Home

LinkedIN profile link:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/parker-feltner-35599516a/

Description:  For my EDGE project, I attended a medical conference that was focused on my siblings' disease, Xeroderma Pigmentosum.  I was hoping to learn more about my siblings' disease, make connections with world class dermatologists, and connect with other children who have XP to look into their lives and how they have dealt with the disease. Reflection: I learned that these children really need conferences like this to connect with other children with similar problems to their own.  I also made contact with a dermatologist that works at the University of Minnesota's Medical School and was offered a summer internship.  I used my social and professional communication skills to talk to this doctor and I know that I will gain many valuable experiences and skills while at this internship. Documentation: We took the children to the zoo after hours.  They otherwise would never have been able to experience a zoo during normal operating hours. We were a...

Parker Feltner St. George, Utah Biology Creativity Engagement Track                                                                                                                                             Finding a Cure My project is centered on the objective of curing my siblings’ rare genetic skin disorder (Xeroderma Pigmentosum or XP). I am incompetent to do so due to my lack of higher education and training, so I designed this project to get me one step closer to my goal. I attended a medical conference designed specifically for XP, held in Wichita, Kansas. My goal was to meet the dermatologists researching the disease and see i...

Hi!  My name is Parker Feltner and I am from St. George, Utah.  I come from a family that carries a rare gene for a skin disorder called Xeroderma Pigmentosum.  Two of my siblings were born with this disorder which prevents them from being exposed to any kind of UV ray.  The genetic disorder causes the lack of production of an enzyme that performs DNA excision and replacement in damaged skin cells.  My ultimate goal in life is to contribute in the research of their disease and eventually find a cure.  This is my motivation and driving force that is behind everything that I am doing and the reason why I have the goal to become a medical doctor as well as a PhD in research dermatology.

Personal Information: Name: Parker Feltner Email: parkxfelt@gmail.com Phone: 435-619-9659 Major: Biology Credit Completed: Ninety + credit hours completed Graduation: Anticipated to graduate in Fall of 2019                                                                       Finding a cure Abstract: My siblings have a rare genetic skin disorder called Xeroderma Pigmentosum, or XP for short.  They lack a skin DNA repairing enzyme making it so any UV light is deadly to them. Only 150 people have this disease in the United States. Throughout the years, I have become passionate about curing their disease and it has been a strong guide for me, helping me to decide that I want to be a research dermatologist. To achieve this this goal, I need to start making connections and learning more about my siblings...