Trainees from 2023-2024
Postdoc Appointees
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Stephanie Gomez, PhD Mentor: Catherine Bollard, MD Research Interests: Interests: Multi-disciplinary cancer immunologist focused on immune and epigenetic therapies, and mechanisms of resistance to these therapies. My research currently focuses specifically on adoptive T cell therapies for the treatment of pediatric brain tumors. Background: The George Washington University (undergrad and PhD) |
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Ada Hang-Heng Wong, PhD Mentor: Edward Seto, PhD Research Interests: Studying the impact of histone deacetylases (HDACs) on the immuno-oncological interaction through droplet microfluidics in vitro and mouse models in vivo. Background: BS Jinan University, DS Tsinghua University |
Graduate Student Appointees
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Joselyn Padilla Mentor: Jiyoung Lee, PhD Research Interests: Breast cancer, cancer metabolism. Background: BS University of Maryland-College Park |
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Reddick (Trace) Walker Mentor: Katherine B. Chiappinelli, PhD Research Interests: Epigenetics, Immunology, 3D chromatin. Background: BS University of South Florida |
Trainees from 2022-2023
Postdoc Appointees
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Paula Cooper, PhD Mentor: Brett Shook, PhD Research Interests: Paula Cooper is a postdoctoral scientist in Dr. Brett Shook's lab at George Washington University. Her work there focuses on the impact of adipocyte lipolysis on G Protein-Coupled Receptor 84 (GPR84) signaling and how this pathway can modulate inflammation in the skin. Her PhD studies at Purdue University focused on the impacts of inflammation on adult prostate stem cells. Ultimately, her goal is to study epithelial, immune, and stromal cell interactions to identify molecular targets to prevent the onset and progression of hyperplastic disease. Background: BS San Diego State University, PhD Purdue University |
Graduate Student Appointees
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Joselyn Padilla Mentor: Jiyoung Lee, PhD Research Interests: Breast cancer, cancer metabolism. Background: BS University of Maryland-College Park |
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Tyler Seckar Mentor: Antonia Sepulveda, MD, PhD Research Interests: Synergistic effect of oncogenic alterations in KRAS and CDKN2A in intestinal stem cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms associated with the progression of adenoma to adenocarcinoma of the small intestine. Background: BS Trinity College-Hartford |
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Reddick (Trace) Walker Mentor: Katherine B. Chiappinelli, PhD Research Interests: Epigenetics, Immunology, 3D chromatin. Background: BS University of South Florida |
Trainees from 2021-2022
Postdoc Appointees
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Paula Cooper, PhD Mentor: Brett Shook, PhD Research Interests: Paula Cooper is a postdoctoral scientist in Dr. Brett Shook's lab at George Washington University. Her work there focuses on the impact of adipocyte lipolysis on G Protein-Coupled Receptor 84 (GPR84) signaling and how this pathway can modulate inflammation in the skin. Her PhD studies at Purdue University focused on the impacts of inflammation on adult prostate stem cells. Ultimately, her goal is to study epithelial, immune, and stromal cell interactions to identify molecular targets to prevent the onset and progression of hyperplastic disease. Background: BS San Diego State University, PhD Purdue University |
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Kenji Ishida, PhD Mentor: Michael Hsieh, PhD Research Interests: Mechanisms of parasite-host interactions. transcriptional profile of mouse model for urogenital schisosomiasis infection, bioinformatics analysis related to RNA seq transcriptional profiles. Background: BS Case Western Reserve University, PhD Case Western Reserve University |
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Michael Smith, PhD Mentor: Norman H. Lee, PhD Research Interests: Role of the circulatory microenvironment in African American prostate cancer. My research focuses on the reciprocal signaling between platelets and prostate cancer, and the consequences of this signaling in the progression of prostate cancer in the African American population. Background: PhD Howard University |
Graduate Student Appointees
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Nicole Bonan Mentor: Rohan Fernandes, PhD Research Interests: Methods to increase immune cell killing of tumor cells, with a mesothelioma model system. Background: BS American University, MS American University |
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Jenna Clements Mentor: Edward Seto, PhD Research Interests: I am a PhD student in Dr. Edward Seto's lab at George Washington University. My work is centered on histone deacetylase (HDAC) proteins in cancers. HDACs are most commonly known for their function of modifying chromatin to regulate gene transcription, but other, non-canonical HDAC functions have implications in gene expression and disease. With this in mind, I am particularly focused on HDAC11's de-fatty acylase activity and HDAC11's influence on RNA splicing in cancers. Prior to beginning my studies at GWU, I received my Bachelors in Science in Biology from Lindenwood University and completed research as a research assistant at Washington University in St. Louis. Background: BS Lindenwood University |
Trainees from 2020-2021
Postdoc Appointees
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James McDonald, PhD Mentor: Katherine Chiappinelli, PhD Research Interests: How epigenetic therapies activate the immune system to improve outcomes for cancer immunotherapy treatments, novel tools to study the effects of targeted DNA methylation changes at tumor suppressor gene promoters, targets of epigenetic therapies in ovarian cancer. Background: BS Seattle Pacific University, PhD Washington University in St. Louis |
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Michael Smith, PhD Mentor: Paul Brindley, PhD Research Interests: Transition from parasite-oriented research to cancer, helminth-induced cardinogenesis, mechanisms of host immune responses to address cancer, health disparities in D.C. Background: PhD Howard University |
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Kenji Ishida, PhD Mentor: Michael Hsieh, PhD Research Interests: Mechanisms of parasite-host interactions. transcriptional profile of mouse model for urogenital schisosomiasis infection, bioinformatics analysis related to RNA seq transcriptional profiles. Background: BS Case Western Reserve University, PhD Case Western Reserve University |
Graduate Student Appointee
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Nicole Bonan Mentor: Rohan Fernandes, PhD Research Interests: Methods to increase immune cell killing of tumor cells, with a mesothelioma model system. Background: BS American University, MS American University |