Ushuu Namarra (BR ‘25) is an HSHM and MCDB double major from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She first became curious about global health when her parents told her about health and illness back home in Oromia, a region of Ethiopia. With a personal connection to tropical diseases, Ushuu grew interested in infectious diseases. She works in a lab studying a tick salivary protein family to better understand how it regulates immune signaling and to develop an mRNA vaccine against Lyme disease. Beyond the biology of diseases, Ushuu is interested in investigating how to best manage responses in crises and epidemics, particularly in low and middle-income countries. She is passionate about studying and reducing health disparities by ensuring access to health care but also through education, nutrition, housing, and more. She hopes to work directly with communities and individuals to better understand their needs to ensure positive health outcomes. On campus, Ushuu is a social activity chair in the Branford College Council, a dancer and board member in Danceworks, and serves as a Community Health Educator. In her free time, she loves to listen to music, play volleyball, and hang out with friends.