Meet Elitsa Stoyanova of The Rockefeller University! The Nathaniel Heintz lab member and graduate student makes her first visit to campus for the Statistical Methods for Functional Genomics course. Elitsa shares with us the reasons that attracted her to apply to and attend the annual course, and advice useful for future trainees.

What are your research interests? What are you working on? 
My research interests are in neuroscience and epitranscriptomics. I currently study the epigenetic regulation of gene expression in the mouse cerebellum during development.

Was there something specific about the Statistical Methods for Functional Genomics course that drew you to apply? 
The main reason I wanted to attend this course was to establish and expand my network of peers. Having a support system that also doubles as a resource for collaborations and inspiration is a tremendous asset for every scientist. Furthermore, I wanted to strengthen my statistics and genomics skill set and to gain exposure to the newest techniques in the field. I am happy to share that I accomplished both of my goals through the course.

What is your key takeaway from the Course?
My key takeaway from this course is that there is always more to learn and there is always room for improvement. Now, I feel confident to share and discuss genomic analysis and I am looking forward to apply all the skills I acquired to my graduate thesis.

How many CSHL courses have you attended? How about CSHL meetings? 
So far I have only attended the Statistical Methods for Functional Genomics course, but I would love to take another one! And I have not planned to attend a meeting yet, but I’d be thrilled to come back and present my research.

If someone curious in attending your course asked you for feedback or advice on it, what would you tell him/her?
I would tell them to refresh their statistics and get ready for two intense weeks of learning!

What do you like most about your time at CSHL?
I absolutely loved our sailing trip in Oyster Bay and talking about the rich history of the area. 

Thank you to Elitsa for being this week's featured visitor. To meet other featured scientists - and discover the wide range of science that takes part in a CSHL meeting or course – go here.