Why I Want To Pursue My Master's Degree

It is my dream and ambition to find the cure for indomitable forms of cancer, by first building my knowledge and skills and then utilizing these towards the larger purpose. While pursuing my Master’s degree, I realized that mere acquisition of information was not sufficient for me and that I wanted a deep insight in my area of interest. Several factors over the past years have contributed towards the goal. My achievements and credentials give me the confidence that I will be able to perform as a successful research scientist and attain my dreams. I was brought up in a family where the concepts of seeking satisfaction through giving and working towards a larger wellbeing were etched in my being since I was a child. So, I knew since a very young age that I wanted a career where I was not only successful but where I worked towards a better society and life for others. …show more content…
In 2015, about 292,000 breast cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in the women in U.S. Moreover, >40,000 women are expected to die due to breast cancer in 2015. HER2 positive breast cancer is characterized by overexpression of a protein called HER2, which causes the cells to grow rapidly and form aggressive tumors. The majority of the HER2+ patients either do not respond to clinical therapy or they stop responding after the initial response. This diminished response to the therapy causes the tumor recurrence. My study aims at understanding how Notch signaling leads to enrichment of certain cells which escape the drug treatment and then lay dormant and mediate tumor recurrence in HER2+ breast cancer. The breakthrough study will identify the novel biomarkers for predicting drug resistance, and newer drug targets for eradicating the tumor, preventing drug resistance and tumor