Alexandra Singleton grew up on Long Island, NY and graduated from Duke University in May of 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in biology and certificate in markets and management studies. She studied abroad in Australia at the University of Sydney, where she completed coursework in biology and marketing.
During her time at Duke, Alex was involved in ecology and eco-evolutionary research, focusing on how genetic variation mediated temperature response in protists. She published her senior thesis project on Tetrahymena thermophila in Ecology and Evolution. She also worked with Duke FEMMES+ to mentor a middle school student through the scientific method and research processes. Outside of school, she volunteered with HopeLine, as a crisis line and text line volunteer.
After graduation, Alex moved to Nashville to work at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology department. She researched the stability of the HIV capsid, identifying important locations in the HIV-1 genome that affect levels of infectivity. She was a member of Tennessee Fertility Advocates, where she learned about the infertility community and interviewed patients about their experiences with infertility related genetic counseling. Through this organization, she attended RESOLVE and ASRM’s Advocacy Academy to learn the best practices to engage with lawmakers regarding fertility related insurance coverage. She also became certified as an Escalation Workshop Facilitator through One Love, an organization that's goal is to educate young people about healthy and unhealthy relationships, empowering them to identify and avoid abuse.
In her free time, Alex enjoys going to the beach and spending time on the water, traveling, and looking for the best bagels and pizza to heal her inner New Yorker. As an applicant, Alex reached out to anyone and everyone who would speak to her about genetic counseling, and she is more than happy to return the favor!