Hello Reddit! My name is Megan Majocha, Ph.D., and I am a research fellow in the National Institutes of Health Intramural Research Program. I conducted my Ph.D. thesis at the National Cancer Institute in the lab of Dr. Kent Hunter. Today I am here to discuss my research exploring an in-depth mechanism of a gene in estrogen receptor negative breast cancer metastasis. I am analyzing how this gene impacts metastasis and the mechanisms behind the gene that are impacting metastasis.

I completed my postbac and Ph.D. at the NIH in the same lab. Returning to the same lab for my Ph.D. was an easy decision as I find the research fascinating, and Dr. Hunter is an incredible mentor. The collaborative environment made the lab the perfect fit for my training. During my Ph.D., I have been actively involved in science communication. As a fluent user of both American Sign Language and English, communicating science in an accessible manner is particularly important to me. Over the past few years, I wrote several articles about cancer in layman terms for OncoBites and the importance of having qualified scientific interpreters in STEM. I was also featured in a few podcasts, including NCI's Inside Cancer Careers podcast and NPR.

I am here Tuesday, May 7, from 12:00 - 2:00 pm (ET; 16-18 UT) to answer your questions about my research and experience conducting research at NIH.

For more information about the research happening in Dr. Kent Hunter's lab, please visit: https://ccr.cancer.gov/staff-directory/kent-w-hunter

To learn more about cancer research across the entire NIH IRP, go to https://irp.nih.gov/our-research/scientific-focus-areas/cancer-biology.

Listen to the NCI's Inside Cancer Careers podcast episode featuring Megan: https://www.cancer.gov/grants-training/training/inside-cancer-careers/episode-7

As a reminder, I cannot answer questions about your medical treatment publicly. Please talk about these questions with your treating physician.

Username: /u/NIH_IRP