For protein engineer Amelia McCue, Ph.D. ’18, a background in the humanities is helping her work to improve disease treatment and our immune systems.
As a protein engineer and postdoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins University, Amelia McCue, Ph.D. ’18 advances immunotherapeutic strategies to improve the treatment of cancers, infectious diseases, and autoimmune disorders.
Whether using software to manipulate molecules or analyzing the results of a clinical trial, the foundation of McCue’s work is protein. “Proteins are the building blocks of life, and the shape of proteins determines what they do,” she says. “My work focuses on engineering proteins to better treat disease and to make the immune system more durable.”
McCue was always interested in science and entered Saint Anselm as a biochemistry major with plans to pursue a pre-med track. The summer after her freshman year, she accepted an internship working in the lab of chemistry professor Thomas Shell, Ph.D. His research, funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (NIH-INBRE), focused on using light-responsive compounds to treat cancer. McCue got firsthand experience in developing a targeted treatment approach that minimizes the harrowing side effects of cancer treatment.
“I was fascinated by the realization that tiny molecules can have a big impact on health, and excited about the opportunity to design treatments to solve problems in healthcare,” says McCue. She shifted her major to chemistry and continued working in Shell’s lab for the rest of her undergraduate experience.
In addition to Shell, the mentorship McCue received from Professor Mary Kate Donais, Ph.D., chair of the chemistry and forensic science department, and biochemistry professor Robert Vallari, Ph.D., cemented her decision to pursue a doctorate in biochemistry and a career in research. She also credits her humanities courses for preparing her for graduate school.
“I believe my liberal arts education was just as influential as my experience in lab research for my success in my Ph.D. program,” she says. A final assignment in a Great Books course taught by Professor Thomas Larson, Ph.D., was especially formative. “We had to develop an argument and defend it head to head against Professor Larson,” she says. “The experience taught me how to think analytically and develop skills that we use in the scientific field.”
The humanities also allowed McCue to reconnect with piano, a lifelong pastime she assumed would pause during her college years. Instead, after learning the college’s fine arts department offered half credits for individual music classes, she took lessons with Sean Parr, Ph.D., chair of the department. “I learned chamber music, and even got to play at the Chapel Art Center,” McCue says. One of her favorite college memories is performing at the Dana Center with her friend and violinist Denis Karic ’18 during their senior year.
Outside of the classroom, McCue enjoyed running and competed for the cross country team, where she developed a strong bond with coach and psychology professor Paul Finn, Ph.D. “Whether I was on the trails or in the lab, Saint A’s taught me discipline, perseverance, and the importance of finding peace in the journey,” she says.
McCue drew on these lessons when she started a biochemistry Ph.D. program at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill a few months after graduating. It was at UNC that she fell in love with immunology. “I love the subtle, fine-tuned elegance of the immune system,” she says.
Following her graduation from UNC in the spring of 2024, McCue accepted a postdoc fellowship at the lab of Jamie Spangler, Ph.D., at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. Spangler is a pioneer in the field of structural and molecular immunology and in using therapeutic antibody design for targeted drug development.
Spangler’s lab is a highly collaborative environment that brings together scientists, biologists, engineers, and clinicians to approach research and clinical trials holistically. “My day-to- day work is dynamic and focused on problem solving,” says McCue. She uses computational tools, including a software program called Rosetta, to manipulate proteins. In addition, she publishes scholarly articles, presents lab research, and mentors younger scientists.
McCue emphasizes that her confidence as a researcher was instilled in her during her years on the Hilltop. “My combined science and liberal arts education honed my ability to problem solve, think critically, interpret results, and communicate clearly,” she says.
McCue’s dream is to have her own research lab for disease treatment someday. She also hopes to secure a tenure-track teaching position at a research-focused university and to continue mentoring the next generation of scientists.
Her advice for current Saint Anselm students interested in science or research? “Stay curious, experience hands-on research early, and persevere,” she says. “The work is challenging, but it is rewarding.”
My combined science and liberal arts education honed my ability to PROBLEM SOLVE, think critically, interpret results, and communicate clearly.