Megan Grund
“I was exposed to many different routes I could take with my degree and WVU and my department have been very supportive of me, helping me find where I want to go and what I want to do.”
Megan Grund is a graduating Ph.D. student studying Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis.
“My time at the university has prepared me for what’s next, even beyond the basics of research and the grant writing process,” said Grund. “I was exposed to many different routes I could take with my degree and WVU and my department have been very supportive of me, helping me find where I want to go and what I want to do.”
Grund was initially interested in continuing her education in microbial and immunology and the School of Medicine’s program stuck out to her.
“I saw all of the labs that were offered in the program, such as vaccine development and more general medicine-based research labs, and I knew this would be a good fit for me,” said Grund.
When students start in the Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis program, they experience rotations in different labs to figure out what is the best fit for them.
During her rotations, Grund studied in three different labs. Her first lab was in biochemistry, another in behavioral science, and the last in microbiology, where she spent the rest of her studies.
Grund says that her principle investigator, Slawomir Lukomski, and the director of her graduate program, Mariette Barbier, Ph.D., were both instrumental during her time at the university.
Grund accepted a post-doctorate fellowship position at the Cleveland Clinic where she will study bacterial-induced lung inflammation. She says that she looks forward to the work that she will do and being closer to her family in Ohio.