Anna Patruno ’14

Anna began her studies at Marymount Manhattan pursuing a degree in Speech Pathology & Audiology, knowing she wanted a job working with those less fortunate. Though her course in Communications Disorders was incredibly informative, she took a deeper interest in the biological aspects of the material. Pursuing her instincts, Anna switched to a major in Biology with a minor in Neuroscience, a track that would prepare her for a career in scientific research and medicine.

During her time at MMC, Anna performed research in Dr. Benedetta Sampoli Benitez’s lab investigating copper contaminants in NYC’s public water supply. While her research at MMC was ongoing, Anna also branched out to other institutions and worked at the Columbia University Medical Center, as well as the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She feels that her on- and off-campus professional experiences were pivotal in helping her gain a position at one of the top hospitals in the world – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Currently, Anna is working on creating more personalized treatment options for cancer patients. These new methods determine if mutations responsible for a patient’s cancer can be specifically targeted with existing therapies, which has completely shifted the focus of cancer care.

Anna currently resides in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and enjoys running, cycling, cooking (and eating) international dishes, and reading about healthcare policy.

“Every day is a new challenge, but when I think about the thousands of people fighting their disease it motivates me to keep expanding my knowledge, testing new technologies, and learning new methodology.”

This spotlight originally appeared in the Fall/Winter 2015 issue of MMC Magazine.