Olena Morozova
Genomics of neuroblastoma
Dr. Marco Marra
Kharkiv
Ukraine
Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree?
I have long been interested in a research career. I became interested in neuroblastoma research during my tenure at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto where I worked with Dr. Herman Yeger.
Why did you decide to study at UBC?
I came to UBC to join the research group of Dr. Marco Marra, who is a leading expert in the field of DNA sequencing, and particularly in applications of DNA sequencing to the study of human cancers. I believe that sequencing-based approaches can shed light onto many enigmatic diseases, such as neuroblastoma, and ultimately help guide the development of novel therapies.
What do you hope to accomplish with your research?
Through the analysis of whole genomes and transcriptomes of human neuroblastoma tumors, we hope to contribute to our current understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease and ultimately provide basis for the development of novel therapies.
What has winning a major award meant to you?
Major awards are great because they provide funds to be used as primary salary, so that the student is "free" for the supervisor. Many awards also have allowances for conference travel and research equipment, which can be used to enhance the student research experience.
What advice do you have for new graduate students?
I would advise new graduate students to choose a research area that they are very interested in, as they will be spending most of their waking hours thinking about it. I also advise everyone to aim high, and never get discouraged by negative results. Every research project is a roller coaster ride.