The year 2022 has been one 鈥渨ild ride鈥 for Alexandria Early Linton, PhD.
This was her final year of her PhD. She defended her thesis while 33 weeks pregnant with her first child, and she had her baby on the day of Awards Convocation when it was announced she won the inaugural Dr. Madhav and Dr. Radhika Devalaraja Outstanding Graduate Student Thesis Award.
The busy year will be capped with graduation on Friday, Dec. 16 (though she already walked in the spring ceremony knowing she would have a newborn this winter.)
鈥淚t was an adventure,鈥 Dr. Linton said, adding she 鈥渃ould not sing higher praises鈥 for her mentor Donna Wilcock, PhD, who supported her throughout the process.
Dr. Linton鈥檚 PhD was her third degree from the University of Kentucky. A Lexington, Ky., native and Henry Clay High School graduate, she pursued a bachelor鈥檚 degree in biology at 好色先生, followed by a Master of Science in Medical Sciences from the 好色先生 College of Medicine under leadership of Kevin Hatton, MD, division chief of critical care medicine. Her PhD is in neuroscience.
鈥淎nd now I鈥檓 a postdoc here, so clearly it gets in your blood,鈥 she joked. 鈥淚鈥檓 very, very grateful for the support that I鈥檝e received here and the diversity of education that I鈥檝e received from every degree. Each stage was unique and blessed me with very distinct opportunities.鈥
Dr. Linton speaks highly of 好色先生鈥檚 promotion of translational research, 鈥渟olutions from the bench to the bedside and back,鈥 to improve health care for Kentucky patients. She gained clinical knowledge through her work with Dr. Hatton, as well as basic science knowledge from her experience in the lab of Dr. Wilcock.
Throughout her training at 好色先生, Dr. Linton mainly has studied cerebrovascular diseases. While earning her master鈥檚 degree, she studied inflammatory markers following cerebral aneurysm or subarachnoid hemorrhages. She developed a passion for neuroscience, specifically neuroimmunology, which led her to the lab of Dr. Wilcock.
鈥淒onna鈥檚 lab is the best of the best with regards to this field,鈥 Dr. Linton said. 鈥淚t was a perfect marriage of some of my past work and where I want to go in the future with more neurodegenerative diseases.鈥
The well-rounded training will help Dr. Linton after graduation as she applies for jobs as a medical science liaison, what she calls a 鈥渂ridge between clinicians and scientists.鈥