The Vanderbilt MSTP welcomes these 9 undergraduate students to Vanderbilt this summer as part of the Vanderbilt MSTP Summer Undergraduate Research Program! We look forward to getting to know them and seeing what they accomplish this summer.
Donye Asberry
Undergraduate Institution: Middle Tennessee State University
Year: Senior
Major: Biochemistry
Hometown: Murfreesboro, Tennessee
What are you working on this summer? This summer, I’m working in Dr. Celestine Wanjalla’s lab studying how HIV proteins delivered through lentiviral vectors may affect the cardiovascular system and other organ systems.
Fun fact: I am a big fan of horror movies.
Cameron O’Connor
Undergraduate Institution: Carleton College
Year: Rising Senior
Major: Biology
Hometown: Redwood City, CA
What are you working on this summer? I am working in Dr. Justin Balko’s lab.
Fun fact: I have spent nearly 300 total nights camping.
Valeria Guerra Dopazo
Undergraduate Institution: The Pennsylvania State University
Year: Senior
Major: Chemistry
Hometown: Gurabo, PR?
What are you working on this summer? This summer I am working in Dr. Craig Duvall’s lab comparing lipid conjugate and lipid nanoparticle drug delivery systems for breast cancer treatments.
Fun fact: I learned Mandarin all throughout middle school.
Khufu Holly
Undergraduate Institution: University of South Carolina – Columbia
Year: Senior
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Hometown: Florence, SC
What are you working on this summer? I’m working in Dr. Anthony Flores’s lab researching an emergent strain of Group A Streptococcus.
Fun fact: I’m directing a fashion show this fall.
Zhone Jack
Undergraduate Institution: Stony Brook University
Year: Rising Sophomore
Major: Biochemistry
Hometown: Queens, NY
What are you working on this summer? This summer I am working in Dr Ayala’s lab investigating how hormones, such as GLP-1, act within the central nervous system, particularly in specific brain regions, to influence hunger, food intake, energy balance and body weight regulation.
Fun fact: I did dance for 11 years.
Emalee Mann
Undergraduate Institution: Clemson University
Year: Senior
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Hometown: Abbeville, SC
What are you working on this summer? I am working with Dr. Vivian Weiss’s Lab investigating the effect of Wnt ligands on macrophage differentiation within the tumor microenvironment, aiming to understand how cellular signaling influences tumor progression.
Fun fact: I played baby Anna in a Frozen high school musical when I was 9!
Camille Wimberly
Undergraduate Institution: Howard University
Year: Rising Junior
Major: Biology?
Hometown: Columbia, MD
What are you working on this summer? This summer, I am working in the Byndloss Lab, studying gut dysbiosis and the mechanisms by which Salmonella outcompetes beneficial bacteria.
Fun fact: I played bass for 10 years
Annika White
Undergraduate Institution: Purdue University
Year: Rising Senior
Major: Biochemistry
Hometown: Charlestown, IN
What are you working on this summer? This summer I am working in Dr. Mary Philip’s immuno-oncology lab to better understand tumor T cell differentiation into the dysfunctional state.
Fun fact: I have my private pilots license!
Angelina Zhu
Undergraduate Institution: Texas A&M University
Year: Rising senior
Major: Biology
Hometown: Plano, TX
What are you working on this summer? I am working in Dr. Henrique Serezani’s lab where we study how innate immune systems maintain homeostasis during uncontrolled inflammatory responses in pathological conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and lupus.
Fun fact: I don’t like cilantro.