I am Domenica, Project Manager for the ACS Undergrad Cancer Research Internship. I am your first point of contact for anything related to your internship - do not hesitate to reach out!

In your initial post, please include:

• Your research interests (what topics light you up - doesn’t have to be your project yet) 

• What got you interested in science or health (the real story, not the résumé version)

• Something non-science you’re proud of or known for 

• Your most unpopular opinion (food, movies, anything)

My name is Sarah and I am a first-year undergrad student at UCLA majoring in Psychobiology! I'm so excited to be able to join this year's cohort and research alongside such passionate and inspirational individuals.

I've always been intrigued by researching the intersection between Alzheimer's Disease and music therapy, as well as neurology in general. Recently, I've been interested in researching more about pediatric oncology. I've always been really interested in science and health, but my dad's two battles with two cancers truly inspired me to pursue my studies and career in medicine. I'm motivated to advance healthcare with the people I love in mind!

Music, particularly vocal, has played a large part in my life since I was young. I'm very proud of all the accolades and merits I've been fortunate enough to be awarded throughout my 16 year (& counting) journey with music!

My most unpopular opinion would be that bbq sauce does belong on pizza. If ranch can be on pizza, why can't bbq sauce?

My name is Andrew Aung. I’m a Biology student at East Los Angeles College, and I’m incredibly excited to be working with Dr. Bino Varghese this summer.

I am deeply interested in how we can use low-cost AI and machine learning techniques on standard MRI scans to help identify Alzheimer's disease early. Developing these tools can completely bypass the need for incredibly expensive PET scans, making life-saving diagnostics accessible to everyone.

My passion for health and science comes from my dad, who always dreamed of becoming a doctor or scientist. Growing up in my home country, the science labs and educational resources weren't very advanced. Seeing that disparity made me want to dive into the field so I could eventually give back to my community and help low-income families get better access to medical insights.

Outside of school, I am a shift lead at a busy specialty coffee shop. Balancing a fast-paced environment, keeping the team organized, and handling high-pressure rushes is something I’m really proud of.

I will choose hot coffee in the morning over iced coffee every single time. It doesn't matter if it is 90 degrees outside, hot coffee is always the right choice!

My name is Isabella, and I just completed my first year at Tufts University, where I'm majoring in biology. I am ecstatic about this undergrad research opportunity and can't wait to make the most of it.

After a close family member of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer, I knew it was a field I wanted to pursue in research.

Additionally, during my senior year of high school, I shadowed a primary care office, where I encountered many patients with breast / cervical cancer. Through conversations with the providers and reading up on the topic, I became aware of the significant gaps in women's health research and knew I wanted to help address them.

Honestly, ever since I was little, when I watched a cartoon where the girl fixed her stuffed animals, I decided I wanted to be a doctor. As I grew up, my interest in medicine continued with the classes I took, especially anatomy and biology, which genuinely excited me. Then, after interning at clinics and shadowing physicians, I knew this was exactly what I wanted to pursue.

Outside of science, I'm very passionate about track and field. I was fortunate enough to continue my track career in college at Tufts, where I compete in triple jump and javelin, and I am so grateful. Through track I have been able to meet so many kind and loving people, that I am so glad I can call them friends.

An unpopular opinion I have is that sweet and salty should not be a thing. Keep them separate; either eat salty or sweet, but do not mix the two.

My name is Victor. I'm a second-year student at ELAC and I'll be working with Dr. Raina Pang at the POWER Lab!

I have always been drawn to expanding healthcare accessibility and patient advocacy. I enjoy reading about the latest in cancer research, especially the cutting edge ways researchers are constantly coming up with to combat all the different variations of cancer. Part of me wants to be part of a team that implements those interventions.

What pushed me towards pursuing science and health is two-fold. My time vaccinating, coordinating vaccination sites, and working as an EMT during the COVID-19 pandemic opened up my eyes to healthcare inequality, I wanted to do more to change that. The other time that pushed me towards pursuing medicine was when I saw my primary care physician. When asked what I wanted to do later in life, I was unsure. He told me that Spanish-speaking physicians are needed more than ever. This inspired me to push myself to fill that gap between underserved communities and healthcare.

I'm passionate about fitness, particularly mud runs and boxing. I enjoy supporting those around me with their own fitness journey, and it makes me happy when they come to me for help.

My unpopular opinion is that hot sauce should be added to everything (excluding desserts of course).

My research interests are mainly related to molecular biology and genetics, especially cancer research. I find genes fascinating because they are incredibly complex yet also one of the most fundamental parts of the human body. I am especially interested in understanding how genetic technology and immunotechnology can influence patients and how research can contribute to better treatments in the future.

I became interested in biology and health because learning about how the human body is formed and functions helped me understand more about myself and my identity. Since biology is a part of who we are, studying it has given me a deeper insight into myself, which is what makes it so meaningful and interesting to me. The more I learn about how the human body works, the more fascinated I become by the complexity and beauty of life.

Outside of science, I am very passionate about dance. I have been dancing since I was 8 years old and have continued competing on dance teams over the years. Even in college, I continued my interest by joining the USC dance team. Dance has taught me discipline, teamwork, and confidence, and it has remained one of the most important parts of my life outside academics.

One unpopular opinion I have is that diet coke tastes better than the original coke.

My name is Elayna, and I'm a rising second year at UC Berkeley studying Neuroscience and Integrative Biology. I'm looking forward to meeting you all and getting to be in the lab this summer!

In high school, I was fascinated with psychology and wanted to explore the biological mechanisms that underpin neurodevelopmental disorders, like ADHD/Autism, in hopes of mitigating diagnostic disparities and developing more comprehensive mental health treatment. I'm currently interested in many research topics across science, ranging from developmental neuroscience and oncology to mycology and aerospace medicine!

I've always taken a liking to science; one of my favorite subjects in middle/high school was biology, and I enjoyed taking chemistry in undergrad. Being able to investigate the ways in which biological functions and mechanisms shape the human body to formulate cures for illnesses has motivated me to pursue an avenue in biomedical research, where there are several questions and research areas that remain unexplored.

When I'm not in the lab or studying, you'll likely find me exploring new cafes, visiting museums, or checking out new hiking trails. I also really enjoy attending concerts!

I think In-N-Out fries are good, or at least not as terrible as people make them out to be.

My name is Omoye, and I just wrapped up my third year at USC, where I'm studying Human Biology and Global Medicine. I'm elated to be part of the 2026 cohort, and I can't wait to delve into the amazing opportunities, interactions, and experiences this internship offers! 

A lot of my research interests have stemmed from personal experiences or being inspired by those around me. For one, sickle cell anemia and its genetic underpinnings have captivated me for a while, ever since learning about its prevalence in my family and communities I grew up in. I'm fascinated by the cutting-edge therapeutic advancements being developed to target the disease. This past semester, I enjoyed researching the relationship between heart rate variability and stress, which allowed me to combine my passions for physiology and public health. Beyond these, I'd love to investigate more about congenital cardiomyopathies and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. 

I owe a lot of my affinity toward health to my family. Seeing my parents navigate careers in healthcare, fortunately, made pursuing medicine seem like a realistic possibility from a young age. Caring for my younger brother further ignited my interest in pediatrics. While the specific medical specialty I want to go into changes by the day, specializing in pediatrics has been a steadfast aspiration, so I'm beyond grateful to be researching pediatric oncology this summer. I aim to demonstrate the importance of representation in medicine, promote advocacy, and inspire children, similarly to how they have encouraged me. 

I used to assert that I'd never voluntarily run more than a mile, but now running has become an integral part of my life. Running competitively in high school made me cherish the community, and running recreationally throughout college now inspires me to chase longer distances and train intentionally. I plan to run my first marathon within the next year! 

My unpopular opinion is that St. Louis-style pizza (specifically Imo's) is the best, and I honestly mourn how the rest of the world is deprived of it. I don't make the rules!

There's been one research talk that I've ever had a real interest in, and it was Nobel laureate Carolyn Bertozzi's lecture at Pomona College on her development of a new probe for low-cost, accurate tuberculosis diagnostic testing. It was right around the time I was taking organic chemistry, and I had also just read John Green's Everything is Tuberculosis (highly recommend). It's insane to me both how chemistry is able to explain all the processes in the world to me, and also how we are able to manipulate those processes in biological contexts. I am now interested in a lot of what Bertozzi's research encompasses: chemical biology, disease pathology, translational medicine, and drug discovery.

Outside of chemistry, I dedicate significant time to being the financial manager of the Motley Coffeehouse, a financially independent, exclusively student-run business on Scripps's campus. I started as a barista my first year and got onto the management team because I recognized how unique of an entrepreneurship experience it is. Being the financial manager is also my way of exploring the consulting route that seemingly every other student our age is pursuing.

I like the show Secret Live of Mormon Wives and how petty, unrealistic, and messy everything is. There is something great in being so horrendous, so can you really call it bad TV?

My name is Neeki Ettefagh, and I am a freshman in undergrad at UCR, and I major in biology! I will be working with Dr. Mariana Stern this summer and I am incredibly excited.

In general, I have always been passionate about advancing and strengthening access to preventative cancer care, as it is a part of medicine that is unfortunately underfunded. Disease prevention and advocacy would be of such aid to the public across all levels of socioeconomic wealth! Lucky for me, my research project does relate to this topic :)

What got me interested in health started with watching my youngest uncle get into medical school. My entire family was so proud of him, and at the same time in about seventh grade we were going over a little intro to cell biology, and from then on I knew I was a "science" girl. I became passionate about health in particular when I unfortunately had mutliple family members diagnosed with different cancers over a period of time, with some surviving and some not. Regardless, the exposure to the hospital setting and medicine in general left me truly inspired!

I think something that I am known for outside of academics is being a "yes" girl! I absolutely look for any excuse to get outside the house (or my dorm) and get coffee, hike, swim at the beach, or literally do anything outdoors. I think my friends and family know that they can count on me as company for any errand or adventure, and I'm not afraid to try new things. I just tried wake boarding over memorial day weekend. I did fall like crazy but it was fun!

My most unpopular opinion, as a curly girl myself, is that frizzy curls are better than super defined ones! Let your hair be free!

I have been interested in medicine and anything science based revolving the human body since I was a kid, as I thought that this was the most direct and most impactful way to aid others, and I would love to combat what I think is the final frontier of medicine and that is to end Cancer.

Outside of my passion for medicine, I have also grown a passion in teaching, teaching in any subject, whether stem or not, I have grew an appreciation for education and have spread that to other students who want help in there education. I have been tutoring for over 6 years, and am also fortunate to be a TA/Tutor here at UCI for chemistry, and hope to continue as long as other students need help in learning.

Apart from that I am an active swimmer and water polo player, loving the water and cooling off, whether swimming competitively or just for fun, being in the water and in the sun is my home.

Hot take that I have Raisen Canes chicken taste like sadness.