Nicole Benjamin, from Burlington, MA, is a UNH alumna with a B.S. in genetics and an M.S. in molecular and cellular biotechnology. Nicole, who graduated this year in 2025, shared an update about what's next for her.
What are you doing now?
This June, I will begin my post-grad career at AstraZeneca in Waltham, MA. My position is "scientist, bioscience" within AstraZeneca’s Discovery Sciences’ Global Cell Bank (GCB) team. I’ll be working close with GCB teams across England, Germany, and Sweden to provide high-quality cellular models that support research and therapeutic development. In Waltham, my primary responsibility will be expanding and maintaining various immortalized cell lines used in AstraZeneca’s oncology research. This includes conducting viability and contamination assays to ensure the integrity and quality of the cell lines.
How did your time at UNH prepare you for where you are today?
At UNH, I had the opportunity to take two courses that prepared me for cell culture work. The first class I took was Cell Culture with Professor Tom Foxall. This course allowed me to learn how to culture CHO cells, an immortalized adherent cell line, as well as observe STEM cells differentiate into myocardial cells. Watching these myocardial cells have a rhythmic “heartbeat” under the microscope was the moment I knew that I wanted to pursue cell culture further. Thus, I decided to take Professor Sarah Walker's Cell Phenotyping and Tissue Engineering course. This class further expanded my skillset in cell culture, but also allowed me to learn how to work with 3D cell culture and tissue. This class also exposed me to working with different cell lines — both suspension and adherent-based cell lines. These classes allowed me to practice and learn a series of cell culturing techniques that I will be applying to my daily work at AstraZeneca.
In addition to coursework, I held two unique cell culture based internship experiences as an undergrad. During the summer of 2023, I was an intern for Massachusetts General Hospital’s Center for Genomic Medicine under James Walker. During this internship, I gained first-hand experience in an academic setting. I spent my summer studying neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and worked to genetically engineer cell models to identify potential therapeutic targets. Then, the summer of 2024, I decided to intern in the biotech industry. I was the molecular biology summer intern at Sarepta Therapeutics, which I worked extensively with suspension cell lines to optimize the production of biologics. I am extremely grateful for both of these internships as they allowed me to grow my skillset to be a successful candidate for AstraZeneca’s GCB’s scientist position.
Where do you see yourself in five years? In 10?
While I’m not sure exactly where I’ll be, I’m confident I want to continue doing laboratory work that will help individuals living with rare diseases and disorders. I want to be able to use my experience to help find treatments and therapeutics to improve the quality of life of members of our community.
What do you know now that you wish you'd known while an undergrad?
Network with alumni! During my job search, I was incredibly thankful to the UNH alumni who took the time to speak with me about their careers. Their advice and encouragement helped me stay grounded and confident throughout the process. Don’t hesitate to reach out to alumni via LinkedIn or ask your career advisor for connections — you never know who might be willing to help!
What person or course most influenced you while at UNH? How?
Dr. Estelle Hrabak is the best mentor I could ask for! I had the amazing opportunity to perform undergraduate research with her for three years of my undergraduate career. She is someone who would challenge and encourage me throughout my undergrad, allowi
What advice do you have for students interested in your field?
Get involved in research early. Hands-on experience is SO important — it’s the best way to figure out if you truly enjoy lab work and/or the type of research. Some people thrive in a lab environment; others realize it’s not for them. You won’t know until you try!
What will you miss most about UNH?
I’m going to miss all of the opportunities of growth at UNH. UNH is where I truly found my confidence and voice. When I first arrived, I was rather shy and hesitant to step outside my comfort zone. Over time, I became more outgoing and self-assured, which I attribute to joining several organizations and making connections. I had the opportunity to be a Resident Assistant for two years, which pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and develop leadership and interpersonal skills. UNH gave me space and confidence to grow into the person I am today.
Please tell us one unique or remarkable thing about yourself.
I am a 4-time awardee of the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research’s Undergraduate Research Awards!
