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Nicole E. McNeil, Biologist, Section of Cancer Genomics, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, (NIH)
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1. I chose this career because...
2. My typical workday involves...
3. What I like best/least about my work...
4. My career goals...
5. When I'm not working, I like to...
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1. I chose this career because...
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Nicole wears her cap and gown at her high school graduation ceremony.
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I chose to become a biologist because I have always had an interest in the health sciences. My mom and several aunts also influenced my career decision. I was always intrigued by the stories they told about their work experiences as nurses.
Because of my interest in biology, I initially wanted to become a medical doctor. During my undergraduate program, I had two opportunities that turned my interest more towards research. One summer, I did a research internship with a pharmaceutical company. In my fourth year of undergraduate school, I did a year-long independent research project with my organic chemistry professor. These opportunities enlightened me about how such projects could be applied to human health.
My interest in genetics developed during my first job following undergraduate school. In a clinical cytogenetics lab, I analyzed patient samples for chromosomal aberrations in cancer and in prenatal abnormalities. This was my first hands-on experience in genetics and it spurred my interest in continuing my education. I continued to work and started my master’s degree program. A few years into my master’s degree program, I had the opportunity to combine my clinical and research experience in genetics when I accepted my current position at NIH.
Education
- Doctor of Philosophy, Genetics and Human Genetics, Howard University, Washington, D.C.
- Master of Science, Biology, Howard University, Washington D.C.
- Bachelor of Science, Zoology, Connecticut College, New London, Connecticut
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2. My typical workday involves...
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In the sterile environment of a laminar flow hood, Nicole feeds mouse tumor cells with supplement media.
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My typical workday involves doing research in the field of cancer genomics. I have projects in which I am trying to uncover new information about the genetics of cancer initiation and its development.
Major Tasks
- Performing experiments at the lab bench
- Analyzing research – I use different types of software to analyze the results of my experiments.
- Interacting with colleagues – We have lab meetings once a week, in which our group meets to discuss the progress of our current research projects
- Keeping up-to-date in my field - I often go to seminars to hear about the cutting edge research of other scientists.
Research Projects
My main project involves using an animal model (mouse model) of human colon cancer. In this model, I am trying to define the role of chromosomal abnormalities and gene expression changes that take place as normal colon epithelial cells spontaneously progress through the stages of transformation. This is a comparative study, in which we collect cell population samples at different time points along the stages of cellular transformation.
Some of my other projects have been conducted with human samples of different types of cancer. I’ve done a lot of work on identifying the chromosomal aberrations that occur in human leukemias, in both human samples and in mouse models. This is important because these observations can give insight into more accurate disease diagnosis, which can lead to the development of more effective treatments.
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3. What I like best/least about my work...
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Nicole uses an epiflourescence microscope, which enables her to view flourescently labeled chromosomes for cancer diagnosis or to view genes of interest.
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What I like best about my work is the variety in my workday. For the most part, I can decide what I want to do for the day, whether its doing an experiment, writing, or analyzing data. It rarely gets monotonous.
What I like least about my work is that sometimes the experiments don’t work. Then you have to repeat them, or design them using a different approach. Sometimes that can be frustrating.
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4. My career goals...
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Nicole works on the computer at her desk to compile and analyze research data.
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My career goals are to focus on my research and continue developing into a better scientist. To me, that involves communicating more with senior scientists, and also developing more effective work collaborations. You can learn from your colleagues, and others that might be working in a slightly different area. I want to continue learning from the experiences of mentors in the field.
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5. When I'm not working, I like to...
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Nicole rounds the bend at an NIH relay race.
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When I’m not working, I like to spend a lot of time with my family and friends, cooking and eating. I like playing with my nieces and nephews, and going to museums and music events. I also enjoy some sporting events. I like to run in 5K and 10K races in the area.
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