TCNJ

TCNJ Magazine Spring 2020

Issue link: http://tcnj.uberflip.com/i/1249287

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 40 of 51

39 SPRING 2020 K aila Carter came to TCNJ expecting to pursue a career in medicine. But during winter break of her first year she and her mother traveled to Vietnam, where Carter had been adopted when she was two months old, and the experience upended those expectations. When they visited the hospital, in Thái Nguyên province, where Carter had been born 18 years earlier, the nurses told her little had changed: A single delivery room was still used for all births. "I felt like I had just stepped back into time," Carter says. The trip sparked Carter's interest in genetics, and she began to envision a career as a genetic counselor, helping patients understand and respond to their own genetic makeup. A paid internship last summer at Genome Medical, a private company with an office in her hometown of Marlton, New Jersey, helped confirm her choice. At TCNJ, her passion for biology intensified through her interaction with professors Tracy Kress and Marcia O'Connell. When Carter submitted a saliva sample to 23andMe, the online genetic testing service, she learned she was not a carrier for any common genetic diseases. "This gave me peace of mind that there aren't specific disorders I need to prepare for down the road or for my future kids," she says. The report also helped fill in for the dearth of information Carter had about her genetic background. "As far as medical history goes, for so many adopted kids it's nonexistent," she says. "Genetics can give them peace of mind, as it gave me. It can help them determine how they go about their health care." Through her genetic testing, Carter found she has a high density of fast- twitch muscles, typically found in elite athletes. The finding made sense: This winter Carter capped an illustrious career on the TCNJ track and field team by setting a new school record in the 60-meter hurdles — 8.89 seconds, achieved at the New Jersey Athletic Conference championships. While the coronavirus disrupted Carter's athletic career — the Division III national championships and the entire spring outdoor season were canceled — it also clarified her resolve to find work in a research laboratory (she's looking primarily in the Washington, D.C. area). The pandemic has only added urgency to her job search. "Hopefully," she says, "I can start helping to make this world a better place a bit sooner." ■ KAILA CARTER, biology 2016 Expectant pre-med major 2020 Future genetic counselor

Articles in this issue

view archives of TCNJ - TCNJ Magazine Spring 2020