(She / Her)

Program: Cancer Biology

PI: Dr. Ed Seto

Why did you choose to pursue a PhD?

[JC] I got a job as a research technician right out of college, and I really loved the work and being in the lab! Really, I just loved the process of science. It was never primarily about the specific subject matter or even doing disease research. More than anything else, I see myself as a problem solver, and I think that getting a PhD in a biomedical science equips me to be the best and most impactful problem solver I can be.

Tell us about your project!

[JC] I am studying a protein called HDAC11 and how it influences RNA splicing. HDAC11 is part of a family of proteins (the HDACs) that are historically thought to remove post-translational modifications (PTMs) from histones, thereby regulating the structure of chromatin. Some HDACs, including HDAC11, regulate non-histone proteins as well. I am studying how HDAC11 removes a larger PTM from a splicing factor, which may change how that splicing factor performs RNA splicing to contribute to cancer progression.

What are some skills (scientific or non-scientific) you have gained while in the program?

[JC] I’ve learned how to be okay with not being perceived as “right.” Being a student can be a hard balancing act because you are inherently very junior and in the position to learn from the experts around you; at the same time, once you reach years 3-4, no one in the world knows more about your project and skills that you do. So, it is hard to be an apprentice and an expert at the same time. Often, you know in your gut that you are doing the right things, but the people around you can’t see that as clearly because they just aren’t you and they’re not in the day-to-day of your work. Many times, I’ve been advised to do things exactly as someone else might have done them, but someone else’s path is not mine and is not “right” for me. I’ve learned how to have some tunnel vision, and focus on myself and my own success.

What are your plans after receiving your PhD?

[JC] I plan on pursuing an academic post-doc at an institution in the greater DMV/Baltimore region. I like this area a lot, and my partner is working on a law degree at Georgetown and wants to work in international trade law. We will be staying in the area for a good chunk of time.

What do you like to do outside of the lab?

[JC] I am an avid runner. I started a run club last year called DC Pynk (@dcpynk on Instagram), and it has grown tremendously. I ran a marathon in November 2023 and have been relatively less active since then, but I’ll lace my shoes up again soon. When I get the opportunity, I also really love to ski, but snow is hard to come by in the mid-atlantic.

What are your favorite things to do in the DC/DMV area?

[JC] Lately, I have been trying new restaurants in the suburbs since I now have access to a car. Things just get a little more budget-friendly outside the city limits. Chinese and French are my favorite cuisines. Go to Lao Sze Chuan in Bethesda or Le Refuge in Alexandria.

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Thanks for sharing Jenna!

If you would like to get in touch with Jenna you can contact her via email (jclements@gwu.edu).