Professor Battling Life-Threatening Disease Surprises His Students
Roland Wolkowicz joined the graduates he had encouraged and inspired over the years.
Despite being diagnosed with lung cancer, 色情视频 virologist Roland Wolkowicz never reduced his workload as a professor and mentor. Still, his students were expecting to graduate with him in their thoughts, but absent from Viejas Arena.
Wolkowicz, described by his students as hilarious, caring and inspirational, dressed in full regalia and surprised his students at their May 18 commencement ceremony for the College of Sciences. He proudly joined his students before the processional to support them. He gave them words of encouragement, congratulations and celebrated the occasion by posing for photos before having to leave early.
鈥淚 was extremely happy,鈥� said Majid Salami, one of Wolkowicz鈥檚 graduating master鈥檚 students. 鈥淚 remember he told us he was probably not going to show up. While I was outside waiting with the other graduates, all of a sudden, I hear Roland calling my name. I was shocked because we didn鈥檛 think he was going to be there.鈥�
Wolkowicz had encouraged Salami to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in Biological and Medical Informatics.
鈥淗e has always been encouraging of his students,鈥� said Salami. 鈥淗e is an amazing mentor. He can always find the positive end of something that you think is so negative.鈥�
鈥淗e lives for academia,鈥� said Salami. 鈥淗e came back because he wanted to teach his class. He surprised us at graduation. He is the reason I continued on with the master鈥檚 program. I wouldn鈥檛 be where I am right now without Roland. I couldn鈥檛 imagine not meeting him and not having him in my life.鈥�
Wolkowicz鈥檚 Work
The Wolkowicz Lab studies RNA viruses and their interactions with their hosts. The primary pathogens under investigation are HIV-1, Dengue Virus, West Nile, and Chikungunya Virus. The lab develops analytical tools designed to study mechanisms in the virus and host to detect viral maturation and spread. They hope to find new antiviral therapies to combat the transmission of these viruses.
