Briana Brown

Currently, I am entering my second year in the Cancer Biology PhD Program at Emory University where I am studying pediatric brain tumors. After graduation I hope to do translational research, working on cancer therapeutics.

When I first got to Tech, I planned on going to medical school. By the end of my sophomore year I realized that medical school wasn't for me. Right after graduation I did an internship with the US Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory and absolutely loved being in the lab all day. Unfortunately, that wasn't a career I could go straight into without further schooling, so I took a job at PRIUM doing "medical cost management" for insurance companies until I figured out whether or not I wanted to pursue forensic science as a career. …[then] I started looking into different programs offered by schools in Georgia and even went to UGA to meet with the head of the Biology department there. Up until that point I had no interest in getting my PhD, but after talking with him I realized that was my best option. I knew I wanted to do something that made a difference, so shortly after taking the GRE I spoke with the head of recruitment for the Cancer Biology program at Emory. Something clicked after talking with him so I applied to Emory and a few other schools across the country that had Cancer Biology programs. Emory was by far the best fit for me so here I am!

The advanced courses, laboratory classes, and research opportunities [at Georgia Tech in Biology] all helped in preparing me for my career. The advanced courses helped prepare me for the level of understanding that would be required to master concepts in graduate school, while the laboratory classes and research exposure helped provide me with the basics and practice I will need.