After Loyola, Michael Kammer (Physics ’12) went on to pursue a PhD at Vanderbilt University in Biomedical Engineering.  He then completed a postdoc in Chemistry at Vanderbilt University and then another in Pulmonary medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.  He is now a Research Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where his research focus is on early detection of lung cancer.

“Studying physics provided the strongest possible foundation to go into a biomedical research field.  I was equipped with the critical thinking skills to approach new areas, but with a background in mathematics, statistics, and experimental design that allowed me to flourish in a wide variety of fields. I’ve been able to study basic physical phenomena, analytical chemistry methods, signal analysis, and even medical implementation science and epidemiology.”

Currently, Michael’s research goal is to continue studying interferometry as a means to detect cancer biomarkers in the blood, with the goal of improving early detection of cancers when they are more easily treated.