Student spotlight: Christian Zwirner

Hometown: Windham, Maine

Christian Zwirner is a biochemistry major and Spanish minor. The former president of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity will graduate in December 2018. The Senior Skull vice president’s research in Rob Wheeler’s lab focused on the fungus Candida albicans, which annually causes several thousand deaths due to hospital-acquired infection. He won the Frederick H. Radke Memorial Award, presented to the outstanding senior in biochemistry. “Growing up, I experienced a plethora of medical problems. Although they were hard to endure at times, these problems piqued my interest in why and how scientific processes worked within the human body. In June, I’ll go with the Blue Crew on a medical mission to Ghana, then work as a medical scribe at Mid Coast Hospital, then I plan on attending medical school. UMaine is what you make of it. I’ve been part of the best organizations, met the best people and had the best opportunities. My work in the lab has helped me grow as a person and as a leader.”

See posts featuring Zwirner on UMaine’s Facebook and Instagram pages.