The Iowa Sciences Academy takes pride in the hard work of its students; Quinn Eldridge was nominated by his teachers and supervisors to be highlighted in the ISA Spring 2024 Newsletter.
When asked why she thought of Quinn for the highlight, ISA graduate student Hailey Kingsbury said that "Quinn is well-rounded and talented, with skills extending beyond research to leadership, music, and app design. He is humble and constantly seeks out how he can better himself and his work. Quinn adds to whatever environment he situates himself in; he asks valuable questions and creates an inclusive space. most importantly, Quinn displays sincere regard and respect for all of his peers, which is an invaluable trait that will serve him well as he obtains his MD/PhD. ISA is lucky to have Quinn, as he is going to be a leader of change across clinical and research work for cancer biology."
On his research with the ISA, Quinn describes that "In the Weber Lab, we study the infamous Chlamydia trachomatis. We work to characterize the proteins it secretes into human cells to better understand how it maintains its infection."
When asked about what sparked his interest in scientific communication, Quinn attests that "the importance of scientific communication was made apparent to me by the early pandemic. There was so much information that had to be communicated clearly and efficiently to the public. In my own research, I make it a point to be able to explain my work at different levels of knowledge. A good scientist should be able to tailor their communication to their audience."
A main goal of the ISA is to contribute to the success of its undergraduate students; Quinn says that "ISA has been incredibly uplifting for me as a student. Without the program, I wouldn't have been able to attend conferences, work in the lab as much, or have as many professional development opportunities. Also, everyone in the program is so supportive, the staff and students alike. Everyone in ISA inspires me to become the best scientist I can be."
Pertaining to his future goals in the field of research, Quinn claims that "working to uncover the metabolic mechanisms of disease has been exciting. I hope to continue this kind of basic research and am leaning toward working with cancer in the future."