#MedCanes Ambassador Spotlight: Ph.D. Student Marlene Redlich on Discovery, Diabetes Research and Finding a Home at the Miller School of Medicine
“#MedCanes Chronicles” offers first-person perspectives into the lives of medical students on their journey to becoming health care leaders. The series delves into the personal narratives of these aspiring doctors and scientists, shedding light on their struggles, triumphs and the resilience that propels them forward.
When Marlene Redlich came to the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine from Germany as a research associate, she expected to spend a year determining whether life in a laboratory was the right fit. Instead, she found a mentor who encouraged her to pursue a Ph.D., a research project that could one day help transform treatment for type 1 diabetes and a community that became her second home.
Now in her third year as a doctoral student in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Redlich studies targeted therapies for type 1 diabetes and just wrapped up a semester as a MedCanes Student Ambassador, where she showcased what life as a Ph.D. student is really like.
We spoke with Redlich about her research, her journey to the Miller School and why sharing science on social media matters.
Tell us about your path to the Miller School of Medicine.
I grew up in Germany, and both of my parents are physicians. I always knew I was interested in medicine, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to become a doctor myself. During my undergraduate years, I majored in biochemistry and spent a lot of time doing research. I realized I loved being in the lab even more than the clinical experiences I had through shadowing and volunteering. I wanted to stay close to medicine, but through scientific discovery.
After college, I moved back to Germany and applied for research associate positions to see whether I truly wanted a full-time career in research. I specifically applied to the University of Miami because, years earlier, during a high school exchange program, I had visited campus and loved the energy here.
I joined Dr. Paolo Serafini’s lab as a research associate and, after a few months, he encouraged me to apply directly to the Ph.D. program. I started in January 2023 as a research associate and entered the doctoral program that August. Everything happened quickly, but it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made.
What are you researching today?
I study targeted therapies for type 1 diabetes. Right now, I’ve developed a lipid nanoparticle that specifically targets the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.
The goal is to use these nanoparticles to deliver therapeutic cargo directly to those cells before they’re destroyed by the immune system. We’re focusing on the Fas/Fas ligand pathway, which is one of the mechanisms the immune system uses to kill beta cells in type 1 diabetes. If we can interrupt that process, we may be able to protect those cells before patients ever need islet transplantation.
It’s exciting because we’re already thinking about how this research could eventually translate into clinical therapies.
What excites you most about being a scientist?
I love working on questions that nobody has answered before. There’s something incredibly exciting about exploring completely new ideas. I’m currently preparing my first first-author publication. Knowing that your work becomes part of the scientific record forever is really rewarding. Other researchers may build on those ideas, improve them or discover something entirely new because of your work.
The possibility that what we’re doing today could eventually help patients makes all the long hours worthwhile.
How has the Miller School shaped your experience as a researcher?
One of my favorite things is the community. Our department is relatively small, so it feels like a family. Everyone is supportive, and we constantly learn from one another.
That collaboration extends beyond our own labs. My friends study neuroscience, microbiology and many other disciplines, and we regularly talk about our projects, even outside the lab. We’ll go to happy hour and end up discussing science because we’re genuinely interested in each other’s work.
Sometimes someone outside your field asks a simple question that completely changes the way you think about your own research. Those conversations are incredibly valuable. I also love interacting with M.D. and M.D./Ph.D. students. They bring a different perspective that’s much closer to patient care, and it reminds us why we’re doing this work in the first place.
You left your family and home country to pursue your Ph.D. Has Miami become a second home?
Absolutely. When I was deciding whether to stay for a Ph.D., I knew it meant spending another five years away from my family. That wasn’t an easy decision.
But I truly couldn’t be happier with where I am. I love my research, my lab, the people I work with and the community at the Miller School. Looking back, every sacrifice has been worth it.
Why did you decide to become a MedCanes Student Ambassador?
I saw the email about the program during a semester when I had a little more flexibility in my schedule and I thought it sounded fun. I’ve grown up with social media, so creating content came naturally.
If sharing my experience helps someone discover a career they hadn’t considered before, that’s incredibly rewarding.
Why is it important to showcase Ph.D. students through social media?
Representation matters. When I was younger, I didn’t really have examples of people doing what I’m doing now. I more or less figured it out as I went.
Today, students often reach out asking whether they should pursue a Ph.D. or what it’s really like. Being able to share honest experiences helps them make more informed decisions.
One of my favorite ambassador projects was interviewing other women in science for International Women’s Day and asking them what advice they’d give young women considering research careers. I think those kinds of conversations can genuinely inspire future scientists.
What advice would you give students interested in research?
Don’t be afraid to explore. You don’t have to know exactly what field you want to study before you begin. I came from a cardiac regeneration background and now I study diabetes. The most important thing is finding an environment where you’re excited to ask questions, solve problems and keep learning. If you enjoy discovery and want to make an impact on medicine, research can be an incredibly fulfilling career.
More from our #MedCanes Ambassadors
Miller School student Claudia Kersting has found her calling, and discovered her voice, as she prepares for medical school.
Miller School medical student Harsh Moolani collaborated with his fiancée to create an application to help couples with residency matches.
Miller School medical student and #MedCanes Ambassador Danielle Francesca Gabuzda wants primary care to be a more viable career.
Miller School student Yasmine Mohseni will be posting about her medical schooll experiences as #MedCanes Ambassadors.
Tags: Department of Medical Education, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, diabetes, islet cell transplantation, MedCanes Chronicles, medical education, medical students, microbiology and immunology, type 1 diabetes