Student Focus
Keesha Sanchez, Pre-Dental Undergraduate Student
Keesha Sanchez became interested in the sciences at a very young age, and was especially 
interested in Biology after taking Anatomy & Physiology in high school. She said “I remember being intrigued when I learned about the several biological pathways we have in our bodies. It amazes me how one small disruption in any of those pathways is associated with several diseases.”
A pre-dental student working towards a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Chemistry from Rhode Island College (RIC), Keesha has plans to graduate in the Spring of 2023 and already started research in her field.
“My biggest accomplishment so far is participating in the Summer Research Opportunity Program at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. It is the top-ranked dental school in the U.S. and it is my top choice for both my Graduate and Dental school applications, so working there this summer was so unreal!”
As a Research Assistant, Keesha’s project “Macrophage efferocytosis of apoptotic osteoblasts induces bone formation” was mentored by Provost Laurie K. McCauley and Dr. Lena Batoon.
After participating in the RI-INBRE SURF program in 2021 and learning about S. aureus biofilms, Sanchez became interested in oral biofilms and their implications in the oral cavity and said, “To expand my knowledge in this field, I would like to pursue an M.S. in Oral Health Sciences.” Keesha was mentored by Dr. Kerry LaPlante, PharmD, Professor, and chairperson at the University of Rhode Island’s Department of Pharmacy Practice. Dr. LaPlante shared, “It was a pleasure working with Keesha in the lab; she is a bright and inquisitive student.”
Keesha shared that as a first-generation college student she experienced a rough start during her first semester of college, not knowing where a career in biology would lead her, it caused anxiety and imposter syndrome. She started shadowing dentists and participating in research to gain insight into her desired field and shared that “After meeting such a diverse group of people, I ultimately realized that there were endless possibilities!” In her college biology and chemistry courses, the laboratory component was always her favorite.
“I loved taking what I learn in class and applying it to a laboratory setting. I also really enjoyed scientific writing and always found myself going down rabbit holes during assigned research projects. I wanted to contribute to advancing scientific knowledge outside of a classroom setting and decided to apply to the McNair Scholars program at RIC.” A 2020-2022 McNair Scholar, Keesha is currently working with Dr. Anika Toorie (RI-INBRE ’19-20 SURF, ‘20-23 ECD) on her project “Evaluation of Sex-Specific Oxidative Stress Markers in the Pathophysiology of Diet-Induced NAFLD.”
“A career in science is exciting to me because I like the idea of acquiring specialized knowledge in a specific area of study and challenging myself in new ways.”