2023 CBC Fall Outstanding Senior: Caroline Coppinger

Congratulations to Caroline Coppinger who was selected as CBC Fall Outstanding Student.

"The University of Arizona has been a place of transformation for me. When I transferred here two years ago, I was excited to get back into research and feel like a scientist again. I spent two years conducting research in a virology lab under the tutelage of Dr. Xiong. We created a novel SARS-CoV-2 vaccine delivery system using plant viral vectors and plants as hosts. The goal was to create a flexible vaccine production system that could be adapted to new pathogens as they emerge. Over the summer I was accepted into the Undergraduate Biology Research Program (UBRP), where I began doing research in Dr. Thatcher’s lab. The lab is creating neuroprotective compounds to treat Alzheimer’s Disease, which work by upregulating ABCA1 protein expression without inducing lipogenesis. I am testing the efficacy of their compounds in liver and brain cells. I love being surrounded by so many brilliant minds.

I never imagined that two years of courses would revolutionize the way I see the world. Biochemistry is the study of life at a microscopic level. I see the world through that lens now and I am excited for the future, both personally and professionally. Research is my passion and I plan to continue as a research technician after graduation. I foresee graduate school in my future, but for now, I would like to enjoy the present. I love working in drug discovery and adore every moment spent in the lab. I am also looking forward to having the free time to travel and explore some of my hobbies, which include fire spinning and ceramics.

Congratulations to all the other College of Sciences Outstanding Students!"