Adee Tulcan (26) is a rising senior at Point Loma Nazarene University with big dreams that are slowly turning into reality.
Adee was first drawn to PLNU because of its PacWest Winning golf team. However, after choosing an already demanding major in biology, she was afraid she would wear herself too thin if she also pursued athletics. So instead, she chose to lean in deeply to her academics.
“[Not pursuing golf] was a bummer because I really loved it, but I’m so glad that I did come to Point Loma,” Adee said. “They have an amazing program for the sciences, and my hopes and dreams of pursuing medical school are really being bolstered by the foundation of my education here.”
One of the ways her dreams are being bolstered is through the research she’s doing this summer. Working alongside PLNU professors Michael Dorrell and Heidi Woelbern (who they’ve nicknamed “DoWo”) and eight other students, her team is studying a degenerative eye disease called macular telangiectasia (MacTel).
“It’s a disease that affects the macula, which is a portion of your retina,” Adee explained. “This is the area that is full of cones; in our eyes, we have cones and rods. Cones are what help us perceive color and high detail things. So if you look at the palm of your hand, you can see all the details. [If you put your hand] in your peripheral vision, it’s kind of globby — those are your rods. The disease, MacTel, affects the cones. So essentially, your frontal vision is completely obscured.”
Adee said that this is a debilitating disease, one that often prevents people from driving. In their research, Adee’s team hypothesizes that MacTel is a mutation in a gene that creates the disease. In the lab, her team is trying to replicate the same mutations to create the disease in a cell line and do experiments on it.
“It’s really important to study it and, hopefully, eventually, find a cure,” Adee said.
In addition to studying MacTel with her professors, Adee also works as a lab partner, where she coaches lowerclassmen who are also working on summer research projects. Once Adee finishes her time in undergrad, she hopes to pursue an MD-Phd. A component of the PhD is to teach — something that PLNU has given her the unique opportunity to do.
“The fact that I have this joy and genuine adoration for instructors, professors and faculty and am able to get a glimpse of what that life looks like really excites me for what my future will look like,” Adee said. “I’m working with an amazing group of students and we’re all there to learn, and we’re all similarly-minded. We want to study this and we want to work hard for this, and we’re in summer research for a reason. It’s so much fun to do a bunch of cool experiments and then go back to Colony [Housing] and have a bonfire. The duality of that is super awesome.”
“It’s so much fun to do a bunch of cool experiments and then go back to Colony [Housing] and have a bonfire. The duality of that is super awesome.”
While Adee’s day-to-day might just look like balancing a couple of lab schedules during the summer, her calendar is even more full during the academic year. From being a TA for chemistry and classes to being in multiple clubs, Adee is always keeping busy.
“My plate is full, but it’s not tipping,” Adee said. “I think it’s because the mindset I have is that it’s such a blessing to be able to do this. There are people who do not get these opportunities in other places of the world, let alone even our own country. The fact that I’m able to do this and I’m working for the glory of God is so amazing. I am motivated intrinsically for my own joy, but I’m also extrinsically motivated by my Lord and Savior, because what I’m doing is to glorify Him.”
Adee’s faith was a huge component in why she chose PLNU, since her professors recognize that faith and science can intersect.
“The two are hand-in-hand, and you cannot ignore that,” Adee said. “I think that’s really cool to be a scientist grounded in faith. … There’s this divine inspiration, and to live in such an amazing creation, there’s no doubt that there’s an even greater creator.”
Adee will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Biology one semester early, in the fall of 2026. As she looks ahead to her future, she’s also been reflecting on the past and the people who helped her get to where she is today.
“The fact that I’m able to do this and I’m working for the glory of God is so amazing. I am motivated intrinsically for my own joy, but I’m also extrinsically motivated by my Lord and Savior, because what I’m doing is to glorify Him.”
“I like to say that Point Loma has poured so much of itself into me,” Adee said. “I hope to pour the love and hope that Point Loma has given to me back into it. I have learned so much about myself. I have been blessed with amazing professors, people that I can speak to on a human level, but also in a, ‘Hey, I need help writing my resume,’ [way].”
Another way PLNU has helped prepare Adee for her future was through her extracurricular work with The Point, PLNU’s bi-weekly newspaper. As their arts and culture editor, Adee had the opportunity to develop skills that will translate into her future career. She said that learning about storytelling has been the most impactful experience in college.
“You get to sit down with someone and they speak honestly about themselves and their experiences,” Adee said. “That is so cool that you get a snapshot, a mere glimpse of their lives, that you hope to translate onto paper. As someone who aspires to be a physician scientist, being able to articulate yourself in a manner that everyone can understand is [important].”
While Adee has a long road ahead of her as she pursues her MD-PhD, PLNU has set her up for a world of success.
