<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b><img class="size-medium wp-image-51225 alignleft" src="https://bme.fiu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/giselle-valdes-300x300.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />Degree: </b>Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>College/School: </b>College of Engineering &amp; Computing</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Giselle Valdes became caretaker for her grandmother, who has Alzheimer’s, and her mother, who has multiple sclerosis. This inspired Giselle to research genetic disorders. A McNair scholar, she completed a competitive summer research program at MIT mapping the mutation that causes Treacher Collins Syndrome, a condition that affects the development of bones and facial tissue. The research findings may help prevent, and even treat, the disorder in the future by correcting the mutation through genetic engineering. Giselle also researched two classes of chemotherapy drugs, and that might impact how they are prescribed in the future. Giselle has been accepted –  and will decide between – Harvard and MIT for graduate school.</span></p>
<p class="p8"><span class="s2">For the first time ever, FIU is recognizing <em><strong>nine</strong></em> Worlds Ahead female graduates in engineering who are at the cutting edge of their fields. </span><span class="s2">Giselle will stand among the nine female Worlds Aheadgraduates of <span class="s7">FIU College of Engineering &amp; Computing and</span> will be recognized on Wednesday, May 1 at 10am.</span></p>
<p class="p8"><span class="s2">“These women come from different walks of life, but they share a passion for their fields and for changing lives that serves as an inspiration to others,” said FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg.</span><img class="aligncenter wp-image-51226 size-large" src="https://bme.fiu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/WA-1024x731.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="731" /></p>