JJewel Nguyen Wilson’s journey into science began with a curiosity about medicine and deepened through hands-on research experiences that shaped her passion for both lab work and data analysis. While pursuing her B.S. in Biochemistry from Sacramento State University, Wilson worked as a Scientific Aid at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, supporting environmental sample analysis. Driven to contribute to her community through biochemical research, she began researching with Dr. Katherine McReynolds, synthesizing glycopolymer-based antiviral therapeutics targeting viruses like HIV and SARS-CoV-2. These experiences, coupled with the National Institute of Health- Research Training Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (NIH-RISE) scholarship, gave her a strong foundation in biochemistry and solidified her commitment to scientific research over regulatory studies.
Following her undergraduate studies, Wilson joined the Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) at UC Davis, where she worked with Dr. Janine LaSalle and Dr. Dag Yasui to investigate the DNA methylation pattern associated with the novel gene, NHIP (Neuronal Hypoxia Inducible Placenta Associated), which may be linked to Autism Spectrum Disorder" (ASD). Collaborating with both wet-lab and bioinformatics teams, she helped develop a custom program to analyze the CpG DNA methylation of the NHIP promoter across high-risk ASD and neurotypical placental samples—an experience that sparked her growing interest in applying computational methods to biological problems.
Wilson chose the Applied Biomedical Data Sciences program at the St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences to strengthen her ability to bridge wet-lab research and data analysis. She’s excited to build on her experience by developing tools that help uncover the molecular and biochemical mechanisms behind disease and improve approaches to health and treatment.
Hometown: Sacramento, CA
Education:
2024 - BS, Biochemistry – California State University, Sacramento
2022 - AS, Biology – Consumnes River College
Awards/Honors/Scholarships:
2024 |-Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program at UC Davis (PREP@UCD)
2023 - NIH Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement Scholarship (NIH-RISE) at Sacramento State University
2023 - UC Davis Graduate Admissions Pathway (UCDGAP)