Scholars

Born and raised in Milton, Massachusetts, Zaki comes from a richly diverse background, with his father immigrating from Morocco and his mother from Virginia. Zaki is deeply intrigued by the mysteries of consciousness and what truly constitutes the self. He hopes to research the neural mechanisms of visual experience to bridge philosophical and biological questions. This aligns with his career goals to educate and empower the next wave of underrepresented scientists as a professor. He gains joy in meeting new people and exploring and learning about different cultures; he is dedicated to fostering inclusivity and creating a sense of belonging to all wherever I go. As Zaki prepares to move across the country, he is excited about gaining more independence in the lab and learning more about myself.

Ayame was raised in Echo Park, a neighborhood near Downtown LA. Her mother is an immigrant from Japan, and my father is a military veteran from Michigan. She is interested in using stem cell research to find regenerative medicine for aging-related diseases like Alzheimer’s or cancers. Her main goal in becoming a researcher is to help older adults and make the aging process more comfortable. Ayame describes herself as a crazy cat lady. She not only own cats, but has also fostered and volunteered at animal shelters. Ayame also enjoys spending time with my family and going to the beach.

Seth was born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan and moved all over: Vermont, Texas, Indiana, and California. He has broad research interests as a biochemistry major with a biology minor, but is mostly interested in cardiac research, developmental biology, biochemistry research, and cancer biology. His career goals are to become an academic-physician who practices in under-served areas like where he grew up, and support and mentor minority students in medicine academia. Being a former athlete, sports bring him joy, specifically basketball and football, but familiarizing himself with new sports brings me joy too. Seth looks forward to making substantial contributions to his lab while progressing as a MD-PhD candidate and connecting with his peers!

Jeremy was born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida but his mother is from Haiti. His research interests include using stem cells to develop treatments for a variety of neurological disorders. In the future, he hopes to continue this work and conduct translational research as a physician-scientist. Lately, what brings Jeremy joy is practicing Spanish and spending time outdoors. This year, he looks forward to trying his hand at adulting (cooking my own meals/staying active) and building community in the Bay Area!

Noah was born and raised in Rockville, Maryland. His parents are from El Salvador, specifically from La Union, but aside from his grandma, the rest of his family is in Maryland. Noah is interested in pursuing an M.D. or an M.D./Ph.D. with a Ph.D. in immunology. His research interests lie in the field of autoimmunology. What brings Noah joy in life is trying new experiences, whether it’s new foods, activities, or traveling—he wants to truly experience the world!  In this next year, Noah is looking forward to meeting new people, learning from everyone, growing as a person, and hopefully loving the California area.

Eden was born and raised in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Her parents are from the Edo (father) and Ikwerre (mother) tribes in Nigeria. In June 2019, Eden was awarded a full-ride scholarship to any university of her choice worldwide by a Nigerian philanthropist and businessman named Mr. Jim Ovia. In January 2020, at 17, she moved to Spearfish, SD, for university. Her main research interests are in chemistry and cancer biology. Her main motivations for medicine stem from the poor healthcare experiences she faced as a child, which put a burden on her heart to pursue medicine. For her career, Eden desires to merge her interests in chemistry research and medicine by becoming a physician-scientist. She enjoys singing and listening to great music. Over the next year, Eden looks forward to growing—as a scientist, future medical student, professional, mentee, friend, and human being. Above all, she is immensely excited to receive expert mentorship and guidance as she begins her journey to becoming a physician-scientist.

Aracely is an LA county native specifically from Bellflower, California which is where she spent most of her life living in. Both of her parents are Mexican immigrants from Zacatecas. Her research interests align with infectious diseases, particularly parasitology, as a result of my undergraduate research in parasitic nematodes. Aracely aspires to pursue a career in academia as a professor with my own lab where she can also serve as a mentor for future students. She really enjoys spending time with family and friends. She really looks forward to meeting the rest of the cohort and the REACH team; she is excited to start this new chapter of her research career and life overall!

Francie was born and raised in Nigeria and moved here to the U.S. in 2018 for college and have remained here since. She majored and biomedical sciences and discovered she had a passion for drug discovery. Following her graduation, Francie began working at The Clarke Lab in the Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Institute at the SOM. She’s on the path to become a physician-scientist and thoroughly enjoy the cross between clinical medicine and translational medicine and hope to be able to speak both languages. Her research interests are mainly in structural biology and cancer genetics. Francie studied triple negative breast cancer to try and understand the genetics of the mediator proteins that regulate the G2/M phase of the cell cycle. Also, she tries to design protein-specific small molecule inhibitors to reduce cell proliferation and subsequently, tumorigenesis. Things that bring her joy is service. Whether that be giving back through science, clinical/ non-clinical volunteering, teaching, they all fill her cup. Some of her hobbies are travelling or exploring, strength training and weight/power lifting, cooking and baking, and dancing.

Julie was born in Denver, Colorado but she lived in five other cities growing up across the states, Canada, and South Korea. When people ask her where home is, she has a hard time answering although she usually says South Korea because she spent the majority of her time there before coming to California for college. Julie is interested in answering questions about human health and finding accessible treatments and solutions to promote health equity. What brings her joy is cooking and baking with friends, going out to eat good food, working out, and going on walks along scenic routes. As much as she love Berkeley, Julie thinks the move to Stanford symbolizes the start of a new chapter in her life which she is excited for.

G was raised in Bellevue, WA. They started my undergrad at UC Berkeley before taking a gap year and transferring to CU Boulder, where they completed my Bachelors in Neuroscience and currently work as a Professional Research Assistant at the ABCD Study, researching adolescent development, substance use and mental health. Since high school, G has been passionate about researching neurodegeneration and aspire to complete their PhD in that field, specifically researching Alzheimer’s Disease. However, they are still considering going to medical school. G finds joy in being outside with animals – they grew up with horses and dogs. G is looking forward to making new friends and learning more about myself as I go on this new adventure.

Gemma was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Her parents are from Mexico, specifically from Morelos and Jalisco. Most of the family members that she interacts with live in Morelos. Her research interests are broad right now, but she would deeply enjoy working in the development of therapies for human diseases. She loves trying new restaurants, tasting wine, and painting. Gemma is looking forward to getting to know other scholars and narrowing down my research interests for graduate school applications!

Cecilia was born in the East Side of San Jose, California. Her parents are from Puebla and Jalisco, Mexico. She recently graduated from California State University East Bay. In terms of research, Cecilia is primarily interested in immunology, specifically in maternal fetal health, transplant, and cancer research. Her career interests are to help low income communities as a physician and also through research efforts. What brings her joy is watching movies with her dogs. Cecilia looks forward to learning new techniques, finding new mentors, and getting to know her colleagues.

Alicia was born and raised in rural South Georgia in a city known as Dawson. Her research interests are broadly genetics and neurodegeneration, and she would love to work in a lab which allows her to explore both. Alicia ultimately wants to become a physician scientist who works clinically as a neurologist and conducts molecular biology-based research on neurological conditions. She finds joy in food, regardless of whether it involves cooking or trying new restaurants or cuisines. Alicia is most looking forward to experiencing the west coast and being able to grow in her research skills.

Ashley was born in Baltimore, MD but have lived in Westminster, MD since high school. She is passionate about discovering novel approaches and preventative measures to treat chronic diseases and disorders to improve health outcomes for underrepresented individuals. Her research interests are in the immunology and microbiology fields with a focus in allergy, autoimmunity, infectious disease, and the role of the gut microbiome plays in immunological and neurological disorders. Ashley would like to become a physician-scientist to help close the gap between current discoveries in research and health care. She spends most of her alone time in the gym, reading/podcasts, exploring new music, being outdoors, and going on solo-dates to new restaurants. This year Ashley is super excited to explore more into the world of science, expand her skills, and connect and learn from other likeminded individuals. She is looking forward to building lasting connections and becoming a competitive candidate for MD-PhD programs.

Tahj was born and raised in Navajo, New Mexico (Northwest Corner of NM). He grew up on the Navajo reservation most of his life until he transferred to Northern Arizona University to pursue his undergraduate degree in Biomedical Sciences. His favorite thing is driving around new places while listening to music. Tahj loves being social with his peers and enjoying life. To ease the stress, he likes working out and running.

Cyril was born in Tema, Ghana and moved to the United States with his family in 2003. He first lived in Columbus, Ohio, but Cyril’s father was offered a job in California in 2009 and has lived in Fairfield, California since then. His main research interests are very broad. He has experience with meth addiction and cannabinoid research sparked by his Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior major. Cyril also have interests in musculoskeletal research, specifically skeletal muscle disease amelioration using antioxidants and dietary intervention. He has a recent interest in health disparities in the African American community informed by his African American studies minor and would like to use his STEM background to effectively change and ask new questions that will directly aid in closing disparities in healthcare within his community and the African Diaspora. What brings Cyril joy is hanging out with family, playing soccer, watching Netflix and just being active in general. He is looking forward to developing himself professionally and developing further maturity that will help him in his career as a physician. Cyril is also very interested in learning new research skills that will allow me to develop quality research that caters to the needs of the Black community.

Joaquin was born in San Juan and raised in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. His parents were from the northeast side of the island and then moved to the west side where he grew up. His research interests lie in the field of immunology and cancer biology, with a specific focus on genetic engineering and onco-immunotherapies through translational and clinical pathways.  When Joaquin is alone, he enjoys listening to various genres of Puerto Rican music and strangely watching local and international news. Joaquin looks forward to building his research skills under a great mentor, preparing for graduate and medical school applications, studying for the MCAT, and getting to know his future colleagues!

Louie was born in Angeles City, Philippines. Spent his teenage years in San Jose, CA. They are the first generation to study at Mission College in Santa Clara, CA before transferring to UC Davis where he will obtain his B.S. in Cell Biology, minor in Asian American Studies. Louie has broad research interests in molecular and cellular biology. Their career goal is to become a faculty/researcher in higher education institutions while also contributing to efforts in bringing diversity, equity, inclusion in the sciences. What brings Louie joy is seeing friends, going on nature walks, and trying new food. In the next year, he looks forward to building new connections with peers and mentors and also figuring out a specific biosciences field he wants to pursue for his Ph.D.

Saad was born and raised in Hagerstown, Maryland. He has broad interests in health literacy equity, especially within inner city communities. His basic science interests are in exploring how disruptions in development can effect our learning and memory processes. Translationally, Saad is interested in how artificial intelligence can optimize health education based on unique developmental patterns. He enjoys playing and watching sports and walking around in nature.

Jeffrey grew up in Chicago, Illinois, and spent summers on a rice farm in the rural provinces in the Philippines. His goal is to be a research physician who studies rare diseases. His research interests include studying the clinical characteristics and genetic causes of inherited skin disorders or other complex diseases. Broadly, Jeffrey wants to be involved in clinical, translational, or computational research projects in cancer biology, dermatology, genetics, or neurology. Jeffrey finds joy in hydroponics, traveling to new places, exploring national parks, and watching Broadway musicals.