Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine

Goldwater Scholar Sofie Strompf is finding art in science

sholla4 — Wed, 06 May 2026 14:29:15 +0000

Goldwater Scholar Sofie Strompf is finding art in science sholla4 Wed, 05/06/2026 - 10:29

Left brained vs right brained, analytical vs creative: Art and science are often placed on opposite ends of the spectrum, two disciplines at war with one another. But for Sofie Strompf, Honors College student, neuroscience major, and recipient of a prestigious 2026 Goldwater Scholarship, the divide between the two is more a matter of perspective.

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Strompf was a member of the Mason Nation long before beginning her undergraduate career. As a regular student, and then assistant administrator, at Acting for Young People through Mason Community Arts Academy, she developed a deep passion for theatre.

Strompf entered George Mason ready to take the stage. Initially a technical theater major, she was inspired by a literature review project in HNRS 110 Principles of Research and Inquiry to consider a different path.

“Because of my experiences with my dynamic disability [hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome], I was really interested in familial dysautonomia, a rare genetic condition that causes severe, degenerative dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, so I chose that as my topic,” she said. “I had never had a chance to research like this before. My literature review was way over the top for anything I needed to write, because I was so interested in the topic.”

Strompf reached out to Ali Andalibi, previous senior associate dean for research for the College of Science, for mentorship as she explored the possibilities in more research-focused pathways. During her second year at Mason, she completed research with Andalibi with the support of an Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP) grant from George Mason’s Office of Student Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR) and interned at the Medical University of South Carolina. These experiences affirmed her love of science and research, and she transitioned to the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience.

“Research is just identifying a problem and coming up with a way to look at that problem from a bunch of different angles to understand it better and thinking outside the box to solve it. That in itself is a creative process,” she said. “So I think that having this background in creative arts and humanities has actually made me a better researcher from the start.”

With her love of research, Strompf’s academic career has developed as much in the lab as in the classroom. Under the guidance of Professor Lance Liotta and Postdoctoral Research Fellow Marissa Howard, she’s been supporting and developing research projects in the Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine (CAPMM) for the past four years. Last year, her work in the lab was supported by an National Institutes of Health Diversity Supplemental research grant. This grant bolstered her experiences in the lab, leading her to develop her own hypothesis regarding secretory mitophagy (a new process of cellular mitochondrial recycling discovered by CAPMM researchers) as it relates to neurodegenerative disease. She hopes to continue research related to this hypothesis as a PhD student after graduating in 2027.

Strompf delivering a presentation. Photo provided.

There’s another angle to Strompf’s work as well: advocacy and policy. “I’m trying to be part of this movement of young, early career scientists and researchers who really want to share all these cool new discoveries with the public and the world,” she said.

For her, that includes outreach work as part of the Nexus234 Innovation District, teaching local elementary, middle, and high school students about cells during Nanotechnology Day and other community events; serving as a mentor for the Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP); and mentoring other undergraduate students as an OSCAR Peer Leader.

She also actively advocates through her positions on the State Council for Higher Education for Virginia’s (SCHEV) Disabilities Access to Higher Education Advisory Committee, Council for Undergraduate Research (CUR), and the Scientist Network for Advancing Policy (SNAP).

“I’ve worked closely with a lot of SCHEV staff to talk about disability policy and draft policy recommendations, as well as lobbying and meeting state representatives to share why inclusion and accessibility matter,” she said.

Receiving a Goldwater Scholarship, which recognizes students with the potential to be the next generation of research leaders, is a true testament to her dedication and perseverance.

Megan Bruening, director of the Office of Fellowship, said, “it has been our pleasure to work with Sofie and watch her grow over the course of her undergraduate career at Mason. Her intellectual curiosity, impressive work ethic, and determination to serve others makes her stand out as a promising STEM researcher.”

“Often, there is hardly any representation in science for students with disabilities, and it can be hard not to feel alone or unwelcome,” Strompf said. “Receiving the Goldwater Scholarship is especially meaningful in this context, as I feel like it validates both my place in science and that of other students with disabilities. Despite the challenges I have faced, a team of accomplished, established scientists believes in me and my potential to contribute meaningfully to my field.”

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Mason scientists Lance Liotta and Virginia Espina share how their research helps expand on-campus COVID testing

John Hollis — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 19:12:12 +0000

Mason scientists Lance Liotta and Virginia Espina share how their research helps expand on-campus COVID testing John Hollis Thu, 02/04/2021 - 14:12

Lance Liotta in the WGMU studios recording the Access to Excellence podcast. Photo by Naomi Fore

You’ll forgive 91�� President Gregory Washington for his admitted “proud father moment,” but he couldn’t help but be excited during the latest “Access to Excellence” podcast when talking about recent COVID-19 research breakthroughs with Mason scientists Lance Liotta and Virginia Espina.

“This is how academic research matters,” Washington said. “This is how academic research can actually provide solutions that literally can impact the world. And it is happening right now, right here at 91��.”

Liotta is the co-director and the co-founder of Mason’s Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine within the College of Science, and Espina is the research professor who oversees the center’s high-tech lab that has been certified by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services through the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA).

They have created a new rapid-result, saliva-based COVID-19 test that will allow Mason to significantly expand its testing capabilities this spring. They also developed a new method to analyze COVID-19 antibodies to track response to the virus and to the vaccine. These advancements are part of a larger, comprehensive program designed to better track and control the virus on campus and help keep Mason students, faculty and staff safe.

“This is part of your whole plan, President Washington, your whole plan to reduce the total incidents and to have everybody experience the joy of being at Mason at the same time,” Liotta said.

The use of the saliva test with the recently acquired Fluidigm system, which is designed to analyze large numbers of test samples, will help Mason increase testing capacity from 1,000 tests per week to a goal of 10,000 by March.

“By testing frequently and testing large numbers, we can prevent the outbreaks,” Espina said. “Using saliva tests, it makes it so easy for people to donate. It’s painless—you literally spit in a tube. It’s much cheaper, and it’s much quicker than a nasal test.”

Liotta’s team is a multidisciplinary one that is internationally recognized for its expertise in diagnostic testing. He and Espina, who have been working together for 19 years, spoke with Washington about how they quickly pivoted away from their primary work in cancer research to help in the fight against COVID-19 following the start of the global pandemic last spring.

“My day job is COVID testing, my evening job is COVID testing, and my night job is thinking about all the research,” joked Espina, who has a PhD in biosciences from Mason.

Their efforts could reap added dividends later, Liotta said.

“Everything we’ve learned about COVID is not just applied only to COVID,” he said. “It gives us insights into other diseases we’re studying.”

Washington noted the many possible commercial and technological opportunities that are sure to arise in the wake of the pandemic and how they could potentially benefit Mason students as well. Liotta likened the potential cross-fertilization to that seen following the moon landing in 1969.

“Everyone benefits from that,” Washington said. “More importantly, students are inspired.”

The spotlight on COVID-19 research is the latest of its kind on the “Access to Excellence” podcast that is quickly growing in popularity.

The podcast saw a record 292 downloads in January, a nearly 57% increase since the previous month, including 232 downloads since Jan. 11. The recent podcast on the climate change imperative with Andrew Light had the most first week downloads of any episode so far. Go to podcast.gmu.edu to check out these and other episodes.

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Goldwater Scholar Sofie Strompf is finding art in science

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Mason scientists Lance Liotta and Virginia Espina share how their research helps expand on-campus COVID testing

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