Alicia Cutillo

What school are you currently attending?	Lehigh University
What year will you be starting in the fall?	Junior Year
Why did you choose to attend the SENSORS program?	I attended the Sensors program primarily because of my interest in the project—one aimed at inhibiting HIV. The details of the project aligned well with my background and interests in biochemistry and infectious diseases, and I wanted to gain active experience in these interests outside of the classroom. I also wanted to assess my compatibility with other researchers and my own place in the world of research. Working on a project with a distinguished professor and an experienced research team seemed like the ideal opportunity.
Who are you working with, and what research are you doing?	I am working under Dr. Irwin M. Chaiken and my advisor is Isaac Zentner in the department of biochemistry. We are researching a peptide inhibitor HNG-156, which binds to the HIV envelope protein gp120; the binding of HNG-156 inhibits the interaction of gp120 with CD4 receptors on host cells. My project is specifically aimed at mutating amino acid residues on gp120 and assessing the effects of these mutations on interaction with HNG-156. To monitor HNG-125/gp120 interactions, we are applying a Biacore 3000 biosensor that use surface plasmon resonance (SPR).
What are your goals/aspirations for the future?	After college, I plan on attending medical school and specializing in infectious disease or a similar specialty. I am considering going for an MD/PhD because of my interest in research.