Q&A GSK Fellow Alan Scott Brown Jr.

Alan Scott Brown Jr., a GSK fellow recently shared with us his experiences applying for the GSK Graduate Fellowship Program and advice for future applicants. Alan is also a bioinformatics and genomics graduate student.

Q: What is your research area?

ASB: My research focuses on relationships between chromatin and transcription factor binding in Plasmodium, the parasite that causes malaria.

Q: How did you feel when you learned you were a GSK fellow?

ASB: I was thrilled! Being selected as a GSK fellow is a tremendous honor. I can't wait to start collaborating with other fellows and experts at GSK, and I'm eager to make the most of this incredible opportunity.

Q: What do you hope to do after Penn State?

ASB: After Penn State, I hope to work in industry solving biomedical problems with direct application to human health and quality of life. For example, I want to leverage large datasets to streamline research into therapeutics for complex diseases.

Q: Part of the GSK fellowship is an internship, what do you hope to achieve while at GSK?

ASB: Next summer I plan on interning at GSK. I believe it will be an excellent opportunity to network with industry professionals and identify how I can best contribute to their ongoing research efforts. Additionally, this experience will help pinpoint any skills I need to enhance during the final phase of my PhD.

Q: What is the most important experience you will take with you from your time at Penn State?

ASB: At Penn State, I have had the privilege of meeting a diverse group of incredible people from all over the world, and I’m excited to maintain these connections long after I graduate. While I am certainly learning valuable technical skills that are essential for my professional journey, I realize building relationships and sharing knowledge are equally important. The relationships I've built during my time at Penn State will be what I take with me moving forward.