Meet our 2026-2027 BSCRC trainees
The UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center Training Program's 2026–2027 cohort is 19 strong — and remarkable in ways that reach well beyond the lab. Together they speak nine languages, play seven instruments and share their homes with 15 cats, six dogs, one fish, one turtle and one bunny. Five are first-generation college students.
Get to know our trainees below.
Graduate students
Johnny Diaz
Principal investigator: Andrew S. Goldstein, Ph.D.
Research focus: I study how human prostate cancer initiates. To do this, I isolate human prostate cells and use viruses to introduce genetic mutations that push the cells toward a more stem-like state. This gives the cells the capacity to transform into cancer — a process that has been difficult to study because of the limited ways to grow human prostate cells.
Fun fact: I was severely allergic to cats until I adopted my cat, Sunstra. I took allergy medicine every day for a month and then my allergies just went away!
Rachel Fox
Principal investigator: Michael F. Wells, Ph.D.
Research focus: My longstanding research interests revolve around untangling the relationship between genotype and phenotype to better understand neurodevelopment and neurological disorders. My current research is focused on how genetic variation at chromosome 16p11.2 influences sonic hedgehog signaling in neural progenitor cells.
Fun fact: I like to collect old cameras!
Sara Frigui
Principal investigator: Heather Christofk, Ph.D.
Research focus: My research focuses on how the maternal intestine adapts to meet the metabolic demands of pregnancy and lactation. In addition, I’m developing tools to study tissue stem cell metabolism in living organisms.
Fun fact: I play the New York Times Crossword puzzle every day, and I just hit my 1000th puzzle milestone!
Liang-Wei Huang
Principal investigator: Kathrin Plath, Ph.D.
Research focus: I study how Xist expression is regulated and how the chromatin structure is affected by the reduced expression of Xist. My hope is that this work leads to a better understanding of the earliest stages of human development and lays the groundwork for new therapies for female-specific diseases.
Fun fact: I’ve recently finished building the LEGO Marvel Avengers Tower.
Dan Jaklic
Principal investigator: Aparna Bhaduri, Ph.D.
Research focus: The human brain is divided into specialized regions, each with its own mixture of neural and glial cell types. These specializations emerge early in development, as stem cells turn genes on and off in precise, region-specific patterns. My research focuses on understanding how particular genes guide these stem cells' decisions.
Fun fact: I love hiking and backpacking. Two of my favorites are Yosemite and the Canadian Rockies.
Niloufar Mansooralavi
Principal investigator: William Lowry, Ph.D.
Research focus: I study Rett syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects brain development. I’m investigating how mutations in the MECP2 gene disrupt cell function and brain activity, leading to symptoms like microcephaly, social and behavioral withdrawal and shortened lifespan. My goal is to identify the proteins that interact with MECP2 and the molecular mechanisms they’re involved in to guide the development of more targeted therapeutics.
Fun fact: I really enjoy drawing.
Satchel Stevens
Principal investigator: Gay M. Crooks, M.D.
Research focus: My research focuses on generating white blood cells called T cells outside the body and developing them so they fully mimic the T cells found in adults. Currently, T cells grown outside the body from stem cells behave more like the T cells found before birth than those found in adults. My goal is to fully mature these T cells through alterations, both at the stem cell stage and throughout their development into T cells.
Fun fact: I modeled for a Japanese streetwear brand in high school.
Miranda Sun
Principal investigator: D'Juan Farmer, Ph.D.
Research focus: I study how the bones at the top of the skull grow and why they sometimes fuse prematurely in newborns, causing a birth defect that prevents the skull from growing properly and restricts brain development. Stem cells are likely involved in this process, but very little is known about how stem cells drive the growth of these bones during embryonic and early postnatal development.
Fun fact: I’m an avid board game player.
Qiu Ya Wu
Principal investigator: Amander T. Clark, Ph.D.
Research focus: My research centers on the ovary, a crucial organ for human fertility and overall health. I study the diverse cell types and signaling pathways present within the ovary and use stem cells to build laboratory models of ovarian development and function.
Fun fact: I’ve recently become an avid film watcher.
Yichen (John) Zhu
Principal investigator: Lili Yang, Ph.D.
Research focus: My research focuses on building better immune cells from stem cells to help the body fight cancer. I study how specialized immune cells develop and use genetic engineering to make them safer and more effective as future cancer treatments.
Fun fact: I really enjoy drinking boba and sleeping all day.
Postdoctoral scholars
Shang-Jung Cheng, Ph.D.
Principal investigator: Rosalie Lawrence, Ph.D.
Research focus: I use iPSC-derived astrocytes called iAstrocytes to examine how chronic stress rewires astrocyte metabolism, with a particular focus on lipid regulation.
Fun fact: Rock music powers me through my image quantification work.
Derek Lee, Ph.D.
Principal investigator: Lili Yang, Ph.D.
Research focus: My research focuses on methods to generate an unlimited, ready-to-use supply of specialized immune cells called CAR-NKT cells in the lab. By engineering a novel approach to guide their development, I’ve worked to address key bottlenecks that previously limited their efficacy and production. This platform is now being evaluated for its potential as a new treatment for cancers and autoimmune diseases.
Fun fact: I'm a die-hard fan of Attack on Titan.
Antoni Martija, Ph.D.
Principal investigator: Aparna Bhaduri, Ph.D.
Research focus: I study how glioblastoma cells communicate with non-malignant neurons in their microenvironment, using primary tumors transplanted into human cortical organoids as a model system. My research specifically focuses on how neuronal input influences the identity and plasticity of these brain cancer cells.
Fun fact: "Doing my PhD in Germany gave me the chance to easily travel around Europe — so far, I've visited 15 countries on the continent!
Vahan Martirosian, Ph.D.
Principal investigator: Michael Teitell, M.D., Ph.D.
Research focus: My research investigates how small molecules and the enzymes that process them function within the nucleus of human pluripotent stem cells to regulate gene expression and early development. By uncovering this previously unknown layer of cellular control, this work may reveal new non-genetic mechanisms that contribute to developmental disorders.
Fun fact: I love to travel.
Kilian Mazaleyrat, Ph.D.
Principal investigator: April Pyle, Ph.D.
Research focus: I study how to enhance the maturation process of skeletal muscle progenitor cells using the different types of cells present in the neuromuscular tissue.
Fun fact: I grew up in a water mill in the French countryside.
Clinical fellows
Lauren Burnett, D.O.
Principal investigator: Steven J. Jonas, M.D., Ph.D.
Research focus: My research focuses on Ewing sarcoma, an aggressive bone and soft tissue cancer. We're clinically validating a new blood test — a "liquid biopsy" — that offers a faster, more precise and noninvasive way to monitor disease burden and treatment response.
Fun fact: I come from a big family with six siblings, and my husband and I have carried on that tradition — just with a mini zoo instead: a Golden Retriever, a Bernese Mountain Dog, a Bengal cat and a bunny!
Adrianna Carrasco, M.D.
Principal investigator: Ranmal A. Samarasinghe, M.D., Ph.D.
Research focus: I’m studying whether mitochondrial dysfunction drives the early loss of inhibitory neurons in inherited forms of frontotemporal dementia. Because inhibitory neurons help sustain the neural networks underlying learning and memory, their loss may be an early step toward cognitive decline. To investigate this, I'll use 3D brain models derived from induced pluripotent stem cells.
Fun fact: I recently went piranha fishing in the Amazon!
Zachary Olmsted, M.D., Ph.D.
Principal investigator: Michael Sofroniew, M.D., Ph.D.
Research focus: When the spinal cord is injured, the body can't repair it on its own. I'm studying how to transplant stem cells into the injury site and get them to survive, connect with the patient's own cells and restore lost function. My ultimate goal is to combine cell transplants with electrical stimulation to help paralyzed patients move again.
Fun fact: I visited every national park on the West Coast in a single trip.