DENTON (UNT), Texas University of North Texas junior Isabel Delwel has received a major honor. The biology major is just one of 67 students in the U.S. to be selected to participate in the 2017 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Exceptional Research Opportunities Program.

Delwel, who was born in the Netherlands, raised in Round Rock, Texas and graduated in 2014 from Cedar Ridge High School, is a member of UNT’s Honors College and the McNair Scholars Program. She just learned this month that she will spend 10 weeks this summer at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington doing extensive research.

“I’m so excited and so honored and I know that I wouldn’t have this opportunity without being part of UNT’s McNair program and the research experience it’s helped me gain. It helped me gain confidence and allowed me to do serious research. I really wish more people would apply to be part of this amazing program!” she said.

Delwel researches bacteriophage, viruses that infect bacteria, with associate professor Lee Hughes as part of the UNT Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Sciences (PHAGES) program. She is currently set to graduate in May 2018 and plans to get her master’s and doctoral degrees afterwards.

“I love being hands on, being able to see how we get cures and discover new information,” She said.

Delwel says her parents have been extremely supportive of her pursing her education and her mom has set a great example.

“My dad got a degree in Holland and my mom is currently working on her PhD. Her study ethic is pushing me to keep going. My parents are just so proud.”