SD IRACDA Alumni

Featured Alumni

Brenda Andrade Rounds, PhD

Assistant Professor
California State University, Los Angeles

Dr. Brenda Andrade Rounds received her BS and MS in Chemistry from California State University Los Angeles and her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She was an SD IRACDA fellow from 2019-2021 and worked with Dr. Micheal Gilson at Skaggs School of Pharmacy. In the fall of 2021, she joined the faculty in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at her alma mater, California State University Los Angeles, working on developing supramolecular antidotes for illicit drugs and materials for the remediation of persistent organic pollutants. The most impactful parts of the IRACDA program for Dr. Andrade Rounds were the professional development workshops and the opportunity to work with other scholars and write about our postdoc experience post-pandemic.

Alexander Chaim, PhD

Assistant Professor
University of California, San Diego

Dr. Alex Chaim received his B.S. in Biology from Universidad Simón Bolívar in Venezuela and his Ph.D. in Biological Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he developed molecular tools to study inter-individual differences in DNA repair capacity. As an NIH/NIGMS K12 IRACDA, UC San Diego Chancellor's and NINDS K99 Pathway to Independence Postdoctoral Fellow, he conducted research in Dr. Gene Yeo's laboratory at University of California San Diego, where he developed models for the study of glioblastoma and established single-cell technologies for studying RNA-protein interactions. He joined the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology at UC San Diego in 2023, where the Chaim Lab investigates how RNA damage contributes to neurodegeneration and cancer treatment. The most impactful part of the IRACDA program for Dr. Chaim was the comprehensive training in evidence-based teaching and the supportive and diverse community that helped him thrive as a postdoctoral fellow and transition to his current faculty position.

Alumni

Lisette Acevedo, PhD Director, Clinical Science Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. San Diego, CA	Berenice Aguilar, PhD Principal Scientist Grifolis Biologicals San Diego, CA	Julieta Aguilar, PhD Associate Professor and Chair Department of Biology Los Angeles Trade Tech College Los Angeles, CA	David Aguilar, PhD President of Business Development Exeligen Scientific, Inc. San Diego, CA
Brenda Andrade, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry California State University, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA	Rachael Barry, PhD Assistant Teaching Professor Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA	Hannah Baughman,PhD Assistant Professor Department of Biochemistry University of Washington, Tacoma Tacoma, Washington	Kevin Beck, PhD Sr. Account Manager Lentigen Technology, Inc. Gaithersburg, MD
Jennifer Betancourt, PhD Assistant Professor Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara, CA	Ilva Cabrera, PhD Lecturer California State University, Long Beach Long Beach, CA	Jessica Cassin, PhD Postdoctoral Scholar Department of Ob/Gyn & Reproductive Sciences University of California, San Diego La Jolla, CA	Alexander Chaim, PhD Assistant Professor Division of Biological Sciences University of California, San Diego La Jolla, CA
Francisco Contijoch, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Bioengineering and Department of Radiology University of California San Diego La Jolla, CA	Toni L. Cordero, PhD Principal Medical Writer Medtronic Inc., Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN	Rachel Diner, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Biological Sciences University of Memphis Memphis, TN	Tony Davis, PhD Assistant Professor School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Binghamton University Binghamton, NY
Michael Dores, PhD Associate Professor Department of Biology Hofstra University Hempstead, NY	Anabel Flores, PhD Assistant Professor California Baptist University Riverside, CA	Keolu Fox, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Anthropology University of California, San Diego La Jolla, CA	Spencer Gang, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Molecular Biology Colorado College Colorado Springs, CO
Natalie Goldberg, PhD Associate Director of Scientific Affairs Efficient Continuing Medical Education Camas, WA	Carlos Gonzalez, PhD Computational Biologist Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco, CA	David Gonzalez, PhD Associate Professor Department of Pharmacology and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences University of California, San Diego La Jolla, CA	Monica Gonzalez Ramirez, PhD Postdoctoral Researcher Department of Pharmacology UC San Diego La Jolla, CA
Rudolfo Gonzalez, PhD Director, Research and Development International Stem Cell Corp. San Diego, CA	Uromi Goodale, M.F.S., PhD Associate Professor College of Forestry Guangxi University Guangxi, China	David Gorkin, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Biology Emory University Atlanta, GA	Edgar Gutierrez, PhD Director of Mechanical Engineering and Microfabrication Plexium San Diego, CA
James Hall, PhD Assistant Project Scientist Department of Medicine University of California, San Diego La Jolla, CA	Jane Harrington, PhD Professor of Microbiology University of Medical and Health Sciences St.Kitts and Nevis KN, Camps, St. Kitts & Nevis	Erilynn Heinrichsen, PhD Assistant Director of Engaged Teaching Teaching and Learning Commons University of California, San Diego La Jolla , CA	Angelina Hernandez-Carretero, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Biology Los Angeles Trade Technical College Los Angeles, CA
Kelly Hester, PhD Senior Research Scientist Prometheus Laboratories Inc. San Diego, CA	Tia Hexom, PhD Field Application Scientist Thermo Fisher Scientific San Diego, CA	Amy Hubert, PhD Associate Professor Department of Biological Sciences Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, IL	Esmeralda Iniguez, PhD Epidemiologist, California Department of Public Health Lecturer Graduate School of Public Health San Diego State University San Diego, CA
Sergio Ita, PhD R&D Manager, Principal Investigator, Assays & Analytics Thermo Fisher Scientific San Diego, CA	Jorge Jimenez, PhD Scientist Emergent Biosolutions San Diego, CA	Carla S. Jones, PhD Assistant Adjunct Professor of Sustainability Studies Roosevelt University Chicago, IL	Michelle T. Juarez, PhD Assistant Medical Professor Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education City College of New York New York, NY
Apollo Kacsinta, PhD Lecturer California State University San Marcos San Diego State University San Diego, CA	Jeremiah Keyes, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Pennsylvania State University, Behrend Erie, PA	Jonathan Kelber, PhD Associate Professor Department of Biology Baylor University Waco, TX	Amy L. Lane, PhD Associate Professor Department of Chemistry University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL
John Lapek, PhD Principal Scientist Chemical Biology Group Pfizer La Jolla, CA	Rea Lardelli-Markmiller, PhD Scientist Locanabio, Inc. San Diego, CA	Brian Leon, PhD Scientist 1 Ambrx San Diego, CA	Catherine Lipovsky, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Biology Bradley University Peoria, IL
Anel Lizcano, PhD Faculty Lecturer San Francisco State University San Franciso, CA	Janine Low-Marchelli, PhD Senior Technical Information Scientist The Jackson Laboratory Sacramento, CA	Geanncarlo Lugo-Villarino, PhD Senior Research Associate Faculty Member Institute of Pharmacology and Structural Biology Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Université Paul Sabatier Frontiers, France	Shauna McGillivray, PhD Professor & Associate Chair Department of Biology Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX
Hugo Medina-Muñoz, PhD Postdoctoral Researcher Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine University of California, San Diego La Jolla, CA	Evan Merkhofer, PhD Associate Professor and Chair Department of Biology Mount Saint Mary College Newburgh, NY	Olivia Molinar-Inglis, PhD 2021 AAAS Science and Technology Fellow Industry Liaison, Radiation and Nuclear Countermeasures Program DAIT, NIAID, NIH Washington, DC	Emily Monroe, PhD Professor Department of Biology William Paterson University Wayne, NJ
Elizabeth Montano, PhD Microbiology Laboratory Manager San Diego, CA	Jose Morachis, PhD Founder, President at NanoCellect Biomedical, Inc. San Diego, CA	Morgan Mouchka, PhD Education Coordinator/Program Manager San Diego IRACDA UC San Diego La Jolla, CA	Gabriel Navarro, PhD Lead Scientist Brightseed San Francisco, CA
Dequina Nicholas, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA	Nekeisha Nogal, PhD Sr. Director, Process Development Abzena San Diego, CA	Stacy Ochoa, PhD Assistant Teaching Professor Department of Molecular Biology UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA	Theresa Operana, PhD Associate Director, Global Medical Affairs Rakuten Medical San Diego, CA
Cheryl Okumura, PhD Associate Professor Department of Biology Occidental College Los Angeles, CA	Sara Olson, PhD Associate Professor Department of Biology Pomona College Claremont, CA	Edwin Paz, PhD Principal Investigator ThermoFisher Scientific San Diego, CA	Helicia Paz, PhD Principal Scientist T-Cure Bioscience Los Angeles, CA
Gabriel Pineda, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Health Sciences National University San Diego, CA	Carlo Quiñónez, PhD Director of Research FATHOM Oakland, CA	Peter Ramirez, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Biological Sciences California State University, Long Beach Long Beach	Lara Rangel, PhD Assistant Professor Division of Cognitive Science University of California, San Diego La Jolla, CA
Karen Resendes, PhD Professor Department of Biology Westminster College New Wilmington, PA	Vicente Reyes, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Biological Sciences Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY	Angelia Riestra, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Biology San Diego State University San Diego, CA	Fatima Rivas, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Chemistry Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA
Heriberto Rivera, PhD Associate Professor Department of Chemistry Palomar College San Marcos, CA	Jinae Roa, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Biological Sciences California State University, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA	Melvin Rouse Jr, PhD Associate Professor Department of Psychology University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WA	Sharif Rumjahn, PhD Instructor Truckee Meadows Community College Reno, NV
Laura Sanchez, PhD Associate Professor Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA	Richard Sanchez, PhD NIC Postdoctoral Fellow Department of Neurobiology University of California, San Diego La Jolla, CA	Sharsti Sandall, PhD Principal Scientist Seattle Genetics Seattle, WA	Desirée L. Salazar, PhD Program Director Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity, NIH/NIGMS Bethesda, MD
Danielle Schmitt, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA	Shannon Seidel, PhD Associate Professor Department of Biology Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma, WA	Justin Shaffer, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Biology Fresno State University Fresno, CA	Dana Skarra, PhD Oncology Clinical Trails RN HonorHealth Research Institute Phoenix, AZ
Aaron Snead, PhD Senior Scientist II Vividion Therapeutics San Diego, CA	Allison Songstad, PhD Field Application Scientist NanoString Technologies Philadelphia, PA	Paula C. Soto, PhD Associate Director, Scientific Communications and Publications Retrophin San Diego, CA	Jessica Sowa, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry West Chester University West Chester, PA
John Steele, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Biological Sciences Humboldt State University Arcata, CA	Sarah Stockwell, PhD Associate Teaching Professor Division of Biological Sciences University of California, San Diego La Jolla, CA	Erica Stone, PhD Assistant Professor Wistar Institute Philadelphia, PA	Terri Stoner, PhD Assistant Adjunct Professor and Visiting Scholar Scientist Grossmont College San Diego, CA
John Tat, PhD Director Strategic and Allied Health Programs UC San Diego Extended Studies La Jolla, CA	Eillen Tecle, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Microbiology and Immunology Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI	Roberto Tinoco, PhD Associate Professor Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA	Christa Trexler, PhD Disease Area Analyst CardioVascular Resource Group, LLC Mesa, AZ
Francisco Villa, PhD Clinical Professor of Biology and Environmental Sciences Northern Arizona University Yuma, AZ	Leonel Villa-Caballero, MD, PhD Director of Clinical Trials in Latin America, UC San Diego Extension Research Faculty, Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego La Jolla, CA	Michael Williams, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Biology Mesa College San Diego, CA	Amanda Wright, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Biology University of North Texas Denton, TX
Katrina Yamazaki, PhD Professor Department of Biology California State University Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA	Alex Zambon, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences Keck Graduate Institute, School of Pharmacy Claremont, CA