Emily is a rising senior at Western Washington University majoring in Biology. At WWU, Emily works in the lab of Dr. Nick Galati studying cell signaling mechanisms of mammalian primary cilia. She utilizes immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy to capture fluorescent images of human and mouse cells to develop an understanding of cell signaling relative to cellular geometry. As an Amgen Scholar at UCLA, Emily is investigating human embryonic stem cell development in the lab of Dr. Hanna Mikkola. The goals of the Mikkola lab include illuminating the fetal microenvironments where progenitor stem cells differentiate into mature blood cells essential for cardiovascular homeostasis. By studying the niches where hematopoietic stem cells proliferate and differentiate, we are able to understand more about the conditions which give rise to blood system pathologies such as leukemias, and use this to develop better therapeutics for treatment of these disorders. Emily’s work this summer includes describing the physiological differences which give rise to hematopoietic stem cell development in addition to identifying cell subtypes and signaling pathways which are important for hematopoiesis. Emily would like to thank Dr. Hanna Mikkola and Dr. Yue Wang for their mentorship, and the entire Mikkola Lab for being so supportive, kind, and helpful. She also would like to say thank you to her family for always encouraging her to pursue her dreams. Lastly, Emily would like to thank UCLA and the Amgen Foundation for giving her this opportunity to explore and grow as a scientist and have an unforgettable summer.