1. Paola G. Caballero León
Personal Statement
Walt Disney once said: “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new
things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths”. Once a
curiosity is embedded in our souls, it stays there and propels us towards a purpose. The
curiosity of people to find new ways to solve a problem, new treatments, and cures has
made many of today’s advances possible. I believe that curiosity has to be an important
quality in a person in order to be a successful scientist. It is curiosity which led me to
discover my passion for Endocrinology.
I am currently participating in the RISE Program at University of Puerto Rico at Cayey.
Last semester, I developed a review article with the purpose of settling an ongoing
debate in the scientific community, which is trying to link Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) to longevity.
By analyzing more than ten scientific papers on the topic, comparing their findings, and
questioning even the smallest of details, I successfully established that hypothalamic
SIRT1, not just any SIRT1 in the body, is the key to longevity. This project opened my
eyes to the mechanics of biochemistry, which is my current research area of interest.
Working on a research project related to biochemistry will help me gain important
knowledge of the mechanics of chemical information flow in the body and their
alterations.
I am very interested in the work of Professor Robert Tukey, from the faculty at UC San
Diego STARS Program, which is on Environmental Toxicology and effects on gene
expression. We live in a much polluted society and we are unaware of how those
pollutants affect us. It will be an enriching experience to learn more about his research
because each new finding will have very important implications for all of humanity and
our health.