More from Elisabeth Krow-Lucal, Ph.D.:

“The Amgen Scholars Program was my first opportunity to really delve into science. I had worked in a lab previously but hadn’t really liked it and was considering other potential options in the field of immunology and vaccine studies. The Amgen Scholars Program gave me an opportunity to work in a new lab and really sparked my interest in translational research and led me to apply to grad school at UCSF. For me, it really was a turning point where I decided, after the program, that translational science was what I wanted to do.”

“I work a lot with state and local health departments and teams, both in the U.S. and in Brazil. It’s really those people on the ground who inspire me. The state and local folks work around the clock to help their people get the best and most up-to-date care. We were able to work closely with Brazilian field teams, who are traveling and working constantly, doing the best they can to make sure that the best strategies for prevention are made available to the people who need them.”

“I feel that the work I’m doing on the Zika response now is important because it helps us learn more about Zika and share important information about potential risk of the disease and how to prevent it. This work will contribute to how we think about response to new disease outbreaks and how best to advise and protect people in those situations.”

“I think in the last 10 years, we’ve seen a growth in conversations about the importance of translational research and combining work in research, medicine and public health. The recent two large outbreaks, first Ebola, and now Zika, really emphasize to me how much there still is to learn about the biology of these diseases, as well as treatment and prevention strategies. I think it’s really great to see various groups working together on the best ways to tackle these challenges, and I’m excited to see how that plays out in the future.”