The area of research that interest me most is virology and vaccine development. I realize the enormous impact that this virus, and viruses like it, can have on an individual, as well as on entire populations. While I feel that it is important to help one individual at a time through medicine, my passion is to participate in the development of a vaccine that will affect millions of people around the world. Through my previous research experiences at Merck & Co. I have gained a greater enthusiasm for vaccine research, and I feel that want devote my scientific abilities, with the help of Dr. Gary Nabel and the VRC, to making a lasting contribution to HIV vaccine development.