麻豆传媒映画

Every year, the recognizes one student from each California State University campus for their academic excellence, personal achievements and community impact.

This year鈥檚 麻豆传媒映画 awardee is Bianca Rollbusch, a fourth year cellular and molecular biology major with a minor in honors interdisciplinary studies.

Originally from Chula Vista, Rollbusch came to 麻豆传媒映画 through the and got involved in research her second year. However, her path to science started much earlier.

In 2008, at just 4 years old, Rollbusch was diagnosed with an acute form of leukemia. For two years, she was treated at Rady Children's Hospital. She went into remission in 2010. Since then, she has remained committed to giving back to others undergoing cancer treatment, both through science and volunteering.

鈥淪cience is what allows me to be here. Science saved my life, and it gave me the opportunity to have more time with my friends than I would have,鈥� she said. 鈥淓ven though not all of my friends made it, having the treatments that were able to prolong their life a little bit longer meant a whole lot to me.鈥�

Early Inspirations for a STEM Career

Rollbusch鈥檚 family members, she says, inspired her to consider a career in STEM.

鈥淢y grandparents are immigrants from Mexico and they didn't really have a lot of education, so they always told me and my brother to value our education,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd both of my parents always said they'd be happy with whatever I chose to do, but they would be even happier if I was giving back to people.鈥�

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That led Rollbusch to consider a career as a pediatric oncologist, hoping to pay it forward by caring for other children with cancer.

A seventh grade field trip to 麻豆传媒映画 showed her a different way she could help.

鈥淚 ended up going to a workshop that had undergraduate brain cancer researchers giving a talk. Then it clicked to me that there's a whole other aspect to science that I didn't really consider,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat's the first time I started thinking about research. After that, it felt more like something that I wanted to explore more in my future.鈥� 

Honing in on Research

When Rollbusch came to 麻豆传媒映画, she first joined 鈥檚 breast cancer research lab. One day, as the lab members gathered to discuss scientific articles on various forms of chemotherapy, Rollbusch came across one that described a therapy she and her friends had interacted with.

鈥淚t hit me that that's what I want to do with my life,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want to make treatment less stressful for families, because I've struggled with that my whole life. That's how I want to give back to my community.鈥�

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Rollbusch was later accepted into and switched into 鈥檚 lab. The CSU Trustees鈥� Award will support her current studies on how autophagy affects the development of the mammary gland and allows tumors to grow and spread.

鈥淚 was overwhelmed, very happy that I got selected for this award,鈥� Rollbusch said. 鈥淚'm honored because I feel like it's a big reflection on what my grandparents and parents instilled in me. I have to give a lot of credit to my grandparents and my parents that raised me to be who I am today. That essentially gave me this opportunity.鈥�

Giving Back

Rollbusch鈥檚 career path was also influenced by nurse Amy Schneider, who has worked at Rady Children鈥檚 Hospital since Rollbusch was on treatment. The two maintain a close relationship to this day.

鈥淎my helped me get through my treatment and she's played a huge role in my life. She's like one of my family members. She's watched me grow up, she's been a shoulder to cry on, she's always pushed me to do good things in this world,鈥� said Rollbusch. 鈥淪he's involved with all of her patients she's had. I want to have a caring heart just as big as Amy's.鈥�

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Schneider also spearheads , a social support group for cancer survivors and teens currently being treated at Rady Children鈥檚. Since she went into remission, Rollbusch has volunteered with SOMBFAB and the , an organization she relied on while she was undergoing treatment, which provides families resources including rides to the hospital.

鈥淚've been very involved with the cancer community because I was constantly surrounded by kids I knew from when I was on treatment, and then there would be more kids that came in, so I would befriend them as well,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t's a constant cycle I've always been a part of, it's my little community.鈥�

After graduation this spring 2026, Rollbusch wants to go on to earn her Ph.D. before starting a career researching blood cancers, specifically studying the leukemia she had.

鈥淢y diagnosis played a huge role in my perspective of how precious life really is. Just know that we're not guaranteed tomorrow, and that you always want to do good and be good when you can,鈥� she said. 鈥淪TEM and the world isn't a very easy place. There's a lot of adversity, there's a lot of crazy stuff that happens, but if you mess up or you're struggling, there's always a way to improve and look at the bright side and see ways you can go forward.鈥�