Meet Alumna Jamie Bingaman, Scientist

Feb. 13, 2019
By Elena Rowe, Marketing and Communications Assistant
 

Jamie Bingaman, a 2012 graduate of Hood College, has had a successful career as a scientist. She works as a research scientist at Immunome Inc., a biotech company in Pennsylvania. She became interested in the sciences and mathematics while taking AP chemistry and AP physics in high school.

Bingaman attended Hood because it was local, and she loved the campus beauty, the class sizes, and the relationships that can be formed with professors.

“I couldn’t be happier about my decision,” said Bingaman. “To this day, I still keep in touch with my professors, and I know they are only an email away if I need advice.”

Bingaman earned bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and mathematics and graduated summa cum laude from Hood. At the end of her sophomore year, after having a class with Susan Ensel, Ph.D., professor of chemistry, she considered graduate school and a career as a scientist. The summer after her sophomore year, she completed chemistry research with Christopher Stromberg, Ph.D., professor of chemistry and physics, investigating di-iron hydrogenase model compounds. She completed an honors project during her senior year that summarized her work. She credits Hood for providing her with a strong science education that would help her succeed in the professional world.

“(Hood College) provided me with a well-rounded education that set the stage for my future endeavors,” she said. “The small class sizes and closeness I had with my professors provided me with the support I needed throughout my education. They encouraged me to go to graduate school and provided me with the appropriate resources to do so. They have continued to serve as mentors even after I earned my Ph.D.”

Bingaman went on to Pennsylvania State University in fall 2012, earned her doctorate in chemistry and graduated in December 2017. While in the Department of Chemistry at Penn State, she worked with Philip C. Bevilacqua, Ph.D., professor of chemistry and molecular biology, on the investigation of RNA enzymes. In particular, she worked on a ribozyme that is found in bacteria. Her research was finding ways to figure out how these ribozymes work and how they can fight off certain diseases. Being able to research at Penn State and apply the skills she learned at Hood was a great experience.

“I would say my research experiences at Hood College and Penn State were definitely different, but there are many factors at play. My research at Hood provided me with the experience that set the stage for me to excel at Penn State.”

Working at Immunome Inc., Bingaman is learning more about biochemical, cellular and immunological (the study of the immune system in all organisms) techniques.

“It is a bit different than the type of research I performed at Hood College and Penn State, but I believe it is helping me become a more well-rounded scientist,” she said. “I love the medical applicability I am performing at Immunome, so I definitely see myself making a career in immunological/biomedical field.”