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Future Physician-Scientist

Ohio Wesleyan Student Works as Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Undergraduate Research Fellow

Name: Andy Weisgerber '27
Hometown: Harmony, Pennsylvania
High School: Seneca Valley High School
Majors: Genetics, Public Health, and Pre-Medicine
Minor: Chemistry

OWU Connection Experience: Working as a Cystic Fibrosis Foundation undergraduate research fellow in Birmingham, Alabama, at the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine and UAB's Gregory Fleming James Cystic Fibrosis Research Center

Weisgerber was selected as one of seven summer 2025 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation fellows, spending the months of June and July working to advance research to treat cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease that causes a thick mucus to build up in the body, potentially damaging the lungs and other organs.

My Fellowship

"I research cystic fibrosis with researchers and physician scientists daily. I spend most of my time culturing human epithelial cell lines and running qPCR (quantitative polymerase chain reaction) tests on miRNA (microRNA) levels to help measure the effectiveness of treatment method models for CF.

"I presented a three-minute thesis talk on the research my lab does, and I generated my own poster to present at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference in the fall."

Why This Opportunity?

"I sought out this opportunity to build my skills in medical research and human genetics. Every day, I get to collaborate with incredible Ph.D. and M.D. researchers who are living my dream job, and I get to help them make meaningful breakthroughs in treatments for cystic fibrosis. I am excited to learn and grow toward my goal of being a physician-scientist in the future."

My Favorite Moment

"My favorite moment of the experience was getting to shadow clinicians at a cystic fibrosis treatment clinic. It was so incredible to see the level of care and the therapeutic advancements that drive caring for patients who require care regularly to maintain their health and make the most of life with chronic disease."

I learned a lot about the kind of scientist I want to be, and where I will find a role that suits me in the academic medical research environment.

Lessons Learned

"I learned a lot about the kind of scientist I want to be, and where I will find a role that suits me in the academic medical research environment. Experiences like this are so important to building a background in scientific thought and laboratory techniques that apply anywhere."

OWU Assistance

"The OWU Career Connection office was instrumental in helping me prepare an excellent CV for my applications this year. I also would like to thank Dr. Christopher Wolverton and Dr. Danielle Hamill for their letters of recommendation on my behalf."

My Campus Involvements

"I am communications chair of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, president of Friends of MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors without Borders) at OWU, a member of the Ski and Snowboard club, Pre-health club, Genetics club, and Circle K. I also am an OWU Student Ambassador."

Why Ohio Wesleyan?

"I chose to attend Ohio Wesleyan University because I knew that the programs and opportunities they offered could help me tailor my undergraduate experience to make me a competitive candidate for my graduate school applications. Dr. (David) Markwardt is an amazing pre-med advisor, and all of the faculty in the sciences at OWU are dedicated to student success."

My Plans After Graduation

"I plan to pursue a dual M.D./Ph.D. degree program, following my dream to become a physician-scientist and contribute to the development of treatments for genetic diseases."