Iranian of the Day

Georgetown University: A Georgetown undergraduate who already has completed three years of biomedical research that includes one year on cancer, has been awarded the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. Frederick Ghandchi, who will graduate in the spring of 2013, interned at the Children’s National Medical Center and NIH before working in the lab of Todd Waldman, a Georgetown associate professor of molecular oncology. Ghandchi is one of only 282 students chosen for the scholarship out of 1,123 math, science and engineering student applicants around the country. The award covers the cost of tuition, fees, books and room and board for one or two years up to $7,500 annually.

“I felt very excited to have won the scholarship, because I know that it will open many opportunities to me,” says Ghandchi, who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in molecular biology. “I plan to become a principal investigator in a medical center environment, such as the NIH, and head my own basic research projects on the molecular biology and genetics of cancer,” he adds.
Waldman, who holds a large 5-year NIH grant to study the role of specific genes in brain cancer, calls Fred “incredibly focused.” “Fred is super, super smart and very passionate about biomedical research,” Waldman says. “He is already absolutely certain he’s going to do a Ph.D. in molecular biology, which is unusual among sophomore undergraduates.” >>>