Laura Roselli : Scientist and Educator

Laura Roselli is a biotechnology professor and scientist with extensive experience in biopharmaceutical R&D, curriculum development, content creation and education. With over 20 years of teaching at institutions like Rowan College at Burlington County, Drexel University, and Camden County College, Laura has a proven track record of enhancing student learning. Through her innovative biotechnology and biology courses, Laura has mentored hundreds of students in both classroom and laboratory settings.

Laura brings a strong biopharmaceutical industry background to her teaching, she brings a strong biopharmaceutical industry background to her teaching, having worked at GlaxoSmithKline and provided consulting services to G.E. Healthcare, Wave Biotech, and other leading organizations. Laura earned her Bachelor’s in Biology from Gettysburg College and a Master’s in Genetics from Drexel University. Additionally, she holds two genomics-related certificates: Clinical Application of Pharmacogenomics Certificate from the Mayo Clinic and Precision Medicine Graduate Certificate from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy. She also completed a certificate in Nutritionand Healthy Living from eCornell.

A passionate advocate for community education and public engagement with science, Laura founded the Why Science Matters seminar series and regularly presents at academic conferences, schools, and community groups.

Susan Paolin: Artist and Student

Hunting for a miracle diet that would help me squeeze into my favorite jeans used to be my only health goal. Each diet hack was a labyrinth of dead ends. Today, I’m trying to embrace a holistic approach. The body is a complicated universe with many metrics, the number on the scale is only one. Changing old habits is a real struggle! Now, I'm taking a different approach by learning about nutrition, physical activity, and mental health.

Everyone's journey is unique. Understanding your family's health history and genetics is key. As an artist, I first learned about DNA through forensics but, didn’t grasp that it was a game changer for medicine. Later, when I was an animator and worked on a course called “Understanding Genetics” it completely changed how I view the human body. What a paradigm shift!  DNA is like an instruction manual for our bodies.  Creating patient education visuals for genetic testing taught me how critical it could be for disease prevention. For potential and existing diseases, gene therapies are showing great promise. Some are being developed to cross the blood-brain barrier, potentially revolutionizing treatments for Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

When my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease I became a caregiver. Genetic therapies were not available for him. Pursuing a career in biomedical visualization allows me to learn about the human body and share those insight to help others. I took classes with Professor Roselli in biology, biotechnology and genetics. As an instructor Laura has a gift for breaking down the complex into clear understandable concepts. As a friend her enthusiasm for what she does is infectious.