Jennifer Soldatich is a Ph.D. student in the Cell Biology and Molecular Physiology (CBNP) track at the Rutgers School of Graduate Studies. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Biological Sciences at Hunter College in New York City, where she also completed a Master of Arts in Biochemistry. During her master’s program, Jennifer conducted research in the lab of Dr. Yujia Xu, focusing on post-translational modifications of collagen mimetic peptides (CMPs). She designed and developed novel co-expression constructs incorporating the gene for prolyl-4-hydroxylase from Acanthamoeba polyphaga mimivirus, aiming to enable large-scale production of post-translationally modified CMPs in bacterial expression systems. Her work with collagen and cell culture sparked a deeper interest in cell biology and microscopy, which she continues to explore at Rutgers. In the Lab of Dr. Sophie Astrof, Jennifer is investigating the developmental trajectory of second heart field vascular progenitors, their role in lymphatic vessel development, and how defects in these processes contribute to congenital heart disease.
Outside the lab, Jennifer enjoys building and fixing things with power tools, rock climbing, running, reading, and watching reruns of Star Trek. She and her husband are passionate supporters of the Wildlife Conservation Society and participate annually in fundraising events such as the Run for the Wild.