2021 Graduate Student Pelotonia Scholars

Major – Biochemistry

Project – Molecular Insights Into Different Photo Repair Efficiencies of DNA Photolyases for DNA Lesion Repair

Mentor – Dongping Zhong, PhD

Idea Inspiration – Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death and suffering worldwide. Decades of research by dedicated scientists have helped millions of patients recover or get the palliative care. I would love to contribute to the ever growing knowledge repository of cancer research.

Major – Biomedical Engineering

Project – An In Vitro Glioblastoma - Blood Brain Barrier Model to Study Tumor-Induced Neuroinflammation

Mentor – Aleksander Skardal, PhD

Idea Inspiration – I want to bring us closer to an effective treatment for glioblastoma and provide hope for patients and their families.

Watch as Tom shares more details about his research project

Major – Biomedical Sciences

Project – Development of a Preventative Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Vaccine

Mentor – Amanda Panfil, PhD, and Patrick Green, PhD

Idea Inspiration – The impacts of cancer are far-reaching, and my work has the potential to improve many lives.

Major – Chemistry and Biochemistry

Project – Employing Novel Synthetic Models of Enzymatic Diiron Sites to Aid in Anticancer Therapeutic Design

Mentor – Shiyu Zhang, PhD

Idea Inspiration – My grandmother was diagnosed with cancer several years ago and dementia shortly after. My research offers the possibility of us helping those like her in the future.

Watch as Anna shares more details about her research project

Major – Medical School

Project – A Comprehensive Investigation of the Preclinical Efficacy of VIP152 in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Mentor – Rosa Lapalombella, PhD

Idea Inspiration – I study cancer in the hope that people’s lives will get better because of my work.

Watch as Steven shares more details about his research project

Major – Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology

Project – Tiny RNAs: Hidden Regulators of Cancer

Mentor – Kotaro Nakanishi, DSc

Idea Inspiration – As one of the person who lost family members due to cancer, I would like to help save people’s lives and the lives of their loved ones.

Major – Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology

Project – Defining Role of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor-1 in Ibrutinib Resistance of Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Mentor – Lalit Sehgal, PhD, and Philip Tsichlis, MD

Idea Inspiration – After feeling helpless watching so many close ones suffer, I felt compelled to join the battle against cancer.

Major: Medicinal Chemistry

Project: In Silico and Combinatorial Approach to the Syntheses of Safe, Efficacious CDK9 Degraders for AML

Mentor: James Fuchs, PhD

Idea Inspiration: One of the most heartbreaking effects of chemotherapy is the toxicity that accompanies it. I want to work to develop a different therapy for AML that is effective but whose toxicity is much more attenuated. Degrader technology presents a hope for achieving this higher safety, I'm grateful to be a part of that.

Major: Biomedical Sciences

Project: Characterizing Host Immune Modulation in the Immune Competent sox11/ccnd1 Mantle Cell Lymphoma Model

Mentor: Robert Baiocchi, MD, PhD and Rosa Lapalombella, PhD

Idea Inspiration: I research cancers in the hope that one day, cures will be common and treatments mild.

Watch as Fiona shares more details about her research project

Major: Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology

Project: The Role of GSDMC in Anti-tumor Immunity in Colorectal Cancer

Mentor: Maria Mihaylova, PhD and Philip Tsichlis, MD

Idea Inspiration: Having seen the devastating impacts of cancer on people and families, I am motivated in my research to help bring us one step closer to ending this disease.

Major: Pharmaceutic Science

Project: Chemo-resistance Osteosarcoma Systems Biology: Targets Identification Using CRISPR-based Screen

Mentor: Lang Li, PhD

Idea Inspiration: I want to translate basic science to improve patients' lives.

Watch as Shan shares more details about her research project