Greetings everyone! I was born and raised in the state for lovers, Virginia, and this state will always have my heart. I am an alumna of Virginia Union University where I received a B.S. in chemistry on May 10, 2003. It was at VUU that I was introduced to the world of research by participating in the Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) program. This program afforded me the opportunity to participate in numerous summer internships as well as the ability to present my research at the national Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS). I truly believe that without the MARC program at VUU I would not be at the level of scientific research that I am at today. Currently I am in the Genetics and Molecular Biology (GMB) program at Emory University. My research aims to characterize a methylation-sensitive complex that binds the TMS1 locus and identify epigenetic changes that occur at this locus due to the loss of this complex. Recently I was awarded a NIH Predoctoral Fellowship Award for former MARC students through the National Institute for General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) for my research.
Education
B.S., Chemistry, Virginia Union University, Richmond, VA, 2003.
Academic and Professional Honors
F31 Ruth L. Kirchstein National Research Service Award Individual Predoctoral Fellowship
Publications
Functional characterization of the K257R and G319E-hGALE alleles found in patients with ostensibly peripheral epimerase deficiency galactosemia. Wasilenko J, Lucas ME, Thoden JB, Holden HM, Fridovich-Keil JL. Mol Genet Metab. 2005 Jan; 84(1):32-8.
Organizations
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) - Associate Member
Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA) - Communication Chair
Contact Information
E-mail:melucas@emory.edu
Phone: (404) 778-2512
Fax: (404) 778-5530
