From UW Bothell to UW Medicine
Claire Truongdang’s journey of purpose and persistence
When alumna Claire Truongdang, Biochemistry ’24, started at UW Bothell, she wasn’t sure what to expect from college.
Having moved from Vietnam years earlier, she and her family were unfamiliar with the application process. With help from someone at her high school, she applied to UW Bothell because it was close to home and easy for her family to access.
Once at UW Bothell, she started in psychology but changed course after her mother faced serious health issues. “I just wanted to understand what she was going through,” Truongdang said.
It was then a chemistry course with Dr. Brandon Finley that sparked a new passion. “He changed my life,” she said. “He made me want to spend my whole day thinking about chemistry.”
With his encouragement, she switched to biochemistry and found a new direction in college and in a career.
Doors to research and opportunity
Through UW Bothell, Truongdang gained access to resources across the University of Washington. She joined the Maternal-Fetal Research Lab at UW Medicine, mentored by Dr. Stephen McCartney and Dr. Raj Shree, where she studied how pregnancy may unlock new insights into diseases like cancer and knowledge about human parturition mechanisms.
“Pregnancy is often seen as an invasion — like a tumor — but the body tolerates it,” she said. “Understanding that could help us find cures.”
Even after graduation, she has continued research with Dr. McCartney and Dr. Shree, exploring her interest in both science and social impact, especially in reproductive health care. “Pregnancy research is so underexplored,” she said. “It’s more than just uteruses, vulvas and vaginas. It can teach us about cancer, cardiovascular disease and more.”
While her lab work as a student took place at the UW in Seattle, Truongdang said the foundation she built at UW Bothell was essential. “Our campus feels small, but it opens doors across the UW,” she said.
She credited Dr. Finley for inspiring her academic shift, Dr. Marc Servetnick for helping her secure research funding from the Associated Students of the UW Bothell and Dr. Brian White for connecting underrepresented students (including her sister) to internship opportunities at UW Medicine and other labs in Seattle.
Support that shaped her future
Now working full time in the UW Medicine lab while preparing to apply to M.D.-Ph.D. programs, Truongdang said she hopes eventually to lead her own lab, advance research that improves lives and support patients through complex health decisions just like her current mentors.
In addition to the support of faculty, this path was made possible through financial support, including the UW Bothell Alumni Endowed Scholarship and the Worthington Scholarship.
When her mother was laid off, the extra support helped her continue her studies. “That summer, those scholarships reduced the financial burden on our family’s budget by not having the added expenses of school.”
To the alumni who fund scholarships through efforts like the UW Bothell Husky 5K, Truongdang offered heartfelt thanks. “It’s not about big, flashy gifts,” she said. “It’s about giving back to the communities we came from. That kind of awareness is the highest level of giving.”
Despite the challenges, Truongdang found her voice — and it is clear, focused and grounded in purpose.
Like Claire, every student has a story full of potential, challenges and discovery. Giving to UW Bothell helps unlock opportunities for students to find their path and pursue their future with confidence.