Meet our 2023-24 Scholars

Eleven students were selected for the 2023-24 UF Health Cancer Institute University Scholars Program.


Headshot of Brian Blackwood

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
  • Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response 

Headshot of Alisha Das

Alisha Das


Headshot of Gissel Garcia

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
  • Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response 

Headshot of Maheera Hossain

Maheera Hossain


Headshot of Julia Jamieson

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
  • Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response

Headshot of Christina Klassen

Christina Klassen


Headshot of Andrea Noy

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
  • Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response

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Hafsa Ouaakki


Headshot of Khushil Patel

Khushil Patel


Headshot of Weihao Tang

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
  • Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response

Headshot of Janie Zhang

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
  • Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response

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