Hailey Steichen

"I first became interested in toxicology as an undergraduate student. I was involved in a summer research project with the chemistry department focused on characterizing historic mercury and lead deposition in ombrotrophic bogs (areas that receive all of their water and nutrients from precipitation, rather than from streams or springs) in New York’s Catskill Mountains. That project made me curious about how contaminants such as heavy metals affect the environment and living organisms, which inspired me to pursue graduate work in toxicology.

While working on my MS degree in Applied Toxicology here at UW, I’ve been very fortunate to be mentored by DEOHS faculty who have helped me pursue research opportunities tailored to my areas of interest. My culminating project is related to research I did with a National Laboratory focused on the activity of specific enzymes associated with detoxification pathways under various exposure conditions. After graduation, I hope to go on an epic cycling adventure, then continue my research in molecular toxicology to help people who have been negatively impacted by chemical exposures."