CCTS TL1 Postdoctoral Trainee Receives Mentorship Award
The Ohio State CCTS is proud to announce that TL1 postdoctoral trainee, Melanie Krook, PhD, has accepted an “Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award” from the Office of Student Academic Affairs Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry. The award recognizes her achievements as a mentor to undergraduate students in her role as a postdoctoral researcher at The Ohio State University.
Dr. Krook holds undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and French from Miami University and received her PhD in Cancer Biology from the University of Michigan. She fondly remembers a number of mentors she had that played a role in igniting her interest in science.
“Throughout my career, I have been fortunate enough to receive guidance, encouragement, and advice from professors, mentors, and advisors. Each of them has helped fuel my excitement for scientific discovery—starting as an undergraduate student,” Dr. Krook said.
Dr. Krook currently works as a postdoctoral researcher studying cancer biology at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital & Solove Research institute. She works in Dr. Sameek Roychowdhury's lab , where she works with experimental therapeutics, translational genomics, and precision cancer medicine.
In addition to conducting research, Dr. Krook is currently a mentor to three undergraduate students, two technicians, and one graduate student. Since starting her career at The Ohio State University, she has mentored 10 undergraduate students, all of whom have been successful in obtaining research funding or authorship on lab publications.
“I would not be where I am today if it were not for the mentorship I received along the way. I am committed to mentoring the next generation of scientists in every step of my career,” Dr. Krook said.
Dr. Krook said that support from the CCTS and the TL1 grant has provided her with the opportunity to learn and grow as a mentor. She utilizes mentorship best practices documents developed by the CCTS and attends mentorship training programs to help become a better mentor to her mentees.
“As a mentor, my hope is to ignite an enthusiasm for scientific discovery in students—like my mentors instilled in me—in hopes that it empowers undergraduate students to follow their passions and contribute to the scientific community.”
More information about the CCTS TL1 grant program can be found here: https://ccts.osu.edu/content/tl1