Courtney Friday, B.S.
Courtney was born in Covina, California and grew up in Poughkeepsie, New York. She is a first-generation college graduate from New York University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry whilst completing a Physics Minor. After finishing her time as a collegiate athlete in softball, she shifted her focus to research. Her first research position was at Xylyx Bio under Dr. John D. O’Neill of Columbia University in Brooklyn, New York in 2019 to 2020 during her junior year at NYU. The overarching mission was to develop physiologically relevant cell environments, capable of emulating natural biological systems. Their work in targeting tissue-specific extracellular matrices, allowed them to be able to establish 3D scaffolds and hydrogels that can act as a native environment in vivo. These hydrogels are applicable in 3D culturing, bioprinting, and in vivo tissue regeneration. While at Xylyx, her main focus was mechanical testing and streamlining research and development. In the summer of 2020, she began research with the DNA Nanotechnology laboratory at New York University under Dr. Nadrian Seeman and Dr. Yoel P. Ohayon, both of New York University. The structure of DNA contains definable base sequences and alterable binding sites with a linear geometry and subsequent self-assembling properties making it a reliable resource that can be cheaply reproduced and manipulated to be used for nano - storage, delivery and electronics. There, her research focused on the directional enhancement of crystal growth in order to better sequence for larger testing sites and nano-storage capacity. After graduating in May of 2021, she took a month-long nap and is recharged and ready to begin research with the Ndhlovu laboratory, here at Weill Cornell Medicine.
Research Interest: Biophysics, Chemical Formulation & Development, Chemical Technology & Engineering, DNA Nanotechnology, Energy Systems, HIV, Immunotherapy, Infectious Disease, Social Wellness
Fun Fact: Courtney has two Siamese rescue cats of her own, Venus and Luna, aptly named after characters in Sailor Moon, and has four pets with her family in their hometown house, two dogs and two cats. The two dogs are pitbulls, one named Kilo, a big boy but a very good boy, and Mia, a little girl but a very mischievous girl. The two cats are tabbies, one named Ruby, who is frisky and one named Sebastian, who is shaped in the likeness of Garfield.
Hometown: Poughkeepsie, New York
BS, Chemistry & Minor, Physics – New York University, New York (2021)