Meet our 2023-2024 Scholars

11 students were selected for the 2023-2024 UF Health Cancer Center University Scholars Program.


2023-2024 Scholars

Brian Blackwood

  • Major: Biology
  • Minor: Asian Studies & Chemistry
  • Mentor: Daiqing Liao, Ph.D.
  • College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
  • Research Project Title: The epigenetic regulator DAXX in cancer biology
  • UFHCC Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response 

USP Das

Alisha Das


Gissel Garcia

  • Major: Preprofessional Biology
  • Minor: N/A
  • Mentor: Boone Prentice, Ph.D.
  • College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
  • Research Project Title:
    Imaging Mass Spectrometry Methods and Applications
  • UFHCC Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response 

Maheera Hossain


Jamieson USP

Julia Jamieson

  • Major: Biology
  • Minor: Biomolecular Engineering: Bioinformatics
  • Mentor: Coy Heldermon, M.D., Ph.D.
  • College of Agricultural & Life Sciences
  • Research Project Title: Effects of a Lipid Nanoparticle mRNA Vaccine on Mouse Soft Tissue Sarcoma
  • UFHCC Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response

Klassen USP

Christina Klassen


Andrea Noy

  • Major: Mechanical Engineering
  • Minor: N/A
  • Mentor: Xin Tang, Ph.D.
  • College of Engineering
  • Research Project Title: Understanding Differences in Human Cancer Cells’ Mechanical Properties
  • UFHCC Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response

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Hafsa Ouaakki


Khushil Patel


Weihao Tang

  • Major: Preprofessional Biology
  • Minor: N/A
  • Mentor: Lei Zhou, Ph.D.
  • College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
  • Research Project Title:
    Genomic response in circulating macrophages in response to hyperplastic and neoplastic tumors in Drosophila
  • UFHCC Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response

Janie Zhang

  • Major: Biology
  • Minor: N/A
  • Mentor: Jianping Huang, Ph.D.
  • College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
  • Research Project Title:
    SPDYE3, A Novel Cancer Testis (CT) Antigen for Glioma Immunotherapy
  • UFHCC Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response

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