Melissa Connolly

Class of 2017-2018

College of the Holy Cross, 2017
Biology

Why I chose ESTEEM: I chose ESTEEM because it puts students right in the middle of real-time start up development through the Capstone Thesis Project.

My capstone thesis project and why I’m excited about it: Immunotherapy is a promising new cancer treatment that harnesses the innate power of your own immune system to combat cancerous cells. I am working with Professor Siyuan Zhang to bring a prognosis marker kit to market that will assess the likelihood of a breast cancer patient positively responding to immunotherapy.

What I hope to do after ESTEEM: I hope to work as a life science or health care consultant so I can leverage both my biochemistry and business backgrounds.

What I like to do when I’m not working in Innovation Park:  I like to explore the South Bend area, indulging in local cuisine with my friends!