Dear Professor Jennifer Trowbridge,

I am writing to express my interest in a PhD position in your group at the University of Maine. I
recently completed my bachelor's degree at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology,
Ogbomoso Nigeria. I have over 5 years of experience studying biomedical science. My
bachelor’s thesis was focused on the comparative study of antioxidants enzymes and estrogen
hormone from women. I analyzed antioxidant enzymes catalase, peroxidase, superoxide
dismutase, and glutathione together with lipid peroxidation biomarkers and estrogen hormone to
determine its predictive potential for cancer disease in women. The result of the study showed
that decreased antioxidant defense and reduced estrogen hormone in postmenopausal women
could play a significant role in the pathogenesis of various diseases related to menopause such as
cancer. The result of this work kindled my interest to know more.
Post graduation, I interned with the Polymerase Chain Reaction laboratory of Federal Medical
Center, Makurdi (WHO Reference Centre For HIV viral load testing in Nigeria), I worked with
the researchers in the laboratory to help in the maintenance of HIV patients by carrying out Liver
Function Test, counting the CD4 cells using the flow cytometer and determining the viral load in
the HIV+ blood samples using Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR).There I also
co-authored a research work on the effect of supplements administration in hepatitis C obese
patients. The findings reveal that the supplement zinc and selenium administered to these
patients may be effective in the prevention of liver cancer and also exert great anti-inflammatory
effects and tumorigenesis prevention. This experience so far has greatly enhanced my research
skills and critical thinking ability.
I learned about your research laboratory via the UMaine website and was prompted to read some
of your publications. Your publication on “The Mediator of Hematopoietic Stem Cell
Homeostasis “caught my interest and I will appreciate an opportunity to discuss potential
research ideas that align with your area of interest
I am confident that my investigative qualities, independence, creativity, and critical thinking, my
technical skills in nucleic acid isolation and manipulation, qRT-PCR, protein localization,
protein-protein interactions, stress assays and my experience in cell biology would be an asset to
your laboratory. I am enclosing my curriculum vitae. Thank you for your time and consideration.
I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Olaleye.