WISCONSIN (SPECTRUM NEWS)- UW Stout graduate Jack Hemsath is now working at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.  He’s researching vaccines for COVID 19.

“It’s pretty surreal,” Jack says.  “Just the resources we have here is pretty crazy, but it’s been an amazing experience so far.”

Jack says the team is working on two vaccines and currently testing them on mice.  It will be a long time before they are able to be mass produced.

“There are other ones that are a lot further along than we are,” he says.

Jack considers Dr. Jim Burritt a mentor.  Jim was his professor at UW Stout.

“I’m just so delighted to see this translation between his education and this project where he’s working to address such an important societal problem,” Jim says.  “It’s perfect.”

Jack has a degree in biochemistry and molecular biology.  He says he plans to pursue medical school, once the pandemic is more under control.

Jack graduated in December and says he’s thankful to have been able to walk across the stage.  It’s a luxury students do not have right now in many parts of the country.