Women in Science Advocacy Group

Meghan Grim
Vice President
LinkedIn

Meg grew up in Chester County, Pennsylvania. She earned her BS in Pre-Medical Studies at Thomas Jefferson University, where she served as the President of the Asclepius Pre-Medical Society and became adjunct professor of organic chemistry labs after graduation. Currently, she is working towards finishing her MS in Cell & Developmental Biology as a Research Assistant II in the Dang Lab with Thomas Jefferson University. Meg is also applying to medical school. Her Master's thesis investigates pancreatic cancer through the use of antisense oligonucleotides targeting the RNA binding protein NELFE, and she also works on the lab's clinical research efforts.

If you had a full day without responsibilities, how would you choose to spend the day?
I would wake up very early and go for a long sunrise hike, foraging plants and mushrooms along the way, and then take care of my balcony garden when I get home. Later, I'd cook dinner with my partner using the foraged finds and ingredients from my garden! 

Elizabeth Magno
Treasurer

Elizabeth is from Doylestown, Pennsylvania and received a BA in Biology from Cornell University. After graduating from Cornell, she worked as a Research Assistant at the Wistar Institute studying ovarian cancer epigenetics. Elizabeth is starting her fourth year in the MD/PhD program and is a member of the Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (CBRM) Graduate Program. She studies bone metastatic breast cancer in the Bussard Lab.

What is your favorite place to visit in Philly?
The Barnes Foundation, which has one of the world's largest collections of Impressionist paintings!

Laura Reynolds
Secretary
LinkedIn

Laura grew up in Dayton, Maryland. She earned her BS in Biological Sciences at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She then moved across the state to Philadelphia for Thomas Jefferson University's PhD program in Genetics, Genomics, and Cancer Biology (GGCB). She is currently going into her third year, and is a member of the Dr. Hien Dang's lab studying an RNA binding protein in liver cancer.

What is your favorite hobby, and why?
My favorite hobby is rock climbing! I mostly climb in a gym where I can easily spend a few hours exercising, hanging out with friends, and meeting new people. It is also fun to do outside on nice summer days!

Yolanda Gomez-Galvez, PhD
Chair of Mentorship
LinkedIn

Yolanda was born in Madrid, Spain, where she did her Bachelor's Science Degree in Biology with a specialty in Neurobiology and her Master's Degree in Neuroscience at Universidad Complutense de Madrid. She pursued her PhD at Keele University (UK), studying how aging modifies the proteome of the substantia nigra. Her postdoctoral work in the Lacovitti's Lab at Thomas Jefferson University focuses on understanding the potential of stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles to improve functional recovery after a stroke.

If you had a full day without responsibilities, how would you choose to spend the day?
I love being outdoors, having adventures, and type 2 fun! If I had no responsibilities, I would definitely be rock climbing, cycling, or bikepacking somewhere in a remote, wild place in nature.

Judith Monzy
Chair of Outreach and Social Media
LinkedIn

Judith is a current second year medical student at Sidney Kimmel Medical College (SKMC) at Thomas Jefferson University. She earned her BS in Chemistry and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology from Franklin and Marshall College in 2021. Her undergraduate research focused on making molecules called vibrational reporters to measure distances in DNA, RNA, and proteins. After graduating from Franklin and Marshall College, she took a gap year before matriculating at SKMC where she worked at the Wistar Institute studying the novel IncRNA called ADIRF-AS1 and its role in ccRCC. She recently worked with Dr. Hien Dang studying the RNA binding proteins. She is looking forward to increasing the reach of WiSAG through various platforms and encouraging more student participation in the group.

If you had a full day without responsibilities, how would you choose to spend the day?
I enjoy hiking and walking along trails. I would like to travel to Zion National Park in Utah and walk along Angel's Landing trail. I have heard that the sight is absolutely breathtaking!

Rachel Cain
Chair of Programming
LinkedIn

Rachel is from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and received a BS in pre-medicine from Penn State University. After Penn State, Rachel began the dual-degree MD/PhD program at Thomas Jefferson University. Rachel is currently in her 6th year where she is finishing her PhD in Neuroscience in the Dalva Lab studying synaptic plasticity and development.

What is your favorite hobby and why?
I love running! I started running when I started medical school and it became a great way to socialize with friends, get outside, and explore the city. All the Philly races are super fun, too.