Giselle Vargas

Hello! I’m Giselle, a senior at Duke who is majoring in Biology with a concentration in Anatomy, Physiology and Biomechanics. Along with this, I am also perusing a minor in Chemistry. With aspirations of becoming a successful and respected surgeon, I selected this area of study because of my appreciation for the human body. I plan to use the study of the body and chemistry to gain a well-rounded understanding of what makes life possible for most of us, and what could potentially make life better for others.

Currently as a Scholar in Marine Medicine, I perform marine research for the advancement of human health. For the past year I have been taking a comparative evolutionary approach to hypoxia by looking at marine mammals that are naturally resistant to hypoxic stress such as bottlenose dolphins. I love what I do and I hope to continue this as a thesis in my coming final undergraduate year at Duke. This experience, along with past experience studying Parkinson’s in a Vector Core has helped shape my interest in conditions that affect the body at both the physical and genetic level.

Outside of school and research I have been a part of Duke GANO for the past three years. This organization serves as an English tutoring service to the Spanish speaking community of Durham. I am also a member of Duke Spectrum, an organization dedicated to promoting awareness and fostering an understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder. I also play on a co-ed soccer team at the intramural level. Finally, I volunteer in the operating room of the Durham VA. Here, I assist in preparing the room for the given surgery and I love this experience because I always have the privilege of staying to observe.