After enjoying a breakthrough junior year, Wesleyan women's cross country and track & field rising senior Miranda Graves '23, a double major in biology and psychology, is enjoying her summer in Madison, Wisconsin working on brain tumor research at the University of Wisconsin.
 
A contributor as a first-year in 2019, Graves made the most of the canceled 2020 season and her hard work paid off with a tremendous 2021 cross country campaign. Starting the year with a victory at the Trinity Invitational, Graves went on to earn All-NESCAC and All-Region honors while finishing as the fastest Cardinal in all six meets.
 
By way of her ninth place finish at the NCAA Mideast Regional, Graves earned a spot and competed as an individual at the NCAA Championship meet in Louisville. She was the Cardinals' first individual competitor at an NCAA Championship meet since Julia Mark '13 in the 2012 season. Her other noteworthy finishes include a sixth place finish at the Little 3 Championship (personal-best 6k time of 22:07.4) and an 11th place finish at the NESCAC Championship.
 
During the track & field season, Graves was the Cardinals' top distance runner as she posted season-best times in 3000m, 5000m, and 10,000m. Graves finished the indoor season with the 11th-best 5000-meter time in the Mideast Region at 18:02.17 while she sported the seventh-best 10,000-meter time in the region at 36:52.21 in the outdoor campaign.  
 
This summer, Graves is working on brain tumor research at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Specifically, she is studying environmental proteins and mRNAs in brain tumors. The focus is on diffuse midline gliomas brain tumors which are fatal and mostly affect children. Hopefully, this research further advances treatments for these malignant brain tumors.
 
Graves is also working with Dr. Mahua Dey and Dr. Shawn Damodharan on a project focusing in immunotherapy for brain cancers. The team is looking at how the human body's immune responses attack and target cancer cells. They are also studying how brain tumors affect the immune system, and how brain cancer is influenced by immune responses.
 
In addition, Graves is a part of the MSTP (medical scientist training program) summer scholars. Along with neuro-oncology research, she is shadowing different fields such as neuro-surgery, oncology, and pediatrics.