Sarah Kieswetter
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Hi! I’m Sarah Kiesewetter, one of the Technologists of the lab. I finished my Bachelor’s of Science (Animal Science) at the University of Illinois in 2006, and have been with the Woodruff lab ever since. I started out working with all of the animal systems in our lab, but with the addition of a few new technologists I have made the transition to the head of education and outreach. I get the opportunity to work with all of the incoming researchers to our lab, as well as undergraduates, high schoolers, high school teachers, and anyone else who is interested in the research of the Woodruff lab! I’ve been lucky enough to be a teacher for the Oncofertility Saturday Academy for all 3 years that it has been running, and have completely enjoyed working with the students and watching how the program grows and changes each year. Other activities for me include all of the paperwork involved in actually performing research with animals, working with the Oncofertility Consortium to freeze ovarian tissue for cancer patients, helping others with their projects (they call us a “collaboratory” for a reason!), and I also get to perform a few projects of my own on the side. One study that Jen Jozefik and I are currently wrapping up deals with the process of ovulating an ovarian follicle in our culture system and showing how it turns into a corpus luteum (a progesterone-producing unit that, in vivo, helps maintain the hospitable environment of the uterus until an embryo implants). The lab is a very busy place this summer, but I’m always willing to chat about what we do – so check in and see what’s going on!
SK