About Emma
Emma Szegvari is a DVM/Ph.D. student in the Woerman Lab at Colorado State University. Emma’s primary research focuses on understanding the mechanisms behind alpha-synuclein fibrillization and accumulation. She works with both in vitro and in vivo models to understand strain properties in multiple system atrophy (MSA), which she is using to develop a novel gene therapy that will interfere with protein misfolding thus inhibiting the spread of disease.
Previously, Emma completed research on the accumulation and impact of herbicides in wetland ecosystems during her undergraduate degree in biochemistry from Hamilton College. She also had the opportunity to study in South Africa where she examined the accumulation of microplastics in several rivers running through Kruger National Park. After graduating, Emma worked for two years in a veterinary specialty hospital in Bellingham, WA where she was a part of the surgery, oncology, and internal medicine teams. She hopes to combine her passions for research and clinical service toward a career as a clinician scientist. Emma loves backpacking, trail running, and mountain biking with her dog Mia, and also loves to bake, garden, and learn about local bird species.