Month: February 2025

When we think of getting a genetics degree, most of us don’t really equate that to a career in law. 2014 alum Megan Robertson is paving the way to broaden the horizons of what a science degree can lead to.

After growing up outside of Charlotte, NC, Megan came to Clemson as a genetics major with a minor in legal studies. While she was on campus, Megan was involved in Sigma Kappa, Pi Chi and worked at the Academic Success Center with the Supplemental Instruction (SI) program.

“I was an SI instructor for calculus for a year or so and then oversaw the SI instructors for all the science classes.”

Outside of academics, Megan enjoyed all that Clemson had to offer.

“I loved going to football games (of course!) and hanging out with friends downtown, whether it was getting ice cream at Spill the Beans or grabbing a drink at TTTs.”

After Clemson, Megan went straight to law school at the George Washington (GW) Law School in Washington D.C., living in the city for eight years throughout her schooling. The GW Law School a global law school that exists to make an impact on the law through the leadership of diverse faculty and staff, the extraordinary influence of an extensive alumni network, and the location in the heart of downtown Washington, DC.

Upon graduating from law school, Megan began her career as an attorney at the law firm of Epstein Becker Green (EBG), a national law firm with a primary focus on health care and life sciences; employment, labor, and workforce management; and litigation and business disputes.

Megan is now a partner at Epstein Becker Green, working with clients involved in biotech, biopharma, clinical lab and research activities advising them on compliance with federal and state laws and regulations (think FDA regulations, CLIA for labs, fraud and abuse considerations and state laws).

“I may be answering a question about how a new product is regulated or helping to negotiate a clinical research contract for a new study. I also represent investor clients during due diligence reviews of life sciences companies, advising on risks associated with potential transactions.”

Another piece of Megan’s practice is pro bono work, where she represents claimants seeking social security disability benefits on a no cost basis. This was not originally Megan’s plan when she went to law school.

“I actually went to law school thinking I would do patents. But as I learned more about the health care law field, I got more intrigued and finally zeroed in on where I am today.”

Though Megan is technically an attorney, she uses her genetics degree and knowledge everyday in her work duties. Megan’s degree in genetics, allows her to understand the unique compliance challenges faced by, and the development opportunities available to, companies in the life sciences industry.

“Having a science background is incredibly useful when talking to clients about the details of a new product or study. Regardless of whether it has to do specifically with genetics or biochemistry, “speaking the language” is invaluable when relaying legal and compliance concepts and concepts and talking through strategy with these life sciences companies.”

Much of the work Megan does is with clinical labs, and she co-leads the firm’s Clinical Labs Focused Initiative.

“Whether the labs are running genetic tests or developing their own test, it is exciting to be able to watch new developments in genetics come to fruition in near-real time.”

Megan married her high school sweetheart Zach in 2017 and now live in just outside in Herndon, VA with their four-old daughter, Olivia and two dogs, Miller and Marlo.

Senior biochemistry major Albash Kahan was awarded first place in the 2025 J.T. Barton Jr. Memorial Ethics Award, which recognizes outstanding students who show exceptional ethical leadership and a commitment to advancing good decision-making on campus.

Originally from Florence, SC, Albash chose our biochemistry program to help reach his goal of becoming a nephrologist. His passion for nephrology and internal medicine comes from personal experience, his family having dealt with diabetes and kidney problems.

Academically, Albash has been involved in the Hunting for Novel Antibiotics Creative Inquiry led by Dr. Min Cao in Biological Sciences; the Rutland Institute for Ethics’ student ethics committee, Creative Habits and Norms Guiding Ethical Decisions; and the Health Extension for Diabetes Program, a free, practice-tested program recognized by the American Diabetes Association.

After graduation, Albash’s aspiration is to pursue a career in medicine with a specialization in internal medicine and nephrology. He plans to attend medical school and hopes to one day establish his own clinic and dialysis center to provide comprehensive care for patients with renal disorders.

The J.T. Barton Jr. Memorial Ethics Award was established in 2001 by Stephan Barton in honor of his late father and supports students who could demonstrate a noteworthy understanding of the essence of an ethical dilemma, as well as excellence in strategic thinking on how to deal with the dilemma through ethical decision-making skills.

The award is given to a singular student and/or a student group on the Clemson University’s campus who pledges to use the award programmatically for advancing good ethical decision-making skills. Three awards are provided annually in the amounts of $1,500, $1,000, and $500. A panel of judges made up of the Rutland Institute Advisory Board Program Committee members determine award recipients each year.

Sophomore and Honors College student Ciara Alderman initially chose to major in biochemistry because her career plan was to attend medical school. Though her aspirations have changed, her love her biochemistry has only grown.

“I love challenging myself and learning about the biochemical processes that affects every living organism.”

When looking for colleges, Ciara was looking for a place that was welcoming, student-centered and somewhere that she knew she could succeed.

“Allowing undergraduates to participate in research and projects the way Clemson does is unheard of. I knew that Clemson would provide me with the resources and experiences I need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.”

Now that Ciara has been on campus for a while, she has found a community in the Genetics and Biochemistry department, with both students and faculty.

“I think we have the best faculty and staff of any department!”

Aside from the departmental community, Ciara has become involved in several extracurricular activities on campus. One is working for Clemson Home as a Residential Community Mentor (RCM) helping students navigate their freshman year at Clemson.

“The most fulfilling part of my job is being a mentor to my residents. Being an RCM fills me with unexplainable joy as I help foster an inclusive community that creates an environment for students to succeed.”

Ciara is also a member of Clemson’s Xi Chapter of Alpha Omega Epsilon (A.O.E), a professional and social sorority for women in engineering and science focused on friendship, leadership and professionalism. Being a member of A.O.E has given Ciara the opportunity to connect with women in all STEM fields as well as other Genetics and Biochemistry majors.

“Through A.O.E, I have made lifelong friends, developed my professional skills and made a positive impact in my community.”

This semester Ciara joined a Creative Inquiry (CI) project focused on running standardized national STEM competitions for K-12 students.

“I am passionate about providing students with the opportunity to develop their STEM knowledge, skills and experiences before entering college, and this CI gives me the chance.”

In her free time, Ciara enjoys playing sports like volleyball, spikeball, football and pickleball with her friends. She is a huge fan of Clemson sports attends all the games she can. She also loves the outdoors, taking advantage of Clemson’s location in the upstate by hiking and kayaking on Lake Hartwell, walking at the Dikes and camping in the Blue Ridge. On days when she wants to relax, Ciara loves to read anything from short memoirs and essay collections to historical fiction and mysteries.

“A fun fact about me is that I have a black belt in Karate!”

Ciara’s aspirations grew and changed as she delved into the world of biochemistry. No longer was medical school at the forefront of her brain. After graduation, Ciara aspires to go on to Physical Therapy school and get her DPT.

“It is my dream to be able to work for a sports team as a Physical Therapist to help athletes get back on their feet and back to the sport they love.”

This summer we shared a number of incoming freshmen’s stories with you. In this series we circle back to those students and see how they are doing now.

Maddie Smith

Since being on campus, Maddie Smith, genetics major from Slidell, LS, has thrived both academically and personally.

“I am in love with campus and all of my coursework. My professors have been nothing short of amazing and so willing to help whenever I need!”

She has become involved in organizations such as Alpha Omega Epsilon, a sorority that promotes women in STEM, a bible study through Catholic Tigers, the Genetics and Biochemistry Club and the Swift Society. Maddie is also part of a Creative Inquiry with Dr. Todd Lyda.

“My favorite class so far would have to be my CI research project with Dr. Lyda! We work to isolate Euglena cells in a gel strip using gel electrophoresis to make a reuseable battery. My lab mates and I are super close, and we love getting together outside of the lab for lunches at Schlitter!”

Maddie enjoys all parts of what Clemson has to offer: football games, snow days on Bowman Field, studying in the Harry Potter room on the second floor of the library and consistently making new friends.

“My favorite Clemson moment would have to be the snow day! Being from south Louisiana, I have only ever seen snow once at home! It was so magical and the most amazing welcome back from the holiday break!”

The past academic year at Clemson and in the Department of Genetics and Biochemistry has solidified Maddie’s future career goals.

“Since being in the Genetics and Biochemistry department, I have gained confidence in my academic abilities, and I have no doubt I will be prepared to take the MCAT and hopefully be accepted into medical school!”

When asked what her advice for incoming freshman would be, Maddie said to not give up when things get hard.

“It is not easy being in all science classes but finding a group of friends that know what you are going through and will help you succeed will make the world of difference! Shout out to my G&B girls, Kylie Wilson and Muara Korte, for being the best friends and study partners ever!”

Kylie Wilson

When we first met freshman genetics student Kylie Wilson back in the Summer of 2024, she was passionate about Clemson and studying genetics – neither has changed.

“The more time I spend here, the more I keep falling in love with Clemson. I feel like it is the perfect place for me to continue to grow.”

Kylie says her time at Clemson has not only met, but exceeded her expectations in many ways, forging life-long friendships and growing in her independence and self-confidence.

“Everyone who I have met here is so nice and eager to make friends. I feel like I can genuinely talk to and form friendships with everyone, especially people in my classes.”

Speaking of classes, Kylie’s favorite class has been her Biology 1100 lecture.

“I love learning about all the internal processes of the cell, and I am so excited to delve into those processes and the blueprint behind them in my future classes.”

Kylie has become actively involved on campus during her first year at Clemson, being on multiple committees within her sorority, Pi Beta Phi.

“Being in that sisterhood has been tremendously important to my college experience thus far.”

Beyond that, Kylie is involved in the Genetics and Biochemistry Club and the CHANGE Student Ethics Organization. This semester, she also joined Dr. Todd Lyda’s Creative Inquiry Lab, in which they are aiming to create a photosynthetic battery using chlorophyll harvested from Euglena cells.

Kylie has many Clemson moments that she holds close, but her favorite was her first game day. She loved waking up in her dorm and realizing that she was right in the middle of the action!

“I spent the day with friends who I had just met that week, and that day I met so many people who I have grown close with. I sat on The Hill, and the night game atmosphere was unmatched. I quickly learned all the chants and realized why people love the sports here so much – our school spirit is amazing.”

When we originally spoke with Kylie, she said that she wanted to be a genetic counselor. That plan has been solidified since her time in the Department of Genetics and Biochemistry.

“In my Careers in Genetics and Biochemistry course, we had a genetic counselor come speak, and that is when I knew that was the career path that I wanted to pursue 100%.”

Kylie’s main piece of advice for incoming freshman is to not be intimidated.

“College is very intimidating at first. It is super exciting, but the process of meeting new people and building those friendships while getting used to college coursework, can be daunting at times. My biggest advice is to challenge that intimidation head on. Work hard for those friendships and work hard to maintain your academics.”

Kylie also notes that you must not get complacent but continue to work hard to excel in every avenue you choose to be involved in.

“All I have to add is that I just absolutely love it here and anyone who is thinking of coming here absolutely should! There are so many opportunities, and it will change your life!”

The Greenville Journal released an article highlighting genetics doctoral student Sriya Pothapragada’s love for both her studies and skydiving.

Sriya arrived at Clemson after in 2023 after majoring in bioengineering at the University of Maryland to study with Dr. James Lewis and obtain her Ph.D. Sriya’s research revolves around evolutionary genetics and biology with the hope of eventually applying it to a career as an astrobiologist.

When she arrived in the Upstate she also had a goal to obtain her first skydiving license.

“I value almost equally the skills you get from stuff like skydiving, especially in flying, like self-accountability, discipline, common sense,” she said. “My reflexes have gotten better. I’m in better physical shape.”

So far, Pothapragada has completed 61 jumps and recently competed in the USPA National Collegiate Skydiving Championships in Zephyrhills, Florida.

Read more in the full article.

Junior genetics major Gwen Schindel’s grandfather suffered from Huntington’s Disease, a rare, genetic neurodegenerative disorder that affects the brain and causes uncontrolled movements, cognitive decline and psychiatric symptoms.

Gwen’s mother had a 50/50 chance of receiving this gene and had to undergo extensive research to ensure that she did not have it. Fortunately, for Gwen and her mother, she did not carry the gene.

“However, I saw first-hand what this awful disease can do to a patient as well as their families. This inspired me to study Genetics so I can hopefully, in some way, help patients and families who are affected by genetic diseases/disorders!”

Additionally, during her adolescences Gwen was exposed to the field of genetics through her involvement in showing dairy cows. Her grandparents owned a dairy farm, and she began showing at 10 years old and continued for eight years.

“In the dairy show world, farmers will look at the genetics of their cows and breed them specifically to make an ideal cow – one that can produce a lot of milk and one that will catch the eye of a judge.”

Now that she is on campus studying what she loves, Gwen is so excited and grateful to be here, saying that Clemson was just the perfect fit for her.

“I have met so many amazing professors, faculty, and peers who have all guided me through these past two years at Clemson.”

Aside from academics, on campus Gwen is involved in the Clemson Genetics and Biochemistry Club, Clemson’s Fellowship of Christian Atheletes (FCA) and Clemson Hope, specifically in Write for Hope where Clemson students write letters to elementary age students in Title 1 schools.

After graduating, Gwen plans to pursue a master’s degree in genetic counseling or physician assistant studies.

“Our department as a whole has made such an amazing impact on the world already and I cannot wait to see what it does in the future! I know that I will be set up for success upon graduation because of this program.”

Gwen is originally from Ohio, is a biological sciences minor and enjoys spending time with friends, traveling, reading and watching football.

Dr. Cheryl Ingram-Smith is an associate professor of genetics and biochemistry and serves as the department’s graduate program director. She teaches courses in biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology and her primary research interests include metabolism of eukaryotic pathogens during infection in a human host and enzymology of metabolic enzymes.

Dr. Ingram-Smith graduated with her B.S. in biology from MIT and her Ph.D. in molecular biology from University of Pennsylvania. She came to Clemson in 2001, serving as a lecturer, senior lecturer and undergraduate academic advisor before moving to a tenure track position in 2011.

As part of Clemson University’s Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC), an interdisciplinary research cooperative founded in 2013 that is at the forefront of biomedical research on the devastating eukaryotic pathogens, Dr. Ingram Smith’s lab is interested in the intestinal parasite Entamoeba histolytica, which causes severe dysentery in ~100 million people each year worldwide.

E. histolytica causes amoebic dysentery in ~100 million people each year. E. histolytica is ingested in its cyst form in contaminated food and water. In the small intestine it converts to its amoeba form and then colonizes the large intestine, where is can cause dysentery or establish an asymptomatic infection.

Dr. Ingram-Smith’s lab is studying how E. histolytica adapts to and thrives in the glucose-poor environment of the large intestine where it colonizes. Her lab has established robust, reproducible cyst formation in laboratory culture and are studying how this process is regulated directly in the human pathogen.

Each week Clemson’s sect of IfYoureReadingThis posts a letter to the community on the topics of mental health and encouraging their peers. Last week’s letter came from senior biochemistry major Kaylee Board.

IfYoureReadingThis.org is a mental health nonprofit that empowers students to build and tap into their support networks by amplifying the faces and voices of the people who want to connect. Students across the nation write letters to their communities and share the responsibility of being vulnerable, closing the gap between students with mental health challenges and the people that care about them. Clemson is one of many colleges and universities that have a IfYoureReadingThis site.

Kaylee’s letter focused on spreading yourself too thin in life – especially during the college years. In her letter, Kaylee reminds readers that success isn’t measured by how filled your calendar is, how many extracurriculars you are a part of or the number of things you say “yes” to. Rather, success is measured by our well-being and happiness.

“Everyone’s path is different, and success isn’t about how many things we can juggle at once or how much we can pack into our schedules. Success is about finding balance and doing things that genuinely matter to us. It’s about knowing when to push forward and when to take a step back and focus on ourselves.”

Kaylee’s letter is a beacon of light for those who sometimes have a hard time saying “no” or defining success.

“Saying no doesn’t mean you’re falling behind—it means you’re setting boundaries. Second, just because someone else appears to be doing more than you, it doesn’t mean they’re more successful. Everyone has a unique path, and our worth isn’t defined by how much we can cram into our schedules.”