From Biotech to Population Health: Life as a Master’s in Epidemiology Student
By Amanda Dee
January 23, 2025
When Cassandra Sala left her small Wisconsin hometown for college in Chicago, the pace of her life quickened. She was pushed outside her comfort zone and learned to adapt to new environments. She became more confident. Sala chose Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine’s Master of Science in Epidemiology program in part because she wanted that same push, this time toward a career in public health.
Before starting the full-time master’s program at Northwestern, Sala earned a degree in biochemistry with a minor in bioethics from Loyola University Chicago. She then worked for two years as a quality control laboratory associate at a biotech company. In that role, she tested products that help guide patient diagnostics in hospitals, additionally catching “a firsthand look at how lab science connects to real-world healthcare settings.” This proved influential in her decision to pursue epidemiology.
“I found myself more interested in the broader implications of my work: how these tools were being used in hospitals, what trends were emerging and how this data could inform other public health strategies,” she said. “I realized I wanted to refine and take my skills beyond the lab and apply them to understanding that population level as a whole.”
"I wanted to refine and take my skills beyond the lab and apply them to understanding [the] population level as a whole.”
While she had been contemplating going to medical school, her experience in industry solidified her desire to impact health through research and analysis. The Northwestern MS in Epidemiology is setting her on track to accomplish that, providing opportunities to publish her research, network and, maybe most importantly, to challenge herself.
“I have felt so supported and encouraged to take on challenging projects and step outside my comfort zone,” Sala said.
One such project is her thesis, which students work on throughout the yearlong program. Using a nationwide electronic health record data set, she is analyzing the prevalence and demographic characteristics of the rare skin disease necrobiosis lipoidica under the mentorship of Ziyou Ren, PhD, an assistant professor of Dermatology and Preventive Medicine in the Division of Epidemiology. Ren is also a member of the Institute for Public Health and Medicine.
“It's been an incredible experience to apply what I've learned in class to a real-world scenario. We don't really have a lot of information on the disease,” Sala explained, “so it’s interesting to see how I can help, how I can open more doors.”
Midway through the program, Sala already feels she’s grown professionally. On a typical day, she’ll talk with her advisor about their project, work on assignments and go to class. Her classes are filled with students from other Feinberg public health programs, such as the MS in Biostatistics, as well as her fellow epidemiology classmate. Working alongside faculty who are leaders in their field and students who care deeply about learning and collaboration keeps her motivated, she said.
The MS in Epidemiology has also allowed her to stay in Chicago, where she takes her dog, Moza, to different parks, tries new restaurants and bikes the Lakefront Trail — and where she now calls home.
After graduation, Sala hopes her career will involve research, clinical studies and, potentially, a PhD. She looks up to an alumna who’s contributing to public health through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “For now,” Sala said, “I'm going to see what I can do with this master's program, and it already sounds like the opportunities are endless.”