Stephen Pike, Guarini

What do you consider your hometown? 

Mahopac, New York

Where did you earn your undergraduate degree and what was it in? 

SUNY University at Buffalo

Bachelors in Chemical and Biological Engineering

What is your graduate degree in? 

Integrative Neuroscience

What is your area of research? What inspired you to pursue this research? 

I study how our immune system plays a role in the development of diseases in the brain. For this poster session, I presented my work in brain cancer, in which we developed a software called "GIMiCC". This software will allow users to calculate the levels of 18 cell types in brain tumor biopsy samples. Our goal is to perfect this method so we can understand more about how immune cells function in brain tumors and why many current treatment options that target the immune system are not yet working.

What does it mean to you to receive the award? 

I was extremely honored and ecstatic to receive this award, as it was validating to see other people cared about the work I am doing and see value in it. I am also honored to be platformed and bring further awareness to brain cancer, as it is a devastating disease with minimal treatment options. By spreading this message to my scientific colleagues, I hope to accelerate the progress we can make toward preventing brain cancer.

Why did you choose Dartmouth for your degree?

I came to Dartmouth for my PhD because of the tight-knit community I found when I interviewed here. I knew a PhD was a tough process and wanted to go somewhere where I knew I would be supported, both professionally and personally. Beyond the people, the natural beauty the Upper Valley has to offer was also a strong factor as I knew the outdoors is a great place to escape to when school gets tough. 

What do you like best about Dartmouth? 

I love how easy it is to collaborate at Dartmouth. Being able to get training and feedback across disciplines allows me to produce cutting edge research. Without receiving training from my mentors in the department of neurology, I would not have the background in neuroimmunology required to study immune cells in the brain. Additionally, without my training in epidemiology and bioinformatics, I would not have the skills to properly develop or utilize GIMiCC.