From patient to problem solver, Augusta County native pursues career in medical research

An Augusta County woman set her sights on a career in research and medicine while she was a patient at UVA Health.

Samantha Grace Upson, of Crimora, sought treatment at UVA, and while there was inspired to become a physician.

“I was treated at UVA because of the specialists and renowned care available here,” Upson said. “I also saw the potential for research to make a difference for a lot of patients.”

Upson, who graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in applied statistics in May, is one of six UVA students awarded a Rotary Global Grant to continue her studies abroad.

She will attend the University College of London to get a master’s degree in global health and development, focusing on diabetes prevention awareness and intervention in other countries.

“This scholarship allows for me to focus on a research topic I am passionate about before attending medical school,” Upson told UVAToday. “I will get to take classes on global politics and health to expand my educational background. My long-term goal is to become a physician focused on preventing and treating non-communicable diseases in underserved areas.”

Upson is already making her mark on the research world at UVA and through an internship funded by a National Institutes of Health, or NIH, grant in the UVA Nephrology division. NIH grants are currently under fire under the Trump administration, currently putting approximately $800 million in research grants on hold.

Upson was also part of nephrology and metabolic dysfunction research in Dr. Uta Erdbrügger’s lab, focusing on extracellular vesicles, which are explored as novel messengers in cellular communication and as minimally invasive biomarkers in kidney disease.

She plans to keep working as a nurse assistant in the Neuroscience ICU at UVA until she leaves for London in September.

The $40,000, one-year scholarship is designed for students pursuing graduate studies outside of the United States in one of Rotary International’s seven focus areas: peace and conflict prevention/resolution; disease prevention and treatment; water and sanitation; maternal and child health; basic education and literacy; economic and community development; and environmental support.

The other five UVA students receiving Rotary Global Grants include:

• Ella Reithinger, of Falls Church
• Grace Gray, of Shelburne, Vt.
• Lydia Kim, of Fairfax
• Owen Robert Selden, of Charleston, S.C.
• Alexandra Zaffuts, of Great Falls