Student Profile: Natasha Masub COM ’21

Where did you do your undergraduate education and what did you study? I was a sociology major at Brooklyn College as part of the combined BA-MD Program.

Who is/was your favorite professor at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine and why? My favorite professor has been Dr. Ella Jean Richards. She was my clinical skills facilitator and taught me a lot about keeping things in perspective during medical school and always having a sense of humor.

What is your favorite memory so far of your time studying at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine? My favorite memory has been the first time I interviewed a patient in the ER. I stumbled and probably didn’t ask the right questions but look back at it now and see how much I’ve grown in the past year.

How has the Alumni Association for the College of Medicine at SUNY Downstate helped you (scholarships, clubs, events, white-coat ceremony, senior week, research, summer research, technology, healthcare in developing countries elective or other)? I was awarded the Alumni Summer Research Fellowship, which allowed me to conduct research full time.

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In addition to the Alumni Summer Research Fellowship, Natasha was recently awarded the Full Year Research Scholarship for her project titled “Blue Light Photodynamic Therapy as a Modulator of Gene Expression in Squamous Cell Carcinoma.” According to Natasha, If her study is successful it can “change the paradigm of SCC treatment using photodynamic therapy to include altering genetic expression of surviving cancer cells to a more benign, non-cancerous profile associated with improvement in skin health and wellness.”