This year’s Research & Creativity Week (April 30 – May 4) will feature John Jay’s talented student researchers, including those that are receiving awards for groundbreaking innovations in the sciences.

Lisset Duran (’18), who is part of the Program for Research Initiatives in Science and Math (PRISM), is the first student at John Jay to ever receive the extremely prestigious CUNY Jonas Salk Award, which is given to graduating students for their potential to make significant contributions to medical research. The award recognized her research in genetics, which she’ll be presenting at Research & Creativity Week.

“My research has been on the regulation of genes in breast cancer,” says Duran. “By targeting certain proteins, I want to understand the expressions of genes that are beneficial to cells.”

Recognition of Duran’s research has been nationwide, and prior to earning the Salk Award, Duran attended the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) conference and the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) Annual Meeting, where she was given awards for the quality of her research as well as her presentation skills. “Part of being a scientist is being able to communicate,” says Duran.

Duran, who is graduating with an undergraduate degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology, will be attending Princeton’s Ph.D. program in biology this fall, and she eventually dreams of working with NASA. “I have crazy dreams and PRISM has always supported them,” she says. “At John Jay, I’ve been doing research on a graduate student level, and I’ve been given so much responsibility. That’s why I feel so well prepared for my Ph.D.”

But before she leaves campus, she’s prepared to impress those who want to learn more about her research. John Jay community members and visitors will be able to witness for themselves Duran’s findings on May 2.

Check the Research & Creativity Week calendar for a full listing of events.