Author: [AUTHOR] Published on 11/1/2022 12:00:00 AM

Julia Quintanilha, PhD, Postdoc Fellow, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

What Does Being Recognized as a Presidential Trainee Mean to You?
I feel very honored to have been selected to receive the ASCPT 2022 Presidential Trainee Award. It means a lot to me, not only as a recognition for my research but also as fuel to keep me motivated and continue to work toward my goals.

How Do You Keep Focused and Motivated?
I try to always keep focused on my major goal, which includes impacting patients' lives through my research. To achieve this, I like to have my milestones and timelines very clear and always make a plan to follow. I also like to talk to mentors, collaborators, and people who inspire me to make sure I am on the right track.

What Was Your Childhood Dream Job?
I have always wanted to be a scientist. Studying and learning things always fascinated me. As I grew up, health sciences were something I was genuinely engaged with, and I decided to become a pharmacist. I feel so fortunate to work with something I have always dreamed of.

What's One Thing People Would Be Surprised to Know About You?
I was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease when I was 11 years old. I had to try several medications to find the right one that worked better for me, without serious side effects. I think this is one of the reasons I am so fascinated with the idea of precision medicine and the fact that we can select the best drug for each patient before even starting the treatment.

Dr. Quintanilha has been a member of ASCPT since 2021.