Vinny received his M.S. in Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering from the University of Hawaii, Manoa in 2016 and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Purdue University in 2023. His PhD research focused on the development of peptide-based tools for biomedical applications, specifically as a broad-spectrum antibiotic and as a lipid biosensor for the detection of cancer metastasis. He joined the Rafat Lab in 2024 where his work focuses on the effects of obesity on the tumor microenvironment and tumor cell recruitment following radiation therapy in breast cancer. Outside of lab, Vinny is an avid martial artist and also enjoys playing video games, cooking, spending time with friends and family, and playing with his cat, Pharaoh.

Kevin received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 2009. For the past 8 years, he has worked at INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA in the Houston, TX area as a technical service engineer, polypropylene product development engineer, and Six Sigma Black Belt. He hopes to combine his industry experience with his past academic research stemming from an REU studying mesenchymal stem cell migration at MIT to solve complex problems in the biomedical field. At Vanderbilt, his research focuses on understanding normal-tissue wound healing due to radiation therapy. He is exploring how this treatment affects cellular metabolism and extracellular vesicle release to impact cell-to-cell communication, and how it potentially influences tumor-cell infiltration and local recurrence for triple-negative breast cancer. Outside of the lab, Kevin is an avid cook and equally avid foodie. He has a (questionably) healthy obsession with K-pop, enjoys laughing along to the comedy/true-crime podcast My Favorite Murder, and spends a significant amount of time talking about his dog Mochi.

Tian got her B.S. in Chemistry from China Agriculture University and M.S.E in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering form Johns Hopkins University. As a master’s student, her research focused on breast cancer cell migration in 3D microenvironments. At Vanderbilt, she studies mammary fat changes following damage from therapy, and she will design 3D environments to study breast cancer cell invasion and migration in that context.

Greg grew up in Wylie, TX – a small city outside of Dallas. In 2019, he graduated from Tufts University with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. While at Tufts, Greg investigated the engineering of therapeutic proteins for targets relevant to diseases such as cancer. At Vanderbilt, Greg is an NSF Graduate Research Fellow and explores extracellular vesicles, specifically in the context of breast cancer and how cellular communication between different cells is altered after irradiation therapy. During his free time, Greg is an avid football fan, and he enjoys going to the gym, cooking and exploring new music.

Shannon received her B.S and M.S.E. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 2017. She then conducted research at the National Cancer Institute for two years, where she studied radiation-induced RNA expression changes in blood and in endothelial cells to develop biomarker signatures for radiation biodosimetry. At Vanderbilt, her research focuses on creating microfluidic cell culture models to understand the interactions of neutrophils and normal tissue damaged by radiation and how these interactions play a role in recurrence and metastasis. In her free time, Shannon enjoys running, exploring Nashville, and baking cakes.

Candace is from Memphis, TN and attended Vanderbilt University where studied biomedical engineering (Class of 2018). After graduating she obtained her Masters in Medical Sciences from Boston University. She wrote a literature thesis on amniotic membrane applications for neural tissue engineering. She is currently an MD/PhD student at Vanderbilt School of Medicine. Her project will focus on the immune system’s effects on head and neck cancer recurrence after radiation therapy. She hopes to study brain tumors as a neurosurgeon-scientist in the future. Outside of the lab, Candace enjoys tumbling (as a former Vanderbilt Cheerleader), finding new restaurants in Nashville, and reading outside on her porch with a nice cup of coffee.

McKenzie received her B.S in Biological Engineering from Louisiana State University in her hometown of Baton Rouge, LA. In the past, her research has involved nanoparticles and nanostructures for biological applications. At Vanderbilt, she is an NSF Graduate Research Fellow and studies the effect of radiation-induced immune cell infiltration on tumor cell recruitment in breast cancer. McKenzie has more hobbies than she does time. She enjoys animals, art/ animation, cross stitching, lore and science podcasts, Dungeons and Dragons, and spending time with her husband, little girl, and guinea pig.

In 2024, Zach graduated with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering with Honors from Pennsylvania State University. While there, he conducted research on the effects of extracellular matrix properties on cell migration. Zach also spent a summer working in a molecular biology laboratory identifying novel inexpensive means of producing protein standards for size exclusion chromatography. At Vanderbilt, he is investigating the effect of mammary fat pad radiation damage on breast cancer cell migration with a focus on the extracellular matrix. In his free time, Zach enjoys going to the gym, watching sports, spending time outside, and exploring food in Nashville.

Sofia received her B.S. In Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in 2024. Her research at UA involved hydrogels that mimic the brain tumor microenvironment to study the effects of matrix stiffness on drug resistance in brain metastatic breast cancer spheroids. Here at Vanderbilt, she is working on applying focused ultrasound to mitigate the effects of radiation-induced macrophage infiltration on tumor recurrence in triple negative breast cancer. In her free time, Sofia loves to travel and try new foods. She also enjoys hiking, coffee, and photography.

Jack earned his B.S. in Biology from Boston College and hails from Northbrook, IL, a suburb of Chicago. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Biomedical Studies at Vanderbilt University, where his research focuses on changes in mammary fat due to radiation therapy. Jack aims to further investigate the impact of breast cancer on patients in his future medical career. In addition to his academic pursuits, he is a passionate fan of both baseball and football.

Preston is a rising senior majoring in biochemistry and a current MARC scholar. His research focuses on EV-mediated communication between stromal and immune cells in the context of TNBC recurrence. He grew up in Wayland, Kentucky and hopes to pursue a career as a physician-scientist to serve his native region of Central Appalachia. In his spare time, Preston enjoys hiking, writing, and spending time with family. He is also an avid car enthusiast and racing fan.

Abtin is a senior at Vanderbilt studying Biomedical Engineering. He is passionate about a variety of subjects in engineering, particularly the intersection between engineering and medicine. After graduation, he hopes to attend medical school to become a physician. In his free time, Abtin enjoys reading about topics like technology and history, traveling to new places, skiing, and playing soccer.

Born in Chicago, IL, Kara is a senior studying Cellular/Molecular Biology and Spanish at TSU. In preparation for a career as a physician-scientist, she conducts research through the Undergraduate Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement (U-RISE) program. Kara is passionate about mentoring younger students and enjoys traveling, swimming, volunteering, and learning the viola in her free time.

Holden is a senior from Nashville, TN majoring in molecular and cellular biology on the pre-med track. His project focuses on NF-kB signaling in irradiated endothelial cells to determine causes of breast cancer recurrence after radiation therapy. He also holds a job at the VUMC in the radiology department, and this project investigates one of the most prevalent illnesses in the patient population he works with. In his free time, Holden likes playing tennis, trying out new restaurants, following Titans football, and road tripping.

Tatiana Eason is a senior from Hoover, Alabama studying Biology and Chemistry at
Tennessee State University. She plans to attend medical school after graduating to pursue a
career as a Dermatologist. Tatiana is currently conducting research through the Undergraduate
Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement (U-RISE) program. Tatiana is passionate about tutoring in STEM subjects and mentoring middle school students. Tatiana finds inspiration in traveling to experience different cultures, volunteering at local charities, and evaluating skincare products based on skin, life, and environmental conditions using natural ingredients.

Ben is a junior from Nashville, TN, majoring in Biomedical Engineering at Vanderbilt University. He is interested in drug design and development, and is working toward a career improving pharmaceuticals through research and the application of engineering principles. In his free time, Ben loves getting coffee and spending time in the sun with friends or a good book!

Kirsten is a junior studying Chemical Engineering at Vanderbilt. She is interested in Biotechnology, specifically cancer research, and hopes to work in drug development after graduation. Her current research focuses on radiation-induced changes in mammary vessel count, senescence-related proteins in endothelial cells, and changes in physical vessel properties. In her free time, Kirsten enjoys playing pickleball, exploring new places, and baking.

Bridget is a sophomore majoring in biomedical engineering with a minor in data science. She is passionate about using science to help others. After graduation, Bridget would like to attend graduate school and pursue a career in research. Bridget grew up in Durham, North Carolina, and in her free time loves to spend time with her friends and family, read books of any genre, go to concerts, and travel.