue to focus on characterizing social determinants of health among young adults with type 2 diabetes. The Merck program funded Peyyety’s summer 2023 internship, while W&J’s Maxwell Internships Program supported her summer 2022 internship.
Abigail Staub ’25
Major: Biology
- Staub will return for a second summer internship in Dr. Kelly Whelan’s laboratory at the Fels Cancer Institute for Personalized Medicine, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Staub’s research will continue to focus on discovering the molecular mechanisms underlying altered mitochondrial biology in the inflammatory disease eosinophilic esophagitis. The College’s Maxwell Internships Program funded her summer 2023 internship.
Victoria Stracci ’25
Major: Biochemistry and Spanish
Minor: Music
- Stracci will intern in Dr. David Vorp’s laboratory at the Center for Vascular Remodeling and Regeneration, Swanson School of Engineering, at the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her research will focus on the role of inflammation and immune response in endometriosis.
Michael Wageley ’25
Major: Biochemistry
Minor: Mathematics
- Wageley will return for a second summer internship in Dr. Farzad Esni’s laboratory in the Department of Surgery at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His research will continue to focus on the trans-differentiation of pancreatic acinar cells to insulin-secreting pancreatic β cells as a potential treatment for Type I diabetes. W&J’s Maxwell Internships Program funded Wageley’s summer 2023 internship.
W&J’s Merck Internships for Excellence in Science Program began in 2007 with a gift from the biopharmaceutical company’s Merck Institute for Science Education.
Since 2008, 82 W&J students have been named Merck Scholars and conducted biomedical research internships at world-class institutions domestically and abroad.
Any W&J student interested in biomedical research who meets the qualifications, regardless of major, is welcome to apply for internship funding.
The Merck Selection Committee consists of Dr. Candy DeBerry, professor of biology, program director of biochemistry and Merck program administrator and committee chair; Dr. Hannah Bradshaw, assistant professor of psychology; Dr. Mark Harris, professor of chemistry, director of Health Studies and chair of the Pre-Health Professions Committee; and Dr. Kelly Lohr, assistant professor of biology.
For more information about the Merck Internships for Excellence in Science Program, visit the science internships site on Sakai or contact Dr. DeBerry at cdeberry@smcun.com.
About Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, proudly located in Washington, Pennsylvania, is a historic liberal arts college founded in 1781 that values ethical leadership, professional readiness and inclusive communities. Our highly customized and intellectually engaging student experience develops professionals of uncommon integrity to lead in an ever-changing world. For more information about W&J, visit tz2g.smcun.com or call 888-W-AND-JAY.