Meet Our Ambassadors
Connect with our alumni! These graduates of the MS-RSM program have volunteered to serve as resources for prospective students. Contact them to chat about their experiences in the program!
Tracy Zhou, Class of 2018
"I am currently an associate clinical research coordinator with the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center at Northwestern University, specialized in working with patients with sarcoma. My interests and previous experiences include teaching, educational/administrative roles, as well as clinical/translational research. Before being a clinical research coordinator, I obtained my second masters in life sciences through the Driskill Graduate Program, served as a lab manager for Dr. Francesca Duncan and was then promoted to a research associate serving as the operations lead for the Ovarian Contraceptive Discovery Initiative. I am also a certified ovarian tissue cryopreservation technician and worked previously for numerous years in the Fertility & Hormone Preservation & Restoration Program at Lurie Children's hospital. I was part of the inaugural MS-RSM cohort in 2016 where I studied O-GlcNAcylation in bovine and human oocytes under the supervision of Dr. Francesca Duncan. Additionally, while in the MS-RSM program, I worked as a paratech at Swedish Covenant Hospital providing phlebotomy, electrocardiogram, and specimen processing services. I welcome any and all questions!"
Jules Balough, Class of 2018
"I am a PhD candidate in Dr. Kyle Orwig's lab at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. I am investigating vaginal stem cells and function under estrogen-depleting models such as aging, chemotherapy and radiation. I am passionate about female reproductive aging and the impacts on reproductive function and healthspan."
Emily Strahl, Class of 2024
"I am currently a Certified Medical Assistant at Duke University Hospital in multiple specialties including Gynecology and Family planning. My training at Northwestern prepared me for this role and I often draw on the knowledge and experiences I gained there. I am planning to apply to PA school in the upcoming cycle. My goal is to work in Gynecology. As a future PA I am passionate about inclusive care, patient education, and providing compassionate, comprehensive care to diverse communities."
Maddie Perry, Class of 2025
"I am a 2nd year PhD candidate in the Sex Chromosome Biology laboratory at the Francis Crick Institute. I am interested femtech, biotech, and venture capital with a biology focus!"
Maria Morales Zapata, Class of 2025
"María Verónica Morales Zapata, MD, MS is a Research Project Coordinator at Northwestern Medicine’s Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine and a recent graduate of the MS-RSM thesis track at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Her professional interests include reproductive medicine, clinical research, embryology, assisted reproductive technologies, and fertility preservation. She earned her MD from Universidad Mayor de San Simón in Bolivia and a Master’s degree in Biology and Technology Applied to Assisted Human Reproduction from the European University of Madrid, in collaboration with IVI Clinic. She has additional clinical and research experience, including clinical research at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) in Switzerland, as well as clinical training and patient care experience in fertility clinics across several countries, with exposure to embryology and biotechnology applied to assisted reproduction. Her long-term goal is to integrate clinical practice and research in reproductive medicine, translating scientific evidence into meaningful improvements in patient care."
Cait Egan, Class of 2026
"I am currently an andrologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, downtown Chicago. I’m interested in eventually being an embryologist or potentially going to PA school to work as a healthcare provider in infertility. Before the MS-RSM program, I was in an entirely different field, exercise science."
Reva Marwah, Class of 2026
"I recently completed my M.S. in Reproductive Science and Medicine, where I studied ovarian aging and modeled ovarian stromal fibrosis in an organoid system as a potential platform for therapeutic discovery in ovarian aging. I am now an incoming PhD student in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Geneva, where I will join the Geneva Platelet Group under the supervision of Dr. Pierre Fontana. My interests lie in understanding how cellular and microenvironmental changes contribute to disease and age-associated tissue dysfunction, with a broader goal of pursuing translational biomedical research. I am passionate about mentoring and supporting students interested in reproductive science and research, and I am happy to share my experience with the MS-RSM program and my journey beyond Northwestern."