Lauren Beach

I am a J.D. and a Ph.D. candidate in the University of Minnesota's Joint Degree Program in Law, Health, and the Life Sciences. In February 2008, I joined the retroviral research lab of Dr. Louis M. Mansky, to pursue my Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology & Genetics. In December 2012, I received my J.D., Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Minnesota Law School. Currently, I am working on finishing my Ph.D., which I expect to complete in Spring 2014. The major focus of my NIH-funded dissertation research is to characterize the virological molecular mechanism of a compound the Mansky lab has found to possess anti-HIV-1 activity. While working toward my degrees, I have held leadership roles in university organizations and in community non-profits. I have developed strong skills in leadership, strategic planning, non-profit board governance, grant writing, fundraising, event and conference planning, social networking, website development, public speaking, donor development, coalition building, stakeholder engagement, and diversity education.