PhD Student
University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine
Paula I. Ledo Hopgood was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Biomedical Sciences program at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, specializing in Human Genetics and Genomics. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Northeastern University in 2021.
As an undergraduate, Paula worked in the Laboratory for Aging and Infertility, where she investigated the role of mitochondrial heterogeneity in age-related female infertility. She was later awarded an NSF Research Fellowship, during which she explored mitochondrial dynamics, focusing on the interplay between the mitochondrial unfolded protein response, mitophagy, mitochondrial biogenesis, and mitochondrial DNA mutations.
Building on this foundation, Paula now pursues her doctoral research on the oncogenic role of SIRT7 in Ewing Sarcoma, an aggressive pediatric cancer. Her work investigates how SIRT7 regulates the integrated stress response (ISR), with particular emphasis on metabolic adaptation and stress signaling pathways. By uncovering new insights into tumor biology, her research aims to identify potential therapeutic strategies for improving outcomes in Ewing Sarcoma patients.