Mohammed Adani, wearing a lab coat, closely examines a molecular model in a laboratory setting

Mohamed Addani, ‘18
Research, Discovery & Cures
Degree
BSHS
Current Employment
Currently Pursuing PhD from Mayo Clinic's Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Hometown
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

 

Why did you choose to come to UMR? I chose UMR for its exceptional ideal location, especially its proximity to Mayo Clinic since I knew I was interested in a health sciences degree. The small student-to-faculty ratio was also appealing.

What did your Capstone experience at UMR involve? My Capstone experience was about the multicultural lenses I used to make decisions about my life and career: being part of a Somali ethnic group while growing up in an Arab country, then experiencing and becoming a refugee in Jordan, to finally coming to United States. These experiences shaped the person I am today. The privilege of attending college and exploring any career I desire in itself was a foreign concept that I had to slowly accept. As a multilingual person, I worked with Rochester Public schools and Somali Rebuild Organization to assist refugees and students in general.

How did your Capstone experience prepare you for your future in what you’re currently doing? I had never heard the term research when I lived in the Middle East. As the oldest son, I was told since I was a child that it was expected of me to become a physician. My Capstone experience actually went against what I was expected to do and instead focused on pursuing what I loved, which was research.

What are you currently doing? I accepted a PhD program offer from Mayo Clinic’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. My track within the program will be Clinical and Translational Sciences (CTS) because I plan to not only translate my laboratory research to patient care, but also apply it to epidemiological scale. A PhD in research allows me to help millions of people throughout my research and future discoveries. This opportunity propels me to work hard.

Was there a faculty member that positively impacted your time at UMR and how? UMR allowed me to connect with many faculty, staff and coaches who impacted me during my undergraduate studies. Dr. Larsen, Dr. Olson and Dr. Prat-Resina for science mentorship, and Anna Ribikawskis and Jenny Casper for personal development.