M1 & M2 Students

M1 & M2 Students

Department: M1 & M2 Students

Ben Angeles

Education: Virginia Commonwealth University: B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, Minor in Chemistry
Hometown: Virginia Beach, VA
Bio: Born and raised in Virginia, Ben studied Biomedical Engineering as an undergraduate at VCU. While there, he discovered his love for research while investigating how the immune system modulates tissue regeneration and strengthened his interest in medicine while working as a medical scribe. After graduating, he spent two years at the National Institutes of Health as a post-bac research fellow where he studied novel designs of chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR T cells) targeting cancer. Excited to rejoin the Ram family at VCU SOM, he hopes to continue discovering and understanding immunotherapeutic strategies for cancer in his future career. Alongside these activities, Ben enjoys baking/cooking, hanging out with his cat (Matcha), and playing the piano.

Rufina Kore (she/her)

Education: Bachelor of Science, B.S., Minor in Chemistry at Seton Hill University, Greensburg, Pennsylvania (PA) (2022)
Hometown: Bedford, PA
Bio: I grew up in the small rural town of Bedford, PA where I was surrounded by all types of bugs and trees, which sparked my interest in science. My research so far has revolved around cancer biology: during my National Science Foundation Research Experience for undergraduate students at Sanford Research in Sioux Falls, SD, I studied the effects of hypoxia in the tumor microenvironment on cytotoxic CD8+T cells. During my technician years at Duke University, I solidified my interest in cancer biology as I evaluated the therapeutic potential of an ATR inhibitor in combination with radiation therapy for head and neck cancer and developed 3D organoid colorectal cancer models to evaluate epigenetic targets of radiation resistance. My current research interests encompass harnessing the relationship between the immune system and cancer biology to develop more effective cancer therapeutics. When I am not studying, I enjoy working out, crocheting, golfing, cooking, reading, and taking care of my plants.

Amanda Sandberg

Education: B.S in Biochemistry (2022) and M.S in Microbiology (2024) at the University of Maine
Hometown: Skurup, Sweden
Bio: Amanda moved from Sweden to the US in 2018 to attend university. At the University of Maine, she was involved in virology research studying virus-host cell interactions and therapeutic targets of JC polyomavirus. For her Ph.D., she wants to continue exploring her current interest in novel therapeutic targets and approaches. Outside of science, Amanda enjoys playing sports (especially soccer), traveling, and trying new restaurants and recipes.

Jessica Bartz

Education: St. Catherine University, B.A. in Biochemistry and Spanish (2022)
Hometown: Chisago City, Minnesota
Bio: Jessica grew up on a hobby farm in Chisago City, a small Swedish town in Minnesota. Jessica attended and played soccer at St. Catherine University, where she graduated with a degree in Biochemistry and Spanish. Jessica's undergraduate research focused on Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors (MPNSTs) as well as designing and testing the ability of unique polyoxometalates to inhibit malfunctioning proteins associated with diabetes. Jessica's current research interests involve Neurofibromatosis Type 1 and drug discovery.

Leah Vines

Education: University of Pittsburgh, B.S. in Neuroscience (2021)
Hometown: Lanham, MD
PhD Program: Integrative Life Sciences-Behavioral & Statistical Genetic Concentration at VIPBG
Bio: At the University of Pittsburgh, Leah immersed herself in neuroscience and psychiatry by studying neuroscience and publishing a first-author manuscript on examining emotional processing in adolescents across the psychosis spectrum. For three years as a post-baccalaureate research fellow, she continued to explore her interest in investigating relationships between biological processes and behavior among psychiatric conditions at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Here, she collected data from patients in recovery from an opioid use disorder for a neuroimaging study and worked on various research projects using large clinical datasets. Her current interest lies in investigating unique and overlapping genetic risk factors for psychiatric-related outcomes using large human genetic and behavioral datasets. Outside of science and medicine, Leah enjoys cooking, exploring new restaurants and fine arts shows, and attending various exercise classes (especially yoga and boxing).

Yağmur Bingül

Education: Bachelor of Science, B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA (2024) — minors in Health Studies and Integrated Sciences
Hometown: Istanbul, Turkey
Bio: I was born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey, before coming to the US to pursue my education. During my undergraduate studies at the University of Richmond, I conducted research at Northwestern University, applying bioinformatics to investigate chromatin accessibility changes and transcriptional reprogramming in pancreatic cancer. For my thesis, I developed computational methods to build structural phylogenetic trees for proteins. These experiences have shaped my interests in computational biology and cancer epigenomics. Outside of academics, I enjoy baking, cooking, reading, practicing Pilates, and exploring fashion.

Tegan Thurston

Education: B.S. in Bioengineering, Oregon State University (2022)
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Bio: Tegan got her degree in bioengineering from Oregon State University where her research focused on human factors ergonomics of surgeons in the OR and developing a haptic feedback system for prosthetics. She did two gap years at the University of Pennsylvania as part of the DAPPG PREP program where she created a custom pipeline to analyze EEG data investigating rare neuromuscular disorders. At VCU she's interested in expanding her computational skills while also continuing to enjoy her hobbies like playing the French horn and spending time with her cats.

Dylan Kelley

Education: Davidson College, BS with double major in Chemistry and Music. Johns Hopkins University, MS in Biotechnology. Virginia Commonwealth University, Paramedicine.
Hometown: Harrisonburg, VA
PhD Advisor: None chosen yet
Graduate Program: None chosen yet
Publications: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/dylan.kelley.1/bibliography/public/
Bio: After developing a love for the intricacies of the immune system, Dylan spent several years using high-throughput techniques to examine the genetic and epigenetic factors underlying viral oncogenesis. These combined passions led him back here to VCU to pursue his interest in how intercellular signaling and changes in the cellular microenvironment can lead to hypersensitivity, changes in immune surveillance, and even malignancy. During his training, he plans to further his understanding of translational approaches and therapeutic development, as well as investigate in vitro and in vivo models that more readily model the cellular microenvironment found in human pathophysiology. Outside of the lab, Dylan enjoys climbing, playing soccer, taking apart and (sometimes) repairing things around the house, working in his overgrown garden, and forcing his dog to wear hotdog costumes to Squirrels games.

Obinna (Obi) Megwa

Education: Emory University, B.S. in Neuroscience & Behavioral Biology, B.A. Physics (2022)
Hometown: Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
PhD Advisor: N/A
Graduate Program: N/A
Publications: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/obinna.megwa.1/collections/65576414/public/
Bio: Obi grew up in the suburbs of North Fort Worth and studied Physics and Neuroscience at Emory University. Obi's previous neuroscience and psychology research history includes pain and sensory sensitivity, computational modeling of motor neurons, emotional regulation and adolescent dating violence, and metacognition and underconfidence in post-9/11 veterans. His current research interests lie in understanding Sickle Cell Disease with a multidisciplinary approach. In his free time, he enjoys discovering new restaurants, making music playlists, games, and cooking Instagram recipes.

Thusna Gardiyehewa

Education: North Carolina State University, B.S. Biological Sciences - concentration in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, with minors in Spanish, Genetics, and Biotechnology
Hometown: Cary, NC
Bio: Thusna has lived most of her life in North Carolina, but moved there from New York and lived in Singapore for a few years in between. In college, Thusna spent two years volunteering with underserved populations at a free clinic which inspired her desire to continue to be involved in patient care. Her gap year experiences, working in a pediatric clinic and doing research at Duke University on genetic dependencies of a rare pediatric sarcoma, have led her to continue exploring interests in pediatrics and cancer research. Thusna hopes to pursue a career in pediatric oncology, conducting translational research alongside seeing patients and teaching. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, reading, meal prepping, exploring new cafes, and spending time with her family and friends!

Meenakshi Kakani

Education: Virginia Commonwealth University, B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry (2024)
Hometown: Chantilly, VA
Bio: Meena is a first-year medical student with an interest in substance use disorders and neuroscience research. As an undergraduate, she worked in an alcohol research lab studying the effects of adolescent binge drinking on learning and memory. She later conducted research on dopamine/norepinephrine release in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, which deepened her interest in memory encoding. Outside of school, Meena enjoys baking, hiking with her dog, spending time with friends and family, and exploring Richmond’s food scene.

Angelique Peterson

Education: University of Rochester, B.S. in Neuroscience with minors in Spanish and Health Psychology (2023)
Hometown: Maplewood, MN
Bio: Angelique’s interests encompass relating peripheral, immunological biomarkers to the central nervous system in diagnosing and understanding the prognosis of neurological disorders. Clinically, she aims to narrow the literature gap in neuropsychological disorders for underserved populations while expanding access to healthcare. Her hobbies include playing piano, reading, painting, and playing with her cat, Puma.

Tiba Hamza

Education: California Institute of Technology, B.S. in Chemical Engineering (2024)
Hometown: Washington, DC
Bio: More details coming soon!

William Vo

Education: University of California, Los Angeles, B.S. in Biochemistry (2024); University of California, Berkeley and University of California, San Francisco, Master of Translational Medicine (2025)
Hometown: Union City, CA
Bio: William was born and raised in the Bay Area. His previous research experience revolves around the application of high-throughput microfluidic technologies for directed protein evolution and enzymology. Currently, William is interested in studying the interactions of proteins with other biomolecules, their contributions to disease, and opportunities for intervention. Outside of the lab, he competes on the USA Wushu Team and enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Lindsey Wilson

Education: Wake Forest University, BA in Psychology (2021); Wake Forest University, MA in Psychology (2023)
Hometown: Columbia, SC
Bio: Lindsey is interested in understanding the neural circuits that underlie psychiatric disease. As a master's student at Wake Forest, he sought to understand the role of opioid transmission within the nucleus accumbens in motivated behaviors related to addiction. He then moved to Duke, where he worked for two years as a research technician on projects aimed at uncovering the impact of cholinergic modulation on processing in visual cortical circuits. In his free time, Lindsey likes to lift weights, write, and play video games.

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