About

Amy Tarangelo, PhD

Artist, writer, and scientist from Portland, OR

My work is driven by curiosity about all that is strange and wondrous. I'm fascinated by the molecular and cellular underpinnings of life, the intricacies of nature, and the relationship between mankind and our changing climate. 

I was born and raised in suburban New Jersey to an Italian-Jewish family. In 2012 I earned a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania with a double major in Biology and Visual Studies. I worked for two years as a research technician at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia where I studied liver cancer using mouse models. 

In 2014 I began my doctoral studies in Cancer Biology at Stanford University. My doctoral thesis explored the role of tumor suppressor genes in cell death and metabolism. In 2018, I was awarded an F99/K00 Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Transition Award from the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute. I published manuscripts in journals including Cell Reports, Nature Communications, and Nature Nanotechnology. During graduate school I also served as co-chair of the Graduate Student Council from 2018-2019. In this role, I advocated for improvements in graduate student affordability, mental health care, and quality of life. I also tutored public speaking and scientific communication at the Hume Center for Writing and Speaking from 2014 to 2020. 

After earning my Ph.D. in 2020, I began a position as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. During my postdoctoral training, I investigated the role of lipid metabolism in melanoma metastasis and the role of amino acid metabolism in renal cell carcinoma growth and survival. I co-authored manuscripts published in Nature and Scientific Reports

In 2023 I left academia to begin a career as a medical writer at a global medical communications agency. In this role, I design, write, and develop scientific communication materials for clients in the pharmaceutical industry. I continue to teach and mentor students as part of the Polygence research program. 

I have since settled down In the dark woodlands of Portland, OR with my wife, our two mischievous cats, Benji and Gunther, and our schnoodle, Cooper. 

In my free time, I enjoy olympic weightlifting, cycling, gaming, and playing DnD. My interests include philosophy, horror, film, interior design, fitness and game design.