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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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