Lauren Kim
University of Southern California
MentorRongfu Wang, PhD
The Development of mRNA Vaccines for Cancer Immunotherapy
ACS-Sponsored Trainee Presentations
Discovery in Progress
2026 Summer Research Showcase
Wednesday, August 5, 2026 NRT LG 503–504 · USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
This afternoon
- 2:45 PMWelcome RemarksMyles Cockburn, PhD
- 3:00 PMACS Overview & Discovery PillarEllie Daniels, MD, MPH
- 3:15 PMTrainee Presentations
- 3-minute lightning talks — USC, UCI, and CDU undergraduates
- 10-minute presentations + Q&A — USC NextGen Cancer Scholars
- 4:00 PMPoster Gallery Walk & ReceptionLab tours available
The American Cancer Society’s Center for Innovation in Cancer Research Training funds institutions to give students hands-on cancer research experience under established investigators, paired with the professional development and networking that help them navigate the rest of an academic career. Three of those funded programs are represented in this room.
Undergraduate interns at USC Norris, the UCI Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Charles R. Drew University spent this summer in laboratories at their own institutions, and came together across campuses through shared journal clubs and joint seminars. Presenting alongside them are USC Norris’s ACS NextGen Cancer Scholars — post-baccalaureate fellows in a two-year certificate program for college graduates preparing to enter doctoral training.
Three cancer centers. One investment. Twenty-seven early-career researchers.
The Summer Class of 2026
Twenty-five ACS undergraduate summer interns and the projects they worked on this summer.
Omoye Ehimare
University of Southern California
MentorJames Amatruda, MD, PhD
Preclinical Testing of Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cells in Zebrafish Ewing Sarcoma Models
Victor Geovanni Sanchez Chavez
East Los Angeles College
MentorRaina Pang, PhD
Biopsychological Mechanisms of Alcohol Misuse: Social and Hormonal Factors in Cancer Prevention
Hturn Wai (Andrew) Yan Aung
East Los Angeles College
MentorBino Varghese, PhD
MRI Radiomics-Based Biomarkers for Noninvasive Amyloid Beta Detection
Neeki Ettefagh
University of California, Riverside
MentorMariana Stern, PhD
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of CoGENES Educational Screening Interventions in Increasing CRC Screening Knowledge, Screening Intent, and Behavioral Readiness in Latino Populations
Xingzhi (Maria) Duan
Scripps College
MentorEvanthia Roussos Torres, MD, PhD
HDAC1/3 Inhibition via Entinostat Upregulates Malat1, Decreases STAT3 Activation, and Induces Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in T Cells
Sarah Choi
University of California, Los Angeles
MentorJinSeok Park, PhD
Investigating Follower Cell-Derived Support of Leader Cell Proliferation in Fusion-Positive Rhabdomyosarcoma
Samuel Moreida Rey
University of California, Irvine
MentorJulio Camarero, PhD
Evaluating a Cyclotide (MCo-RR7-cTAT) as a Potential Treatment for KRAS-Driven Cancers
Elayna Ong
University of California, Berkeley
MentorNicholas Graham, PhD
Characterizing Tumor–Stroma Interactions in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Isabella Romero
Tufts University
MentorBino Varghese, PhD
Lesion-Based Diffusion-Weighted MRI Radiomic Signatures for Predicting DCIS
Alexander Salgado
California State University, Fullerton
MentorLee Bardwell, PhD
Investigating in vitro GLI1–SUFU Binding in Tumor-Derived Mutations
Brandon Garcia
Cypress College
MentorChris Halbrook, PhD
Targeting Myeloid Metabolism to Remodel the Pancreatic Tumor Immune Microenvironment
Karuna Lamichhane
University of California, Irvine
MentorWendy Cozen, DO, MPH
Trends in Racial Disparities in Multiple Myeloma
David Alas
Fullerton College
MentorAngela Fleischman, MD, PhD
TET2–/– and IFN-α’s Competitive Advantage over Bystander Cells
Rahma Fares
Cypress College
MentorKai Kessenbrock, PhD
Stromal Growth Factors from Pre-CAFs Trigger DNA Damage Response in Normal Breast Epithelial Cells
Julissa Maupin
Irvine Valley College
MentorOlga Razorenova, PhD
Investigation of Src Family Kinase (SFK) Mitochondrial Localization
Daniela Pelayo Guizar
University of California, Irvine
MentorThomas Martinez, PhD
Functional Characterization of a Candidate INO80 5′ UTR Microprotein
CDU/UCLA Undergraduate Cancer Research and Training Program (UCRTP) — a 10-week summer internship hosted by CDU’s Center for Cancer Innovation and Translation with UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Each intern is paired with a faculty researcher and works in a CDU or UCLA laboratory.
Rooney Chirutha
Moorpark College
MentorKe Wu, MD, PhD
A Novel Small Molecule Induces Apoptosis in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Without Direct FLT3 Kinase Inhibition
Sofia Sevilla
University of California, Los Angeles
MentorCaius Radu, MD
Generation of Human PDAC Cell Line to Evaluate T Cell Responses to Mutant KRAS G12V and HLA-A*11:01
Britanny Noriega Galindo
University of Southern California
MentorDiana Marquez-Garban, MD
Elucidating the Apoptotic Response to Combination of Biguanide JD006 and CDK 2/4/6 Inhibitor Therapy in Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Kate Austin
University of California, Santa Cruz
MentorShehla Pervin, PhD
E-Cigarette Inactivates the HIPPO Pathway to Promote Aggressive Breast Tumors
Emma Do
Case Western Reserve University
MentorPranabananda Dutta, PhD
Investigating PARG Inhibition as a Therapeutic Strategy for Luminal Breast Cancer
Paula Valenzuela
University of California, Los Angeles
MentorSivakumar Ramadoss, PhD
Effect of Metformin in Combination with Cisplatin on Cisplatin Resistance in Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines
Madison Kay
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
MentorDylan Sarver, PhD
Investigating the Underlying Bioenergetic Associated Gene Programs of MCF7 Breast Cancer Cells
Jade Finley
University of California, Los Angeles
MentorAaron Meyer, PhD
Modeling Cytokine Capture in the Extracellular Matrix
ACS NextGen Cancer Scholars — Post-Baccalaureate Fellows
A two-year mentored research certificate program for college graduates preparing to pursue a doctoral degree. Ten-minute presentations followed by questions.
Steve Soto
University of Southern California
MentorHeinz-Josef Lenz, MD
Differences in Survival Outcomes Across Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 2 and 3 Gene Expression Levels in a Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Cohort
Benjamin Alonzo
University of Southern California
MentorAdam de Smith, PhD
Mendelian Randomization Analysis of Blood Cell Traits in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia