Ralda wants to unravel the biology underlying a rare, incurable genetic disease called 22q11.2DS in order to eventually help find potential treatments. Caused by a tiny deletion of chromosome 22, 22q11.2DS affects an estimated 1 in 4,000 people and results in devastating consequences, including heart defects, severe developmental delays, and facial malformations. Using stem cells that her lab has collected from 50 patients, Ralda will investigate the underlying biological mechanisms of 22q11.2DS-associated heart defects in hopes of elucidating new avenues for therapeutic discovery.