2024 Predoctoral Awardees

Explore the UF Health Cancer Institute’s 2024 Predoctoral Award recipients, highlighting the students selected for their promising cancer research including their mentor and dissertation title.

Nina Erwin, B.S.

Mentor: Mei He, Ph.D.
Dissertation Title: “Enhanced Extracellular Vesicle Loading and Functionalization for Oncological Therapeutic Development”

ERWIN

John (Jack) Figg, B.S.

Mentor: Catherine Flores, Ph.D.
Dissertation Title: “The Role of Adoptive Cellular Therapy in Overcoming Glioma Immunosuppression”

Headshot of John Figg, wearing a dark suit jacket, white collared shirt, and an orange-and-blue striped tie, posed in front of a dark blue studio backdrop.

Netanya Keil, B.S.

Mentor: Rolf Renne, Ph.D.
Dissertation Title: “Alternative Splicing and Cellular Differentiation in KSHV-Infected Endothelial Cell”

Headshot of Netanya Keil, wearing a black‑and‑white patterned dress with a black waistband, standing indoors in a bright hallway with white walls and large windows.

Christiano Marconi, B.S.

Mentor: Elias Sayour, M.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation Title: “Unraveling the Mechanisms of SARS CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine-Mediated Sensitization to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors”

Headshot of Christiano Marconi, wearing a white lab coat over a dark collared shirt, standing outdoors on the steps of a building with a ‘College of Medicine’ sign above the entrance.

Tanzia Tithi, M.Pharm.

Mentor: Weizhou Zhang, Ph.D.
Dissertation Title: “Contrasting Roles of MutSα and MutLα in Basal-Like Breast Cancer”

Headshot of Tanzia Tithi, wearing a deep red headscarf, a matching blazer, and a floral top with a gold statement necklace, standing outdoors with greenery and architectural structures in the background.

Qingchen Yuan, MBBS, M.Sc.

Mentor: Olga Guryanova, M.D., Ph.D.
Dissertation Title: “Role of Clonal Hematopoiesis-Derived Macrophages in Colitis-Associated Cancer”

Headshot of Qingchen Yuan, wearing a blue blazer and white shirt, standing at a podium with a microphone while speaking in an indoor auditorium.
NCI Cancer Center badge