Chalon Downs, M.S.

Co-founder of Citywide Math and Science Institute

Chalon is a native of Philadelphia and a product of the public school system. She was a part of the WINS program the summer before high school and was exposed to science enrichment programs and workshops. She credits the program for her love of science and preparing her for college. She attended Bodine High School for International affairs and was a member of the national honor society maintaining honor roll every year. Later she attended Villanova University where she earned her bachelors of Arts degree with a major in science.

After graduating from Villanova University she worked as a research technician at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. As a research assistant she ran experiments with fibroblast and gingival cells and taught graduate students various biochemical techniques. While working at PCOM she made adjustments to a Western Blot technique that other academic institutions duplicated. After working there for three years she resigned and attended Drexel University where she earned her master’s degree in Molecular Pathobiology. Her thesis research was on a protein annexin II, this protein was up regulated in metastatic breast cancer. She found that if you inhibit the protein expression the cancer will not spread. After graduating from Drexel University, Chalon starting working at Protalex as a research associate.

Protalex was a small pharmaceutical company with a drug that treated autoimmune disorders. While working at protalex Chalon discovered a cytokine that was down regulated by the drug which the company used as part of the drug mechanism.  In 2009 the company closed down due to the economy and Chalon was laid off. In 2010 she became the science instructor for the Temple Math Science Upward Bound program, a college enrichment program for gifted high school students. It was at upward bound that she met her business partner Nneka Kirkland and co-founded Citywide Math and Science Institute a math and science tutoring company. Also she is currently an Adjunct Biology Instructor at Delaware County Community College.

Contact Information:

chalon@citywidemathscience.com

website: www.citywidemathscience.com

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