Abby Fish started college believing forensics was the perfect major for her. After an impactful conversation with someone who helped her accept her mom’s recent cancer diagnosis, she realized that she belonged in cancer drug design. Fish changed her major and career plans to focusing on cancer biology and entering academia.
Fish earned her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and cellular and molecular biology in 2021 from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She participated in two summer internships at MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Her experiences pushed her to pursue a career in translational pediatric cancer research. She also has been a peer mentor, a supplemental instruction leader for chemistry courses and a tutor. During the pandemic when she was not able to participate in many activities in person, she engaged in virtual scientific research and instructed underprivileged youth at a Boys & Girls Club of America location. This experience strengthened her ability to adapt, a part of biomedical research that intrigues her.
“I want to get my PhD in cancer biology because I want to use my gift of creativity to change somebody’s life for the better,” she says. “Exploring more therapy options that have never been considered before and coming up with alternative solutions to problems will help me do so."
Hometown: Morristown, Tennessee