Biography:

Ellen attended Boston College and received a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry. She did her undergraduate thesis research in the lab of Dr. Welkin Johnson studying endogenous retroviruses. Prior to starting the Medical Scientist Training Program at UPenn, she did a two-year research fellowship at the NIH. During this time, she studied simian immunodeficiency virus as a model for HIV pathogenesis in the lab of Dr. Vanessa Hirsch.

Ellen matriculated into the MD/PhD program in 2017 and joined Dr. Elizabeth Grice’s lab in 2019. Her graduate research aims to elucidate mechanisms of host-microbial interactions during wound healing, with a particular focus on how certain skin microbes may promote healing. After graduation, Ellen plans to attend a research residency program with the ultimate career goal of becoming a physician-scientist, educator, and independent investigator at an academic institution.