Etenesh Abebe
Hi, my name is Etenesh Seifu Abebe and I graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a B.S. in Biomolecular Engineering and Bioinformatics. My interests lie in cancer biology, cancer immunogenetics, and human genetics, with a focus on understanding how genetic diversity shapes disease risk and therapeutic response. I hope to continue contributing to research that advances equitable cancer care and, one day, lead my own lab investigating these questions. In my spare time, I love to read and watch movies.
Megna Chalamala
Hello! My name is Megna, and I just graduated from UC Santa Cruz as a Biomolecular Engineering and Bioinformatics major. During my undergraduate studies, I worked in Dr. Ali Shariati’s lab, uncovering the role of transcription factor isoforms on the formation of 8-cell-like cells. Here at UCSF, I work in Dr. Elphege Nora’s lab, where I work to understand the role of insulators in the genome and how we can synthetically block loop extrusion. My work is at the intersection of cell engineering, developmental biology, and bioinformatics. During my free time, I like to get outdoors, read sci-fi, and watch niche movies.
Varsha Ravi
Hi! My name is Varsha, and I graduated from UCLA with a B.S. in Neuroscience and a minor in Classical Civilization. During my undergraduate studies, I worked in Dr. Ladan Shams’s lab, exploring multisensory processing as it intersected with cognition and physiological metrics like heart rate variability, as well as Dr. Philip Kellman’s lab on a project developing perceptual-adaptive learning tools. At UCSF, I work in Dr. Sam Pleasure’s lab, quantifying sensorimotor deficits exhibited by mice with knockouts in the GluN1, GluN2A, or GluN2B subunits of the NMDA receptor. My interests lie in the neural mechanisms of sensory processing, particularly as affected by neurological and psychiatric disorders, and in turn perception and consciousness. In my free time, I love to read science-fiction and fantasy, write, and check out fun cafés!
Rhiannon Roarke
Hi, My name is Rhiannon Red Bird and I graduated from Cal Poly- Humboldt with a B.S. In Cellular & Molecular Biology, and a minor in Chemistry. Currently, I work in Dr. Todd Nystul's lab investigating intracellular pH sensing in the Drosophila ovary and its contributions to cell fate specification. My interests lie in stem cell and developmental biology, endocrinology, physiology and reproductive biology. I hope to be able to investigate, address, and educate scientists of health disparities in research as a principal investigator someday. In my spare time, I love playing the violin, square dancing, baking, and reading!
2024 - 2025 Cohort
Cristian Chavira - Biophyics Program - University of Wisconsin-Madison
Mason Klawitter - Biophyics Program - University of Wisconsin-Madison
Amelia Tsark - PIBBS - University of Southern California
2023 - 2024 Cohort
Spencer Danner Bocks - Neuroscience Graduate Program - UCSF
Jeremy Libang - Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program - UCSF
Kyle Magro - Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program - UC San Diego
Annette Mercedes - Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program - Pennsylvania State