Program: Master of Public Health and Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry
Year: Senior
As a child, not only did Nicole Renee Palmer learn to read from a student encyclopedia of human anatomy—it’s where her awareness of our collective similarities first dawned.
“I remember staring at a photo from the inside of the heart—specifically, the heartstrings—and I was incredulous at the fact that such an otherworldly structure was mere inches away from my field of view,” she shared.
This year, Palmer won the prestigious Thermo Fisher Scientific Antibody Scholarship Award for future scientists. At CWRU, she’s studying how S-Nitrosothiols control vasodilation alongside other researchers in the lab of James Reynolds, professor of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine. Their efforts could improve outcomes for patients of organ transplantation, bypass and blood transfusion, as well as conditions such as COVID-19 and dementia.
While Palmer helps investigate clinical therapies for cardiology—her first love—she also values the social application of medicine. With University Hospitals Rainbow Center for Women & Children’s Rainbow Connect, she volunteers to connect patients with needed community resources, including public benefits like SNAP and WIC, local resources for furniture and diapers, and legal representation.
Following the completion of her bachelor’s and master’s degrees as part of CWRU’s Integrated Graduate Studies Program in the spring, Palmer plans to pursue medical school.
“I aim to celebrate our individuality in ability and background. I expect to never stop learning and never stop working for the health of others,” she said.