Oliver Grant-Chapman was raised in a household that supported his curiosity for the arts, sciences and outdoors. The natural beauty and diversity of life surrounding his hometown of Santa Barbara, California, inspired his desire to understand biology and its chemical underpinnings.
Oliver graduated summa cum laude from California Lutheran University, earning a BS in biology with distinction, a BS in chemistry with distinction and university honors with distinction. While there, he received the John Stauffer Fellowship in Chemical Sciences to research novel reaction pathways toward non-addictive analgesics under the mentorship of Dr. Jason Kingsbury. He also worked with Dr. Michael Abdelsayed to develop fluorescent aptamers, which would allow new ways to image cellular transcription.
With a newfound passion for making discoveries in the laboratory, Oliver decided to pursue a PhD in biomedical sciences and equip himself with the skills necessary to make breakthroughs in human health and wellbeing. As he joins the seventh PhD cohort at St. Jude, he aims to grow as a scientist by participating in meaningful, relevant and collaborative research projects in the drug design area.
Hometown: Santa Barbara, CA