Ethan Giannotta was in middle school when his beloved “Nana” died of cancer.
“She was my best friend and biggest mentor,” he recalled.
From his grief emerged a strong resolve: “to make a difference in the world of cancer.”
This summer, the Ohio Northern University student is taking a major step toward that goal by participating in the highly-competitive Summer Student Program at the world-renowned Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine in Farmington, Connecticut.
“The Jackson Laboratory is globally known as almost every therapy or discovery has ties to a Jackson Lab mouse,” said Ethan. “But what really drew me in was Dr. Ching Lau’s lab which focuses on therapies for rare pediatric tumors. I am extremely interested in this area, so it felt like a perfect fit.”
At ONU, Ethan is a double major in molecular biology and neuroscience with a minor in chemistry. His future goal is to work in either bench or clinical research with a focus on pediatric cancer.
At the Jackson Laboratory, Ethan is tackling his own biotechnology research project, targeting desmoplastic small round cell tumor, which is a rare but aggressive type of soft tissue sarcoma.
“My work involves molecular cloning, cell culture, and transfection experiments,” he said. “It’s been really exciting to take ownership of a project with real-world impact.”
Beyond sharpening his technical skills, Ethan is developing the mindset of a scientist.
“Learning how to analyze my own experiments and take ownership of my work has been huge,” he said. “When something doesn’t go as planned, which happens a lot in research, I’ve had to stay calm, adapt, and figure out next steps.”
Supportive mentors at the Jackson Laboratory have buoyed Ethan’s confidence and opened his eyes to the myriad career avenues he could take his passion.
“There are so many paths—academic, clinical, industry, startups—and being in this environment has helped me see there’s no one ‘right’ way to be part of science.”
The experience has only deepened his commitment to honoring his Nana’s memory through cancer research.
“I wouldn’t be at the Jackson Laboratory without the incredible support of my ONU professors,” he said. “ONU gave me the foundation and community to take this leap, and I’m truly grateful for that.”
Photos printed with permission from ©2025 The Jackson Laboratory.
