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May 21, 2007 Gadalla, a Cornell presidential research scholar, discovered key interactions of a protein with nucleic acid polymers that could lead to a better understanding of Alzheimer's disease pathology.
Student profile: Moataz (Moe) Gadalla
Major: Chemical and biomolecular engineering, with a minor in biomedical engineering; and chemistry and biology Why did you choose Cornell?
I was interested in two apparently very different fields, chemical biology and biomedical engineering. Cornell was unique in that it blended both the apparently very different fields into one major, chemical and biomolecular engineering. Main Cornell extracurricular activity -- why is this important to you?
My major extracurricular activity and passion is teaching. I was a tutor and a teaching assistant for an array of classes at Cornell. I tremendously enjoyed working with the students. I came to truly experience and appreciate the enormous amount of talent, diversity and uniqueness of each Cornell student. While at Cornell, what other accomplishments/activities are you most proud of?
My research with Professor George Hess is an experience I truly cherish. Your most profound turning point while at Cornell?
I did not experience drastic turning points at Cornell per se, but I did undergo transitions. The most notable was during my research, when I transitioned from a student trainee, trying to learn how to conduct research, to a young scientist. Who or what influenced your Cornell education the most?
The faculty at Cornell influenced my education the most. Particularly, the faculty in the Department of Chemical Engineering, whether it is Professor T. Michael Duncan with his continuous guidance or Professor David Putnam with his research discussions. In addition, my research mentor, Professor Hess, played a profound role in molding me into a young scientist. What Cornell memory do you treasure the most?
The memory I treasure the most is working with my senior design team, Raluca Scarlat, Sean Branagan and Alex Morris. In chemical engineering, the seniors are organized into four-member teams to work on a semester-long plant design project. We worked hard together, but we also had a lot of fun together, in the process forging a true friendship and a unique collection of memories. What are your plans for next year and beyond?
I will be attending Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine M.D.-Ph.D. program. I am interested in tackling neurodegenerative disorders as a physician-scientist, i.e., seeing patients with neurodegenerative disorders as well as conducting research to obtain a better understanding of these disorders. |
