Achal is a public health analyst at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She has a Bachelor of Science (BS) in biotechnology and a doctor of philosophy degree (Ph.D.) in microbiology and molecular genetics. Achal told the VMP how she became interested in science and microbiology and what she is most excited about in her work.   


 
How did you first become interested in science?

I was always very curious and wanted to know how things worked. On my walks to school, I would constantly ask “why” and “how” questions.  Science was fascinating to me because there were always unanswered questions and the more I learned about a topic, the more questions I had.

What was your favorite science class?

My favorite class was microbiology. There is this whole, hidden world that could be harmful or helpful. I fell in love when I first looked into a microscope and saw bacteria stained with a beautiful violet color.

What current scientific discovery or project are you most excited about? 

We can prevent cancer! I am very excited that we have vaccines that can prevent certain types of cancer. Currently, we have the hepatitis B vaccine that prevents liver cancer and the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine that prevents cervical, vaginal, vulvar, anal, penile and oropharyngeal cancers.