---

Featured Student:
December '07/January '08

LaKisha Barrett

First-year biological sciences master's student LaKisha Barrett comes to UWM from Amarillo, Texas, after graduating with honors from nearby West Texas A&M University with a double major in biology and chemistry. While at WTAMU, she became a member of Alpha Chi National Honor Society and Beta Beta Beta (Tri-Beta) Biological Honor Society. Kisha began her research program as an undergraduate, with a McNair summer internship and research awards from Tri-Beta and WTAMU.

At UWM the awards have continued, including an Advanced Opportunity Program Fellowship, and both a research and teaching assistantship. Kisha also tutors students in the Upward Bound program.

1) How would you describe your field of study/research to a friend who is not in your graduate program?

I am interested in how cells regulate growth under stress conditions. I would specifically like to identify the proteins involved in stress signaling pathways. I use yeast as a convenient model for this research, because yeast cells and mammalian cells are fundamentally quite similar. Our research could potentially be applied to the mammalian system to better understand the molecular basis of diseases from diabetes to cancer.

2) What brought you to UWM for your graduate studies?

UWM has great opportunities to offer graduate students. There is diverse research in the Department of Biological Sciences and numerous funding opportunities. I found a welcoming professor who had similar research interests. I am particularly interested in researching cancer using yeast as a model. Hailing from Texas, I have experienced a different climate in Wisconsin but the professors and staff of the Biology Department and UWM definitely have made the winters warmer.

3) What's been your best experience so far?

I have thoroughly enjoyed my first year of graduate school. I think that the best experience would be a tie between presenting my research at the Department of Biological Sciences Research Symposium and being selected as an AOP fellow. It was a great opportunity to share my research with my peers and other professors in the department; and it was a great honor to be granted the AOP Fellowship.

4) If you were able to merge another discipline with yours, what would that be and why?

It would be a dream come true to merge with the Health Sciences discipline. The application of my signaling research could identify new targets for drug treatments.

5) What is your favorite stress-reduction activity?

Volunteering! I love giving back because so much has been given to me. This allows time in my week to step outside my research life. I tutor weekly with Upward Bound and recently organized a coat drive with my church, Power of Prayer. I also enjoy date night with my husband. We visit the great museums, theaters and take pleasure in the fine dining of Milwaukee.

6) What do you most enjoy about Milwaukee?

The summers are wonderful. The weather is great and the festivities are plentiful. It has been great to experience the culture of the city and enjoy the nature of Wisconsin.

7) Is there anything that you've had to "give up" as a graduate student?

On the contrary, I have gained much being a graduate student. I have added to my family and knowledge. Believe it or not, my husband and I spend more quality time together than during my undergraduate career.

8) What are your plans for after graduate school?

I would like to apply medical school. I have always had a strong desire to become a doctor, but when I discovered research I had to explore it further. I have found out that teaching is something I truly enjoy. I would like to mesh my love for medicine with my newly discovered love for research and teaching.

9) What trait do you find most necessary to succeed in graduate school?

Dedication and passion. You must have initiative and drive to be successful in graduate school, but desire is the fuel for the research fire. Passion is what will carry you through the trying times.

10) Do you have any advice that you would give to a new graduate student in your program?

Take it one day at a time and write your goals down. Graduate school can seem overwhelming at first but with careful time management, you can get it all done with time to spare. You will find that your list will soon dwindle down to graduation.