Summary
Ryan Olsen was born and raised in Gardnerville, Nevada. After graduating from Douglas High School, he moved to Reno. Ryan received an A.S. in Environmental Science from TMCC in 2015. While completing that degree, he took molecular and microbiology classes where he found he had a passion for the biological sciences. Ryan enrolled in the M.S./B.S. Biotechnology program at the University of Nevada, Reno where he helped to develop novel methods to produce bark beetle pheromones to be used in more sustainable pest management. After graduation from the program in 2016, Ryan worked for another start-up company and helped to develop an affordable point-of-care diagnostic for whooping cough. Excited by the potential for science to bring innovative solutions to environmental and health problems, Ryan decided to further his education and potential. In the Fall of 2019, he joined Dr. Bells' medicinal chemistry laboratory as part of an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Cellular and Molecular Biology at the University. In the lab, he applies his knowledge towards the development of drug screening platforms focusing on antivirals for HBV and Covid-19. Outside of graduate studies, Ryan's interests are mountain biking, hiking, and skateboarding. As a graduate student representative, his focus is on student wellbeing and improving the graduate student lifestyle.