MSTP-SURF Alumni

Anapaula Camou
Undergraduate Institution: The University of Texas at El Paso
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Joseph Ciacci
Research Mentor: Dr. Asa Gustafsson
Project Title: Assessment of Atg9 in Regulating Autophagosome Formation in the Mouse Heart: Insights Into Its Role in Cardiac Biology

Noe Cazares Jr.
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, Los Angeles
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Edward Smitaman
Research Mentor: Dr. Albert Hsiao
Project Title: Automated Flow Quantification in 4D Flow MRI for Atrial Septal Defect

Kharim Ghabra
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, Los Angeles
Clinical Mentor: Dr. David Santiago-Dieppa
Research Mentor: Dr. Michael Taffe
Project Title: Crayfish as a Model Organism to Study the Behavioral Effects of Drugs

Alan Gomez-Espinoza
Undergraduate Institution: The University of Texas at Austin
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Nicole Lopez
Research Mentor: Dr. Yuan Chen
Project Title: Therapeutic Potentials of SUMOylation Inhibition for Treating Solid Cancer Tumors

Rhokaya Khalaf
Undergraduate Institution: Gannon University
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Darcy Wooten
Research Mentor: Dr. Carlos Gould
Project Title: Joint Effects of Co-Occuring WIldfire Smoke and Ambient Temperatures on Emergency Department Visits for Asthma

Vung Lian
Undergraduate Institution: Washington University in Saint Louis
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Richard Silva
Research Mentor: Dr. Rob Knight
Project Title: Microbial Diversity Metrics Exhibit Consistency Across Two Different Reference Databases: WoLr2 and RS210

Vikash Muruhathasan
​Undergraduate Institution: University of California, San Diego
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Kimberly Hong
Research Mentor: Dr. Pedro Cabrales
Project Title: Investigating the Rheological Properties of TXA During Prehospital Treatment of Trauma Patients

Kim Nguyen
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, Los Angeles
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Anna Narezkina
Research Mentor: Dr. Hemal Patel
Project Title: The Effect of Melatonin on Mitochondrial Metabolism in BE(2)M17 Neuroblastoma Cells

Ruby Powell
Undergraduate Institution: University of Arizona Honors College
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Thomas Beaumont
Research Mentor: Dr. Najla Kfoury-Beaumont
Project Title: Transcription Factors Enriched at Sex-Biased Brd4-Bound Enhancers Dictate Brd4 Dual Function in Cancer

Nick Thao
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, San Diego
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Nicholas Wettersen
Research Mentor: Dr. Kay Tye
Project Title: The Effects of Acetaminophen on Social and Physical Pain Behavior

Jeffrey Yumbla
Undergraduate Institution: Montclair State University
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Laith Alshawabkeh
Research Mentor: Dr. Alistair Russell
Project Title: The Influence of the Nuclear Export Protein on Defective Vial Genomes in IFAV 

Louie Cabrera
Undergraduate Institution: Kansas State University
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Dorathy Tamayo-Murillo
Research Mentor: Dr. Kathryn Fowler and Dr. Claude Sirin
Project Title: Accuracy of an ultrasound-based elastography technique for assessment of liver fibrosis in a population on patients with cirrhosis

Coralys Cintron
Undergraduate Institution: Universidad del Sagrado Corazon
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Sonia Ramamoorthy
Research Mentor: Dr. Yuan Chen
Project Title: Engineering interferons for targeting cancer therapy

Melissa Guereca
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, San Diego
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Anna Narezkina
Research Mentor: Dr. Alistair Russell
Project Title: Investigating the Formation of Intersegmental Chimeras in Influenza A Virus

Viena Le
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, San Diego​
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Nicholas Phreaner
Research Mentor: Dr. Jolene Rudell
Project Title: The Apert Syndrome Mutation FgFr2 in Human Skeletal Actin

Jennifer Nguyen
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, Los Angeles
Clinical Mentors: Dr. Nicholas Wettersten and Dr. Kimberly Hong
Research Mentor: Dr. Kevin King
Project Title: The Effect of Loss of Neighbor Cells on Cardiomyocytes in Vitro​

Jordan Norman
Undergraduate Institution: Vassar College
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Nicole Lopez
Research Mentor: Dr. Hemal Patel
Project Title: The Effects of Cav1 on Cellular Respiration

Ruby Powell
Undergraduate Institution: The University of Arizona Honors College
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Joseph Ciacci
Research Mentor: Dr. Najla Kfoury-Beaumont
Project Title: Sex-Specific Master Transcriptional Regulators of Brd4 in Glioblastoma​

Andrea Tran
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, San Diego​
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Thomas Beaumont
Research Mentor: Dr. Kay Tye
Project Title: The role of oxytocinergic neuromodulation during social and physical pain​

Joy Ugwu
Undergraduate Institution: Carnegie Mellon University
Clinical Mentor: Dr. Nike Farid
Research Mentor: Dr. Hannah Carter
Project Title: Single-cell differences in microglial cells during early stages of Alzheimer's Disease vs. late stages of Alzheimer's Disease​

Celine Yang
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, San Diego​
Clinical Mentor: Dr. David Santiago-Deippa
Research Mentor: Dr. Michael Taffe
Project Title: Potential Therapeutic Efficacy of THC on Oxycodone Addiction

Carly DaCosta
Undergraduate Institution: San Diego State University
Research Mentors: Dr. Chris Glass and Dr. Johannes Schlachetzki
Project Title: Chloroquine-induced lysosomal dysfunction causes a shift in microglia phenotype​

Crysal Diei
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, San Diego​
Research Mentor: Dr. Rodney A. Gabriel
Project Title: The Association of Depression and Anxiety with Postoperative Opioid Use Following Total Joint Arthroplasty

Carol Hafey
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, San Diego
Research Mentor: Dr. Tala Al-Rousan and Dr. Jose Ricardo Suarez
Project Title: Providers' Perspectives on Software Usability for Self-management of Blood Pressure in Refugees

Carson Herbert
Undergraduate Institution: University of North Dakota​
Research Mentor: Dr. Yuan Chen and Oxana De La Rosa
Project Title: Develop Cancer Therapies by Inducing Target Protein Degradation

Jacqueline Ngo
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, San Diego​
Research Mentor: Dr. Seema Aceves and Dr. Mario Manresa
Project Title: Therapeutic Prospects in Targeting TNF-related Proteins in Eosinosphilic Esophagitis

Tifani Panek
Undergraduate Institution: Davidson College
Research Mentor: Dr. Claude Sirlin, Dr. Kathryn Fowler, and Alexandra Schlein
Project Title: Examining the Histological and Biochemical Picture of Lean Patients to Overweight and Obese Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Emi Sanchez
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, San Diego​
Research Mentor: Dr. Hemal Patel and Dr. Juan Zuniga Hertz
Project Title: Cardioprotective Benefits of the Overexpression of CAV3oE in Mice

Ashley Singleton-Comfort
Undergraduate Institution: College of the Desert
Research Mentor: Dr. Najla Kfoury-Beaumont
Project Title: Identification of enriched transcription factors at sex-biased Brd4 - bound enhancers as drivers of sex differences in glioblastoma

Michael Torres
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, Los Angeles
Research Mentor: Dr. Eric Zorrilla
Project Title: Socioeconomic deprivation and alcohol related hospitalization: Relation to Gender

Sophia Yu
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, Los Angeles
Research Mentor: Dr. Claude Sirlin, Dr. Kathryn Fowlwer, and Alexandra Schlein
Project Title: Exploring Differences in MRE Stiffness Scores between Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Fathudin Abdullahi
Undergraduate Institution: CSU East Bay
Research Mentor: Dr. David Barba
Project Title: Exploring the Association Between Agricultural Pesticides and Parkinson’s Disease

Khukheper Awakoaiye
Undergraduate Institution: Howard University
Research Mentor: Dr. David Roth
Project Title: The Effect of Gulf War Illness on Membrane Integrity

Ngoc 'June' Hoang
Undergraduate Institution: Haverford College
Research Mentor: Dr. Francisco Villarreal
Project Title: Therapeutic Potentials of Doxycycline in Treating Inflammatory Complications Caused by COVID-19

Han Le
Undergraduate Institution: Nebraska Wesleyan University
Research Mentor: Dr. Hemal Patel
Project Title: Impact of heart-specific caveolin-3 overexpression on circadian exosome secretion as a function of age

Brittney Love
Undergraduate Institution: University of New Mexico
Research Mentor: Peter Zage
Project Title: Level of Cancer Knowledge in Parents of Newly Diagnosed Pediatric Cancer Patients

Selina Montoya
Undergraduate Institution: University of New Mexico
Research Mentor: Dr. Katie Fowler
Project Title: Screening Hispanic/Latino Patients for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease using Butterfly iQ Point-of-Care Ultrasound

Yaniel Ramirez
Undergraduate Institution: UC Davis
Research Mentor: Dr. Suzi Hong
Project Title: Plasma inflammatory biomarkers as predictors for COVID-19 restriction-related trauma symptoms

Phinea Romero
Undergraduate Institution: University of Wisconsin – Madison
Research Mentor: Dr. Alexander Khalessi
Project Title: Comparing SPGR MRI with Conventional Methods of Diagnosis and Localization of Pituitary Adenoma

Charlie Sutton
Undergraduate Institution: Harvard University
Research Mentor: Dr. Jejo Koola
Project Title: Understanding how Healthcare Professionals use and Interpret the Epic Deterioration Index and Early Warning Scores

Savanna Toure
Undergraduate Institution: Lafayette College
Research Mentor: Dr. Adam Engler
Project Title: The Biological Impact of Differentially Expressed Kinesins (KIFs) Family by Race in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Justin Baytosh
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, Irvine
Research Mentor: Dr. David Roth
Project Title: The Effect of Exosomes Released After Deep Hypothermic
Circulatory Arrest on the Mitochondrial Respiration Rate in Differentiated Human Neurons

Bayan Duwaik
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, Berkeley
Research Mentor: Dr. Kevin King
Project Title: Adherent-Independent Sensors for At-Risk Patients With CVDs

Marissa Kachadoorian
Undergraduate Institution: Boston University
Research Mentor: Dr. Hemal Patel
Project Title: Caveolin-1 mutation and Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS): an exosomal analysis

Danae Sanders
Undergraduate Institution: Howard University
Research Mentor: Dr. Neil Chi
Project Title: Coordination of Canonical Wnt5b Signaling and Notch Signaling Promotes Proepicardium Formation

Jose Sandoval
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, Davis
Research Mentor: Dr. Adam Engler
Project Title: Stress Responses of HiPSC Cardiomyocytes with DCM-linked Multigenic Sequence Variants