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Continuing Fellows
First-Year Fellows

April Ancheta

Adolescent Medicine
April Ancheta

Adolescent Medicine

Education:
2022, Ph.D. Philosophy, Columbia University
2020, MS, Philosophy, Columbia University
2016, BS Nursing, Rutgers University

Thesis Title:
The Impacts of School Climate and Education Policy in Weight and Victimization Disparities Among Sexual Minority Adolescents

Thesis Research Advisor:
Tonda L. Hughes, Ph.D., RN FAAN

Postdoc Research Topic:
Understanding the Impacts of Social and School Based  Policies on Violence Victimization and Weight-Related Disparities among Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents.

School & Department:
The Perelman School of Medicine & The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Adolescent Medicine

Penn Mentor:
Nadia L. Dowshen, MD MSHP

Christopher Bourne

Cancer Immunotherapy
Christopher Bourne

Cancer Immunotherapy

Education:
2023, Ph.D., Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis, Cornell University ­– Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences
2017, B.A., Biology, Swarthmore College

Ph.D. Dissertation Title:
Improving the Efficacy and Repertoire of Cancer Immunotherapy with Rational Small-Molecule Combinations

Ph.D. Thesis Advisor:
David Scheinberg, MD, Ph.D.

Postdoc Research Topic:
Leveraging Pyroptosis for Anti-Cancer Therapy

School & Department:
The Perelman School of Medicine, Biochemistry, and Biophysics

Penn Faculty Mentor:
Cornelius Taabazuing, PhD

Stanley Collins

City & Regional Planning
Stanley Collins

City & Regional Planning

Education:
2023, Ph.D. Sociology, Temple University
2016, M.S., Sociology, Oklahoma State University
2014, B.A., Economics, Morehouse College

Ph.D. Dissertation Title:
You Can't Just Land On The Moon and Have A Rock Club: A Case Study of Racialization, Gentrification, and Place Reputation in Fishtown.

Ph.D. Thesis Advisor:
Lu Zhang, PhD

Postdoc Research Topic:
Music Venues and Gentrification in Philadelphia

School & Department:
The Weitzman School of Design, City & Regional Planning

Penn Faculty Mentor:
Lance Freeman, PhD

Lorianna Colon

Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine and Neuroscience
Lorianna Colon

Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine and Neuroscience

Education:
2021, Ph.D., Behavioral Neuroscience, The State University of New York at Albany, SUNY Albany
2014, M.A. & B.A., Applied Behavioral Psychology, St. Francis College

Ph.D. Dissertation Title:
Sex Differences in Context Fear Neural Circuitry and Behavior Across Development

Ph.D. Thesis Advisor:
Andrew Poulos, Ph.D.

Postdoc Research Topic:
Targeting Opiod-Linked Context Memory to Prevent Relapse to Drug-Taking

School & Department:
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine and Neuroscience

Penn Faculty Mentors:
Amelia Eisch Ph.D.

Angela Crumdy

Higher Education
Angela Crumdy

Higher Education

Education:
2022, Ph.D. The Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY)
2012, B.A., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Thesis Title:
Teaching Revolution: Women Primary School Teachers, Race, and Social Reproduction in Cuba

Thesis Research Advisor:
Dana-Ain Davis, PhD

Postdoc Research Topic:
Race and Education in Afro-Latin America; Social Reproduction in the Lives of Black Women Teachers

School & Department:
The Graduate School for Education, Higher Education

Penn Mentor:
Amalia Dache, PhD

Irma Fernandez

Cancer Immunometabolism
Irma Fernandez

Cancer Immunometabolism

Education:
2022, Ph.D., Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Cornell University
2015, B.S., Pharmacological Chemistry, The University of California, San Diego
2015, B.A., Literatures of the World: English and Spanish, The University of California, San Diego

Ph.D. Dissertation Title:
Roles for Mitochondrial SIRT5 in Breast Cancer Cells and the Tumor Microenvironment

Ph.D. Thesis Advisor:
Hening Lin, Ph.D. & Robert Weiss, Ph.D.

Postdoc Research Topic:
Cancer Immunometabolism

School & Department:
The Perelman School of Medicine, Pathology, and Lab Medicine

Penn Faculty Mentors:
Will Bailis Ph.D., Celeste Simon, Ph.D., & Warren Pear Ph.D.

Alfonso Floyd

Adolescent Medicine
Alfonso Floyd

Adolescent Medicine

Education:
2022, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology – Child Clinical, Virginia Commonwealth University
2016, M.S., General Psychology, DePaul University
2006, B.A., Psychology, The Ohio State University

Ph.D. Dissertation Title:
Using Individual Determinants to Predict Behavioral Health Service Utilization in Pediatric Integrated Primary Care

Ph.D. Thesis Advisor:
Heather Jones, Ph.D.

Postdoc Research Topic:
A Novel Approach to Investigating Risk and Resilience Pathways for Racial/Ethnic Minoritized Youth with T1D

School & Department:
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Adolescent Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes (Diabetes Center for Children)

Penn Faculty Mentor:
Victoria Miller, Ph.D.

 

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Javier Garcia-Perez

Social Welfare
Javier Garcia-Perez

Social Welfare

Education:
2023, Ph.D., Social Welfare, University of California, Los Angeles, Luskin School of Public Affairs
2017, MSW, Clinical Concentration, University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy & Practice
2017, M.S., Nonprofit Leadership, University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy & Practice
2013, M.A., Sociocultural Anthropology, Columbia University, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
2011, B.A., Chicana/Chicano Studies, University of California, Davis, College of Letters & Science

Ph.D. Dissertation Title:
Viviendo en la Intersección: Queer Femme Latinx Individuals Experience Living at the Intersection of Identities

Ph.D. Thesis Advisor:
Laura S. Abrams, Ph.D.

Postdoc Research Topic:
Improving the quality of life for the LGBTQ+ and Latinx community across the lifespan. Particularly, focusing on varying identity categories and social determinants of mental health, psychological outcomes, and overall well-being.

School & Department:
The Annenberg School for Communication and the School of Social Policy & Practice, SAFELab

Penn Faculty Mentor(s):
Desmond Upton Patton, Ph.D., MSW
Tamara J. Cadet, Ph.D., LICSW, MPH

Tiffany Huang

Sociology
Tiffany Huang

Sociology

Education:
2021, PhD, Sociology
Columbia University

2014, MPH, Health Management and Policy,
University of Michigan School of Public Health

2010, BS, Public Health and French
University of California at Berkeley

Thesis Title:
Private College Consultants, Race, Class, and Inequality in College Admissions

Thesis Research Advisor:
Jennifer Lee PhD

Postdoc Research Topic:
Race, status, authenticity, and stereotyping in college admissions

Penn Department:
Department of Sociology, School of Arts and Sciences

Penn Mentor:
Wendy Roth Ph.D

Terrence Jewell

Economics
Terrence Jewell

Economics

Education:
2023, Ph.D., Economics, Clemson University
2018, M.A., Economics, Clemson University
2017, B.A., Business Administration, The University of Georgia

Ph.D. Dissertation Title:
Essays in Urban Economics

Ph.D. Thesis Advisor:
Curtis Simon, Ph.D.

Postdoc Research Topic:
Machine Learning And Police Reform: Use policing data from Dallas and Seattle to improve our understanding of what causes police confrontations and escalations. The project will use machine learning methods to explore the characteristics of police partners to see whether they have an impact on whether an incident escalates. The project will also assess whether there are important external factors, like economic conditions, time of day, calendar effects, or weather, that influence the likelihood of negative incidents.

School & Department:
The School of Arts & Sciences, Economics, Perelman Center for Political Science and Economics (PCPSE)

Penn Faculty Mentor:
Hanming Fang, PhD

Alexa Johnson

Equine Microbiology
Alexa Johnson

Equine Microbiology

Education:
2023, Ph.D., Equine Microbiology, University of Delaware
2018, M.S., Animal Biology, The University of California, Davis
2016, B.S., Animal Science with Equine Emphasis, The University of California, Davis

Ph.D. Dissertation Title:
A Comparative Evaluation of the Microbiome Effects of Easy and Hard Keeper Horses

Ph.D. Thesis Advisor:
Amy Biddle, Ph.D.

Postdoc Research Topic:
Early-life interventions on modulating the microbiome to improve health and reduce methane emissions in dairy cattle, and understanding the role of the gut microbiome in equine health and welfare.

School & Department:
The School of Veterinary Medicine, Center for Stewardship Agricultural and Food Security

Penn Faculty Mentor:
Dipti Pitta, PhD

Kierstan Kaushal-Carter

Law
Kierstan Kaushal-Carter

Law

Education:
2023, Ph.D., African and African American Studies, Harvard University
2020, M.A., Government, Harvard University
2016, B.A., English and American Culture Studies, Washington University in St. Louis

Ph.D. Dissertation Title:
A New Ethical Foundation for Policing

Ph.D. Thesis Advisor:
Danielle Allen, Ph.D., Tommie Shelby, Ph.D., & Brandon Terry, Ph.D.

Postdoc Research Topic:
The Law and Ethics of Police Surveillance

School & Department:
Penn Cary Law

Penn Faculty Mentor:
Anita L. Allen, PhD

Frederico Kiffer

Anesthesia and Critical Care
Frederico Kiffer

Anesthesia and Critical Care

Education:
2019, Ph.D., University of Arkansas for Medical Studies
2010, BS, Lyon College

Ph.D. Dissertation Title:
The Effects of Charged Particle Radiation on Memory and Hippocampal Morphology

Ph.D. Thesis Advisor:
Antino Allen, Ph.D.

Postdoc Research Topic:
The Effects of Charged Particle Radiation on Cognitive and Social Behavior in Space and in the Clinic

School & Department:
Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care

Penn Faculty Mentor:
Amelia Eisch, Ph.D.

Christa Mahlobo

Psychology
Christa Mahlobo

Psychology

Education:
2022: Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University
2019: M.S. in Recreation Parks and Tourism Management, The Pennsylvania State University
2013: B.S. Kinesiology, Human Movement Science, Louisiana State University

Ph.D. Dissertation Title:
Examining Adolescent Precursors to Early Adult Flourishing in Black Americans: On the Role of Ethnic-Racial Socialization and Identity 

Ph.D. Thesis Advisor:
Robert Roeser, Ph.D., Bennet Pierce Professor of Caring and Compassion and Professor of Human Development and Family Studies

Postdoc Research Topic:
Humanities and Human Flourishing

Penn Department:
The School of Arts and Sciences, Positive Psychology Center

Penn Faculty Mentor:
James Pawelski, Ph.D.

 

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Alison McCarthy

Engineering
Alison McCarthy

Engineering

Education:
2022: Ph.D. Materials Science and Engineering, Stony Brook University
2017: B.S. Mechanical Engineering, The College of New Jersey

Ph.D. Dissertation Title:
Mesoscale Electrode Design and Architecture for Next-Generation Energy Storage Devices

Ph.D. Thesis Advisor:Esther Takeuchi, Ph.D., Amy Marschilok, Ph.D., Kenneth Takeuchi, Ph.D.

Postdoc Research Topic:
Investigation of Electrodeposited Lithium Metal Mechanics in Battery Systems

Penn School & Department:
School of Engineering and Applied Science, Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics

Penn Faculty Mentor:
James Pikul, Ph.D.

Joanna Medina

Genetics
Joanna Medina

Genetics

Education:

2021, Ph.D. Behavioral Neuroscience, University at Albany (The State University of New York, SUNY)

2014, B.S. Integrative Neuroscience, Binghamton University (The State University of New York, SUNY)

 

PhD Dissertation Title:

Behavioral, Endocrine, and Neural Responses to Stress in Postpartum and Nulliparous Rats: Potential Mechanisms of Postpartum Stress Resilience

 

PhD Thesis Advisor:Joanna L. Workman, Ph.D.

 

Postdoc Research Topic:

Epigenetic mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders

Penn Department:

Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine

Penn Faculty Mentor:

Zhaolan (Joe) Zhou, Ph.D.

Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine

Arnold Olali

Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine
Arnold Olali

Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine

Education:
2022, Ph.D., Integrated Biomedical Science, Rush University, Medical Center, Chicago Illinois
2015, B.S., Conservation Biology, St. Lawrence University, Canton NY

Ph.D. Title
The Effects of HIV-Inflammatory Mediators and Combined Antiretroviral Therapy (cART) on Osteoblast Function, Bone Mass, and Bone Quality:
Potential Role of the Wnt/ β -Cantenin Signaling Pathway

Ph.D. Thesis Advisor: 
Ryan D. Ross, Ph.D.,  Lena Al-Harthi, PhD

Postdoc Research Topic:
Exploring the effects of mitochondrial genetic variation on tumor antigen rejection and SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity in mice

School & Department:
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine

Penn Faculty Mentor:
Douglas C. Wallace, Ph.D.

Onome Osokpo

Nursing
Onome Oskopo
Onome Osokpo

Nursing

Education:
2021, PhD, Nursing Science
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,  PA

2016, MSN, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,  PA

2012, BSN, Nursing (accelerated)
Stony Brook University, School of Nursing, Stony Brook, NY

2003, MSc. Analytical Chemistry
University of Ibadan, School of Science, Oyo, Nigeria

1999, BSc Chemistry Education
Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo. Nigeria

Thesis Title:
Socio-cultural factors influencing self-care among African immigrants living with chronic illness

Thesis Research Advisor:
Barbara Riegel, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAHA

Postdoc Research Topic:
Social Determinants of Health, Self-Care of Chronic Illness, Community-engaged intervention, Factors influencing outcomes in the MIRROR-TCM clinical trial.

Penn Department:
School of Nursing

Penn Mentor:
Mary D. Naylor, PhD, RN, FAAN

Jose Pelliccia

Cell and Developmental Biology
Jose Pelliccia

Cell and Developmental Biology

Education:
2019 PhD Molecular Biology
Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey

2008 BS Biology
Millersville University

PhD Dissertation Title:
The Role of the Vg1 Zebrafish Ortholog Gdf3 Nodal-Dependent Mesendoderm Formation and Left-Right Patterning

PhD Thesis Advisor:
Rebecca Burdine PhD

UPENN Department:
Cell and Developmental Biology

Penn Faculty Mentor:
Mary Mullins, PhD

Vinitha Rangarajan

Bioengineering
Vinitha Rangarajan

Bioengineering

Education:
2020, PhD, Psychology (Cognitive Neuroscience) University of California, Berkeley
2010,  BS, Biology, University of California San Diego

Thesis Title:
Intracranial Electrophysiological Correlates of Visual Perception in the Human Brain

Thesis Research Advisor:
Robert T. Knight MD

Postdoc Research Topic:
Network Models of human Brain Development

Penn Department:
Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Penn Mentor:
Danielle S. Bassett

Nicklas Sapp

Biochemistry and Biophysics
Nicklas Sapp

Biochemistry and Biophysics

Education:
2022: Ph.D., Meharry Medical College
2013: B.S., Norfolk State University

Ph.D. Dissertation Title:
Nucleosome Structure Characteristic of Open Chromatin Enhances HIV-1 Integration

Ph.D. Thesis Advisor:Chandravanu Dash, Ph.D.

Postdoc Research Topic:
Exploring the Epigenetic Regulation of Centromere Maintenance and Structure

Penn School & Department:
The Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics

Penn Faculty Mentor:
Ben Black, Ph.D.

Michelle G. Thompson

School of Social Policy & Practice
Michelle G. Thompson

School of Social Policy & Practice

Education:
2019, Ph.D., Social Welfare, Florida International University ­– Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work
2006, M.S., Psychology, Florida International University ­– College of Arts, Sciences, and Education; School of Integrated Science and Humanities
2002, B.A., Psychology, Florida International University ­– College of Arts, Sciences, and Education; School of Integrated Science and Humanities

Ph.D. Dissertation Title:
The Impact of Microaggressions and Minority Stress on the Psychological Well-Being of Emerging Adult Sexual Minorities of Psychological Well-Being of Emerging Adult Sexual Minorities of Color Color

Ph.D. Thesis Advisor:
Eric F. Wagner, Ph.D.

Postdoc Research Topic:
Social determinants of health and health disparities at the intersections of race, ethnicity, and sexuality to advance health equity for marginalized groups.

Schools & Departments:
The School of Social Policy & Practice & The Annenberg School for Communication
Penn Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, Department of Psychiatry

Penn Faculty Mentors:
Amy Hillier, Ph.D., John Jemmott III, Ph.D., & Michael Perlis, Ph.D.

Christine Vazquez

Microbiology
Christine Vazquez

Microbiology

Education:
Ph.D.  Duke University
MS Johns Hopkins University
B.S.  Johns Hopkins University

PhD Title: 
Mechanisms of Innate Immune Regulation by the Hepatitis C Virus protease, NS3-NS4A

PhD Thesis Advisor: 
Dr. Stacy Horner

Postdoc Research Topic:
Host-virus innate interactions of emerging viral pathogens

UPENN Department:
Department of Microbiology

Penn Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Kellie Jurado

Arthur Wang

Communication
Arthur Wang

Communication

Education:
2022, PhD, Yale
2012, MSt, University of Oxford
2011, BA Princeton University

PhD Dissertation Title:
Minor Theories of Everything: On Popular Science and Contemporary Fiction

PhD Thesis Advisor:
Amy Hungerford, PhD, John Durham Peters, PhD, Sunny Xiang, PhD

Postdoc Research Topic:
Contemporary Literature, Media and Feminist Science and Technology Studies

School & Department:
Annenberg School of Communication

Penn Faculty Mentor:
Sarah Banet-Weiser, PhD

Ralph White III

Cancer Biology
Ralph White III

Cancer Biology

Education:
2023, Ph.D., Pharmacology, The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
2017, B.S., Chemistry, Furman University

Ph.D. Dissertation Title:
Saracatinib synergizes with enzalutamide in castration-resistant prostate cancer

Ph.D. Thesis Advisor:
Justin Drake, Ph.D.

Postdoc Research Topic:
Utilizing chemical biology to uncover metalloprotein vulnerabilities in cancer

School & Department:
The Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Cancer Biology

Penn Faculty Mentor:
Donita Brady, PhD

Jennifer Wu

Political Science
Jennifer Wu

Political Science

Education:
2023, Ph.D., Political Science, Yale University
2014, M.S.c., Economics, University College London
2013, B.A., Economics, Mathematics, and Theatre Arts, The University of Pennsylvania

Ph.D. Dissertation Title:
The Politics of Asian-ness: Understanding the Importance of National Origin and Group Membership on the Political Representation

Ph.D. Thesis Advisor:
Gregory Huber, Ph.D.

Postdoc Research Topic:
Race and Ethnicity in American Politics

School & Department:
The School of Arts & Sciences, Political Science

Penn Faculty Mentor:
Marc Meredith, PhD