Paulina Horton is a seventh-year PhD student in the Immunology program. Her research focuses on investigating the effects of blood flow on hematopoietic stem cell development in the embryo. After graduation, she hopes to work in industry as a life science consultant. Keep reading to learn more about Paulina and her work.

What sparked your interest in science?

I think I've always been interested in science in some way, shape, or form. Initially, I wanted to pursue medicine. However, in undergrad, I took an immunology course and fell in love with the field. I was so fascinated by the intricacies of the immune system and its relationship to every system in the body.

What did you do before graduate school, and how did you decide to pursue your PhD?

Prior to starting at the Graduate School, I was doing research at UTMB in Galveston as part of a post-baccalaureate program. I was researching a neglected tropical disease called scrub typhus. Pursuing my PhD was something that I didn't really plan on doing. Originally, I was planning on going to medical school, but as I went through my program at UTMB I began to open my mind more and more to the idea of doing research. I really enjoyed the process of thinking about science and working toward filling gaps in knowledge. As I dove more into my research, it became clear that a PhD made more sense for me to pursue than an MD. 

What is your current research project?

My dissertation project focuses on investigating the effects of blood flow on hematopoietic stem cell development in the embryo. Specifically, I'm interested in understanding how changes in protein translation, triggered by blood flow, lead to the metabolic adaptations necessary for normal hematopoietic development. 

What do you want to do after you graduate?

Right now, I'm most interested in doing life science consulting. My second option would be to work as a sales representative for a bioscience company like BD or Biolegend. I want to do something that's more people-driven, but I'm trying to leave myself open for whatever might come my way.

What advice do you have for new students?

My main advice for new students is not to compare your journey to anyone else's. As I've gone through my graduate career, I've spent more time than I'd like to admit comparing my experiences and timeline with my classmates'. I've struggled with thinking that I was "failing at graduate school" because my career path looked different from my peers. However, I had to remind myself that there's more than one path to success. I think it's easy to get caught up in comparing ourselves to others and questioning our abilities that we forget to celebrate our achievements. Everything won't work out the same for everyone, but ultimately, as long as we continue to push ourselves, we can and will achieve our goals.