Richard

Richard
Memphis University School
Memphis, TN

Mentor:
Pablo Tamayo
Cancer Program

Richard has always enjoyed science and math—the field appeals to his natural curiosity and encourages him to seek answers to difficult problems. Richard was excited to spend a summer contributing to cutting-edge research while gaining other unique experiences, like attending lectures from top scientists in the field.

Richard’s project focused on cancer informatics. He used a technique called nonnegative matrix factorization to decompose datasets containing gene expression profiles into more manageable sizes. He then compared several datasets to find patterns and relationships among oncogenes. He hoped to build a more complete picture of the types of cancers that exist, which could be applied to the development of more personalized treatments. “Working at the Broad has been both enjoyable and fulfilling. Learning and researching has been great, and I want to do something similar in the future,” said Richard.