Hi, I'm Mariana Roa!

I study Bio + Poli Sci at Northeastern and am a PCT at Beth Israel's Cardiac ICU. I love working with kids and aspire to be a pediatric nurse! Feel free to get in touch with me :)

Mariana Roa

My past experience!

Jan 2026 – Present
Boston, MA

Patient Care Technician

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · Cardiac ICU

  • Support Cardiac ICU nursing staff in delivering continuous care to critically ill patients in a fast-paced environment.
  • Respond proactively to call lights and alarms, and support patients and families to keep them safe and comfortable.
  • Administer fingerstick blood glucose tests, EKGs, doppler ultrasounds, bladder scans and IV removal for 100+ patients.
  • Manage safe patient transfers and transports between units, adhering to ICU safety protocols.
  • Shadowed 3+ surgeries, deepening my understanding of post-operative ICU care.
Jan 2026 – Present
Boston, MA

Research Assistant

Apfeld Immortality Lab

  • Investigate environmental determinants of longevity by subjecting C. elegans (qz0 strain) to physiological stressors, including cold-shock and cryopreservation-survival bioassays.
  • Cultivate and maintain microbial growth media, preparing OP50 standard lawns to support worm husbandry.
  • Conduct phenotypic screening using light and fluorescence microscopy to analyze behavioral and physiological changes under stress.
  • Isolation-pick individual worms to maintain age-synchronized populations and set up experimental cohorts.
  • Synthesize large-scale phenotypic data into insights on stress-response pathways and genetic regulators of lifespan.
Sep 2026 – Present
Boston, MA

Professional Development Teaching Assistant

Northeastern University

  • Facilitate the professional development curriculum for a co-op preparatory course, helping students build career-readiness strategies.
  • Run targeted resume reviews and mock interviews to help students secure first-round co-op placements.
  • Mentor 20+ students through the job search cycle — networking, communication, interviews.
Sep 2025 – Present
Boston, MA

Programming Chair

DREAM Orchard Gardens

  • Lead the design and execution of weekly enrichment curricula for 100+ under-resourced youth in Boston, ages 5–14.
  • Chair weekly organizational meetings, leading a team of mentors to coordinate logistics and align program goals.
  • Foster a secure, inclusive environment that supports social and emotional growth.
Jun 2023 – Aug 2023
New York, NY

Patient Care Intern

The New York Proton Center Medical Clinic

  • Worked alongside radiation therapists during patient intakes, meeting oncology patients with attentiveness and empathy in high-stress treatment environments.
  • Maintained clinical safety and quality-assurance standards by preparing, sanitizing and organizing radiation treatment rooms.
  • Improved the patient arrival pipeline at the front desk, checking in patients and assisting individuals with mobility constraints.