Project Title: Utilizing a Human Stem Cell Model of the Esophagus to Understand Racial Disparities During Injury Repair
Position: Research Investigator
Institution: University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Grant ID: K99DK133804
An abundance of curiosity, the challenge of solving problems, and perseverance led Daysha Ferrer-Torres to where she is today and where she wants to go in science. At an early age in Puerto Rico, Dr. Ferrer-Torres became involved in science when her parents bought her a microscope. From then on, she marveled at the complexity of the structures she could see through the lenses and how science helps describe and explain the processes we observe daily in nature. For over a decade, Dr. Ferrer-Torres has spent her time in academic training and working in evolutionary genetics, cancer biology, tissue modeling, and stem cell biology. She obtained a bachelor’s in science at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, and a PhD in cancer biology from the University of Michigan, where she’s been training in stem cell biology and tissue modeling. Her passion lies in answering the scientific questions that can shape how we prevent or delay the onset of cancer with a focus on racial disparities. Dr. Ferrer-Torres strongly believes that the evolution of medical care and preventive medicine lies in our ability to perform interdisciplinary, diverse research and to be inclusive at all levels of scientific advancement.