CURE

Kate Rappard

Joined: Fall 2016

Research Focus: Detecting and characterizing rare single-cell events in multiple myeloma patients using HD-SCA in paired peripheral blood and bone marrow aspirate samples

Research Fellowships: SOAR, Provost Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Wattis Dumke Fellowship

Organizations: USC Rec Sports (Fitness Instructor), Gamma Phi Beta sorority, Latino Alumni Association, USC Medlife

Scholarships: Latino Alumni Association scholarship, Gamma Phi Beta scholarship, Dornsife Continuing Student Scholarship

Conferences, Posters, Presentations, Publications: AACR undergraduate poster symposium (poster, 2019), Influence of primary tumor removal on incidence and phenotype of circulating tumor cells in stage IV colorectal cancer (abstract, 2017)

Other: Dean’s List

Fun fact: I’ve never eaten an orange!

Daniel Flores

Joined: Spring 2018

Research Fellowships: SURF

Organizations: Troy Camp and Latino Students in Medicine

Other: Dean’s List

Fun fact: When I was 7, I had two wounds that were superglued!

Carlisle Maney

Joined: February 2019

Organizations: Kicks for Kids, Keck Student Ambassadors, Jumpstart, Pi Beta Phi sorority

Scholarships: Eleanor and Lloyd King Scholarship

Other: Dean’s List

Fun fact: I have as many dogs as I do sisters.

Sachin Narayan

Joined: December 2018

Research focus: Applying Baseline assay to colorectal cancer samples and developing a PSCA CAR-T identification assay.

Organizations: Los Angeles Community Impact, Project RISHI, Doctors Without Borders, Share-a-Meal

Scholarships: USC Trustee Scholarship

Conferences, Presentations, Posters, Publications: National High School Journal of Science: Deep Sea Oil Trap Presentations: Synopsys Scienxe, Intel ISEF

Other: ASM International Research Commendation, Bellarmine College Prep Science Department Award

Fun fact: I am a Hip-hop and Bollywood Dancer

Mihir Kumar

Joined: February 2019

Research focus: Developing HD-SCA platform for CAR-T therapy targeting HER2+ breast cancer with metastasis to the brain, Developing HD-SCA platform to distinguish between NSCLC and SCLC, and understanding the potential transition from NSCLC to SCLC.

Organizations: Project RISHI (Rural India Social and Health Improvement), KDSAP (Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program), Imagining America (Teaching 2nd graders at Vermont about community awareness/personal well-being through arts and crafts), EMSC (Emergency Medical Services of USC), COPE Health Scholars

Scholarships: Trustee Scholarship

Other: I really like investing and have turned $55 into $1300 before!, I started my own hedge fund

Fun fact: Co-Founded a mobile application and web dev startup

Michael Morikado

Joined: Fall 2015

Research Focus: Analyzing single-cell prostate cancer genomics using liquid biopsy and predictive modeling of genomic instability

Research Fellowships: Viterbi Undergraduate Merit Research Fellowship

Organizations: Viterbi Freshman Academy

Scholarships: Presidential Scholarship

Conferences, Posters, Presentations, Publications:
Clonal diversity revealed by morphoproteomic and copy number profiles of single prostate cancer cells at diagnosis (Convergent Science Physical Oncology, 2018), 2018 AACR student poster presentation

Laura Roed

Joined: December 2018

Research Focus: Redesigning the lab’s data analysis tools to optimize scientists’ ability to make scientific discoveries

Organizations: Club Softball, 4th Quarter All-Stars Sketch Comedy Group, IYA Team Projects, Refugee Crisis Startup

Scholarships: Dean’s Scholarship

Conferences, Posters, Presentations, Publications: Undergraduate Symposium poster presentation

Fun fact: I was named the best short shop on west coast by the National Club Softball Association

Olivia Hart

Joined: February 2019

Research Focus: Duke Optical Study: Morphological Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells in Early and Late Stage Breast Cancer Patients; Kite CAR-T CD19 Assay Development

Research Fellowships: Bridge Undergraduate Science Program (BUGS)

Organizations: Trojan Health Volunteers, Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority

Fun fact: I went skydiving in Switzerland once!

Isabelle Vu

Joined: Spring 2019

Research focus: Analyzing Blood Samples from Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Using the HD-SCA Workflow

Research fellowships: Dornsife SOAR

Organizations: USC Helenes, Science Outreach, Remedy Through Music, Vietnamese Student Association

Scholarships: USC Trustee Scholarship

Other: I ran a 10k in August, and I have 8 piano competition trophies!

Fun fact: I can play 4 musical instruments!

Eric Yang

Joined: April 2019

Research focus: Developing a Recommendation System for Therapy Response Prediction in Multiple Myeloma

Research fellowships: Bridge Undergraduate Science Program (BUGS)

Organizations: Community Health Connection (Development Chair), WorldMed @ UPC, Remedy Through Music, Phi Delta Theta

Scholarships: USC Presidential Scholarship, Mastercard Scholarship, National Merit Scholarship

Conferences, Presentations, Posters, Publications: BUGS Summer Research Symposium

Fun fact: My favorite food is french fries

Kate Cunningham

Joined: January 2018

Research Focus: Comparing patient samples analyzed with HD-SCA and HD-SCA Baseline across cancer types

Research Fellowships: Provost Undergraduate Research Fellowship

Organizations: Health Sciences Education Program, Trojan Dance Marathon, Trojan Advocates for Political Progress, Alpha Chi Omega sorority

Scholarships: Okin Scholarship in Biological Sciences, USC Presidential Scholarship, National Merit Scholar, University Scholarship, Hannah Dashiell Memorial Scholarship

Other: Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society (Spring 2019), Dean’s List (Spring 2017 to present)

Fun fact: I was the drum major of the marching band in high school!

Ayeshna Desai

Joined: January 2019

Organizations: Global Medical Training, Environmental Core, and Science Outreach

Other: Deans List, Student delegate for the climate forward conference

Fun fact: When I was 10, I was charged by a bison!

Arushi Agrawal

Joined: January 2019

Research focus: Single Cell Analysis of Treatment Responses and Tumor Evolution in Hormone Receptor-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer patients

Research focus: Dornsife SOAR

Organizations: Community Health Connection, Interaxon, Residential Community Council, Project RISHI, Flying Samaritans

Scholarships: Presidential Scholarship, National Merit, Goldman Family Scholarship

Other: Disney Be Inspired Grant recipient for my volunteer initiative for refugee aid

Fun fact: I played flute in high school

Amanda Hmelar:

Joined: Spring 2019

Research focus: IMC analysis of CTCs from the Cabazi/Carbo trial to better understand how to stratify patients based on CTC protein expression

Organizations: Troy Camp, Violence Intervention Program, Delta Phi Epsilon

Scholarships: USC Presidential Merit Scholarship

Fun Fact: I love sailing!