Nicole presents at Winchell Symposium, April 23, 2010
Written by Cheng Lee ’10
Nicole Soiseth ’10, a biology major from Anchorage, Alaska, has grasped every learning opportunity imaginable while at Gustavus. Her motivation to succeed in college led her to research, learn beyond the classroom, and help others.
Since her sophomore year, Soiseth has worked with research professor Sanjive Qazi on testing ways to more quickly detect HIV in patients. Very few undergraduate students ever get the chance to publish research, but Soiseth’s hard work is now available for science researchers throughout the world. Her “Early detection of HIV-1 infection” research has been published in the E-Journal of Biological Sciences, which is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes research articles in all areas of biological sciences.
Soiseth spent her junior year with the Mayo Innovation Scholars Program (MISP), where she researched methods of anti-cancer drug delivery. MISP offers an opportunity for selected graduate students and undergraduate science and business students to research projects submitted by Mayo Clinic professionals through the Mayo Clinic Office of Intellectual Property.
In addition, Soiseth currently mentors James Ebling ’11, Kim Rostvold ’11, and Laura Secor ’12 with the work she does with Dr. Qazi. Under her direction, they will present their investigation of the relationship between HIV infection and cancer proliferation at the Winchell Undergraduate Symposium at the University of St. Thomas on Friday, April 23, 2010, and at the Celebration of Creative Inquiry, a Gustavus tradition highlighting students’ projects and assignments from all academic disciplines on April 30, 2010.
Beyond her passion for the sciences, Soiseth has been involved with women’s cross-country for four years and was named captain her junior year.
Soiseth did nothing short of amazing things with her four years at Gustavus. With plans to spend her summer at a science exploration camp in Anchorage, and then on to a bio-medical research internship, and eventually to medical school, she can confidently go out in to the world knowing she has prepared herself through science research experiences and helping others gain a better understanding of the sciences.
Soiseth’s published work can be found here: http://www.ejarr.com/ejbs/Volume2.aspx
For a feature of Nicole Soiseth and research at Gustavus, watch this video: