My long-term goal is to become an independent translational scientist specializing in neuro-oncology, with a focus on developing more effective treatment strategies for aggressive gliomas. I am particularly interested in understanding how pharmacology, radiation, and tumor biology can be integrated to improve therapeutic efficacy in diseases where current standard-of-care approaches remain insufficient. My research interests center on treatment optimization, radiosensitization, drug delivery, and translational strategies that can bridge mechanistic insight with clinically meaningful impact. My scientific training has progressively moved me toward this goal. As an undergraduate chemistry researcher in Dr. John Swierk’s laboratory at Binghamton University, I developed a strong foundation in experimental research and analytical thinking. I then completed postbaccalaureate research training in Dr. William D Figg’s Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory at the National Institutes of Health, where I worked in cancer pharmacology and pharmacometrics. This experience provided rigorous training in translational oncology research and strengthened my interest in using quantitative pharmacologic approaches to address unmet needs in cancer therapy. I am currently a PhD student in the Advanced Translational Pharmacology and Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill under the mentorship of Dr. William Zamboni. My current research examines the potential for synergy between a novel gold radiosensitizer and minibeam radiation therapy in preclinical glioblastoma models. In this work, I am investigating how treatment design and pharmacokinetic optimization may improve the efficacy of temozolomide and enhance therapeutic response in aggressive brain tumors. This research has introduced me to the major translational challenges in glioma therapy and has solidified my commitment to building expertise in neuro-oncology. Through my doctoral and future training, I aim to develop deep expertise in translational brain tumor therapeutics and ultimately establish an independent research program focused on improving outcomes for patients with high-grade gliomas. My long-term objective is to help advance more effective, mechanism-driven therapies for these devastating cancers by integrating pharmacology, preclinical modeling, and translational cancer research.