Tucson, AZ—University of Arizona doctoral candidate Hannah Ortiz attributes her brighter and clearer vision for the future to a research fellowship at the South San Francisco labs of biotech company Amgen.

The way wasn’t so clear at first. Ortiz says she hesitated when invited to apply for the six-month Amgen fellowship for U of A doctoral students—now in its third year of funding. “I thought I couldn’t just leave for half a year when I was almost done with my PhD. But then I realized it could clarify my career direction, so I took a leap of faith.”

Ortiz’s doctoral research looks at how pancreatic cancer changes cells at a microscopic level and how those changes might reveal new ways to detect the disease. At Amgen, she built on this work by producing and studying specific proteins released by pancreatic cancer. The goal was to see whether these proteins could be used to diagnose the disease earlier and make cancer treatments more effective.

At Amgen Discovery Protein Science, Ortiz trained in advanced methods for producing and analyzing proteins, guided by Principal Scientist Rohit Singh and Senior Principal Scientist Ann Shim. Singh said Ortiz showed “great initiative to learn and understand the research and development arc within an industrial setting,” working across teams to strengthen both her dissertation and her career preparation.

Ortiz also collaborated with Amgen Oncology, where she learned techniques to measure and validate the proteins she was studying under the guidance of Senior Scientist Jennifer Sun and Associate Director Edwina Naik. Sun described Ortiz as “a joy to have on the team—full of energy, curiosity, and a genuine willingness to learn,” adding, “I’m excited to see where Hannah’s journey takes her.”

Ortiz says the culture of collaboration and openness she encountered allowed her to benefit from these accomplished scientists’ knowledge and skills. “Even though I felt intimidated at first, I knew I wouldn’t be able to learn unless I just asked. It forced me to get comfortable being uncomfortable.”

The experience also taught her the value of networking. “Start here at the U of A,” she advises other students. “Talk to PIs, connect on LinkedIn, don’t be afraid to reach out. Be confident.”

“Without HSI’s help, I would have lost three months of research and networking—and some of my biggest presentations.” — Hannah Ortiz

When delays with a material transfer agreement pushed back the start of her project, Ortiz was relieved to receive bridge funding from U of A’s HSI initiatives to extend her stay. “Without HSI’s help, I would have lost three months of research and networking—and some of my biggest presentations.” She says presenting her research to audiences of more than 50 Amgen scientists was among the most valuable aspects of her fellowship.

Now completing her dissertation, Ortiz looks back on her time at Amgen as a defining aspect of her education: “U of A prepared me, and Amgen helped show me the next step.”