Joan M. Caron

Dr. Caron interviewed by Hartford, CT, CBS TV station about her research. I wanted to be a biologist and researcher since I took my first biology class in high school. I was in awe of the natural world having no idea that it is so magnificent and beautifully simple. To this goal I received a Ph.D. in Cellular Physiology and Biophysics from the University of Connecticut Health Center. Then I became a post-doctoral fellow at the University of California School of Medicine in San Francisco. I continued my research in San Francisco for 9 years becoming a professor in the School of Medicine. Next I had a chance to move back to my home state so I moved to the University of Connecticut Health Center, School of Medicine. I was a professor here for 23 years. While I continued my research I also became the first Director of Medical Student Research. I developed a class called "Fundamentals of Basic Science and Clinical Research" The first year I taught three students. After the first year the class size rose to 40 students. I helped to get two of my students accepted into the prestigious NIH Medical Student Research Scholars Program, a first for my university. As much as I enjoyed teaching, I am passionate about research. Therefore, last year I left the university and started my own laboratory to continue studying my nontoxic anti-metastatic cancer molecule, methyl sulfone. For the first time in over two decades I am able to do research full time. This is heaven. My lab is well equipped except that I cannot do fluorescence microscopy, a technique critical for my future studies. I am still as joyfully amazed with the natural world as I was when I was 16 years old. And I hope with your generosity, time and help I will be able to bring my research forward to clinical studies.

April 2016