Jonathan West, MA

Bio

Jonathan is a fourth year Biopsychology student and will be graduating this June with a Bachelor’s of Science degree. Eventually, he plans on applying to medical school in hopes of becoming an emergency medicine physician or surgeon.

As an undergraduate, Jonathan worked in the Wilson Lab as a laboratory and undergraduate research assistant. His research has focused on microtubules and how these structures interact with microtubule-targeted cancer medications. In addition to his work in the lab, Jonathan served as the president of the fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega and the secretary of the local non-profit organization Greeks 4 Kids during his sophomore and junior years. Jonathan also volunteers regularly with Doctors Without Walls, Santa Barbara Street Medicine as a Companion Care volunteer and shadows a local orthopedic surgeon.

As for future plans, Jonathan plans to spend the next two years as a Masters student in the Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology department where he will work as a Teacher’s Assistant and write a thesis on his research. Additionally, he plans to work in the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital emergency department as a medical scribe.

Jonathan was inspired to join BIOME by two of his mentors, Paige Ruiz and Abbie Pierce, who provided him with invaluable knowledge and advice as an undergraduate. As a BIOME mentor, he seeks to lead by their example and assist undergrads in any way he can.