Andrea Joseph, PhD
Andrea Joseph, PhD
In-Training SRI Member
Postdoctoral Fellow
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Women's Biomedical Research Institute
Career Journey
Andrea Joseph, PhD, is a postdoctoral fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in the Women's Biomedical Research Institute. She received her Bachelor of Science in chemical and biomolecular engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 2016, and a doctoral degree in chemical engineering from the University of Washington in 2021. Under the mentorship of Michal Elovitz, M.D., she studies the etiology of preterm birth, and as a preterm survivor herself, Joseph's long-term career goal is to establish an academic lab to investigate nanotechnology for the prevention of preterm birth and treatment of its downstream effects. She is committed to advocacy for women and early career scientists and currently serves as a member of the SRI In-Training Member Committee.
Questions
1. What inspired you to choose reproductive sciences?
I was born premature at 32 weeks, giving my mom—a new immigrant to the US—a real scare. Decades later, we still do not have answers, biological root causes or effective therapeutics, for families affected by this leading cause of global childhood mortality. The huge potential for impact in this field, and the vastness of what’s unknown, inspires me.
2. How did you hear about SRI?
One month into my postdoc, my advisor brought me to an SRI meeting. It was a fantastic opportunity to meet leaders in the field, be immersed in reproductive science, and connect with other students and postdocs, many of whom I have reconnected with at Annual Meetings since!
3. What makes SRI your scientific home and how has it helped your career?
I appreciate a society that intentionally spans boundaries—from clinicians, to bench researchers, to engineers, to industry scientists, and even more. I have felt welcomed as an interdisciplinary researcher, connected with current and potential collaborators, and presented my work to an international audience, all of which has tremendously supported my postdoctoral success.