Leadership Team, Alumni and Founders

Katherine Borner - Vice President of Operations

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Kate is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Biomedical Engineering program. She works in Dr. Matt Petroll's lab in the Department of Ophthalmology where she focuses on the characterization of gene expression patterns during corneal wound healing events. Outside of lab work, Kate enjoys caring for her collection of plants, music and spending time with her friends, family and corgi.

Malavika Jayaram -Vice President of Education

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Malavika (Mal) is a third-year immunology Ph.D. student in the Alto Lab, currently investigating the role of type three secretion effectors of bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella in regulating innate immune signaling. As a member of the Biotech Club, she seeks to actively engage with the international student body at UTSW and help connect them to biotech opportunities to achieve their career goals. Outside of the lab, she enjoys traveling, comedy podcasts, and yoga.

AP Wang - Director of Fellowship 

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AP is a second-year Ph.D student in the Biomedical Engineering program with an interest in nanomedicine and imaging as tools for drug delivery. Prior to joining the program, AP worked at Pfizer Inc. in the oncology R&D department focusing on impurities, cytotoxicity, and automation of methods. AP aspires to bridge the gap between the general public and scientists in disseminating scientific information, and to continue to inspire young scientists to pursue the unknown. Outside of work, AP enjoys all things gym, cooking, camping, and spending time with family and friends.  

Gabriela Ayala Pazzi - Vice President of External Affairs

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Gaby is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Biomedical Engineering program. With a background in Biology and two years of experience in cancer research, she hopes to dedicate her Ph.D. to elucidating the mechanisms behind LNP-mediated drug delivery as part of the Siegwart lab. Her goal is to be part of the driving force of scientists who take innovative treatments from the bench to the clinic. In her free time, Gaby likes listening to music, shopping, and spending time with friends

Animesha Krishnamurthy - Vice President of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

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Animesha is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the Biomedical Engineering program, working in Dr. Jinming Gao's lab. She recived her BS/MS from Case Western Reserve University, with her research focus being lipid nanoparticles for. Her current research involves evaluation of STING-activating nanoparticles in patient-derived tumor fragments. Outside of lab, she enjoys reading, making homemade coffee syrups, and spending time with her family.

Merve Yilmaz - Director of Alumni Relations

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Merve is a postdoctoral researcher in the Shay Lab. Her research focuses on investigating novel telomere-targeted therapeutics to target cancer, and she has also been working on biosensors and developing theranostic agents. Her career goal is to run a biotech company that connects science with technology to uncover new insights and solve unanswered questions. Outside of the lab, she enjoys outdoor activities, going to the gym, discovering new restaurants and hanging out with friends.

Lisa Kim - Director of Marketing

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Yujin "Lisa" Kim is a fourth-year graduate student in Dr. Daniel Siegwart Lab. She was born in South Korea, lived in China for 8 years, and at age of 16, she moved to Dallas with her family. She received her B.S. in Biochemistry from Southern Methodist University. Since joining Siegwart Lab, she is working on active targeting of lipid nanoparticles using conjugation of sugar molecules. In her free time, she likes to watch TV show Modern Family and go boulder with her friends.

Courtney Santos -  Assistant Director of Seminar Series

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Courtney Santos is a fourth-year PhD Candidate in the Molecular Microbiology program. She works in the Forsberg Lab studying bacterial defense mechanisms against phages and how they are related to eukaryotic antiviral factors. In her free time, Courtney enjoys spending time with friends and family, cooking for loved ones, taking care of her plant babies, and relaxing with some yoga. 

Kerelos Shehata - Assistant Director of External Affairs 

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Kerelos (Kero) Shehata is a second-year PhD student aiming to join a lab in the cancer biology or genetics, development, and disease programs. Prior to joining UT Southwestern, he did three undergraduate internships in the biotech industry and after graduating worked for two years as a biotech research associate, working towards developing and optimizing cell engineering strategies to develop iPSC-derived CAR-T cell therapies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune indications. While at UT Southwestern, Kerelos aims to conduct translational research towards understanding and enhancing novel therapeutic avenues for cancer treatment. Outside of lab, Kerelos enjoys working out and spending time with friends and family.

Samantha Sakells - Director of IP Education

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Sam is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Molecular Microbiology Program. She works in the Forsberg Lab studying the bacteria - phage arms race. More specifically, Sam wants to understand how phages evolve inhibitors of CRISPR-Cas systems, known as anti-CRISPRs, in a process known as de novo gene birth. Outside of the lab, Sam enjoys gardening, crocheting, and spending time with her cats.

Winston Liu - Assistant Director of International Relations

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Winston is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Cancer Biology Program. He works in Dr. Kareem Azab's lab in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, where he focuses on developing a novel nanoparticle platform to enhance T cell activation, aiming to translate his findings into more effective therapies for cancer patients. His research interests include cancer immunology and drug delivery, and he is passionate about making an impact in the biotech industry in the future. Outside of the lab, Winston enjoys sports, traveling, and watching movies and TV shows.