Thank you to each of the following individuals who have volunteered for the EIAP mentoring network!
Please note, this page will be updated as more mentors join the network.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Univeristy of Pennsylvania
What I did 10 years ago: Clinician-Scientist with research focused on complications of oral cancer therapies.
What I do now: Clinician-Scientist with research focused on cancer racial disparity
What I can share as a mentor: How to navigate the career trajectory in academia.
What I expect from a Mentee: Develop as a leader to the point where the mentee can become an effective mentor too.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Department of Oncology University of Wisconsin-Madison
What I did 10 years ago: I was a full professor with an active research lab with graduate student mentees. I served on steering committees of a number of graduate programs.
What I do now: I am still a full professor with graduate students and have moved to mentoring young faculty. I am director of the Cancer Biology Graduate program.
What I can share as a mentor: I can mentor on how to navigate tenure as I was the chair of our university tenure promotion committee. I can mentor on developing grant proposals. I am a standing member of an NCI study section. I have a family, so I can mentor on family/work life balance.
What I expect from a Mentee: I would like to know the expectations of the mentee of me. I would also have expectations that they communicate in a timely manner. Most important, I expect that they are willing to learn and take advice.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Georgia State University
What I did 10 years ago: Ten years ago (2012), I was a tenure track Associate Professor at Georgia State University (GSU).
What I do now: I am currently a Distinguished University Professor at GSU. And I am moving to University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) on April 1. In my new role, I will serve as the Associate Dean of Research and Innovation in their School of Health Professions.
What I can share as a mentor: In my role as a mentor to the EIAP scholar, I am committed to share my lived experiences and shifts in perspectives I have amassed over these years to enable them to powerfully and successfully navigate the academic terrain. I share with them the value of discerning what serves them to move them closer to their goal versus and what does not. What to focus on, and most importantly, what no to. Tools to harmonize work-life balance to avoid burnout. It is also important for me to generate an empowering context so that my mentees really feel valued and treated well as human beings, and that they really like and believe in the science that they are doing.
What I expect from a Mentee: My expectations of a mentee is their willingness to show up. Show up for themselves, for their students, for their work, with genuineness. I expect them to know that the choices they make and the actions they take, on a moment by moment basis, defines what kind of person (researcher, scientist) they are.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: San Diego University
What I did 10 years ago: I was an Associate Professor leading a R01, teaching graduate level courses, co-directing the SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health, collaborating with other investigators on their research, conducting NIH reviews, and doing service.
What I do now: Almost the same as 10 years ago except that I got promoted to Professor, leading a R01, R21, teaching graduate and undergraduate, conducting NIH reviews, and mentoring junior investigators.
What I can share as a mentor: I can provide guidance on grant writing, support trainees in implementing their research, mentor trainees on how to prioritize professional requests, navigate academia, and network. As a woman of color and mother of three young kids, help them identify ways to balance work and personal life (although I should follow my own advice at times!).
What I expect from a Mentee: Come prepared to meetings. I often ask to have an agenda to make the most out of our time, but also factor in time to do an “informal check in”.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Univeristy of Kentucky
What I did 10 years ago: Trained as an organic chemist, I synthesized Near infra-red dyes for photodynamic therapy, materials, and dye-sensitized solar cells.
What I do now: I currently use synthetic chemistry to develop organic small molecules and transition metal-based compounds to elucidate human biology processes such as transcription, gene expression, and metabolic pathways as well as an active drug discovery program to address cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, neurodegeneration, and microbial pathophysiology.
What I can share as a mentor: Literally, my experience of building an independent scientific research program at an R1 institution, classroom teaching experiences, mentoring postdocs, graduate students and undergraduates, grant writing, intellectual property/commercialization and general life skills for healthy work-life balance.
What I expect from a Mentee: Willingness to learn and excel.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Hunter College, City University of New York
What I did 10 years ago: I was a Professor at Hunter College running my laboratory.
What I do now: same thing but now I am a named Chair and also the Chair of the Molecular cellular and Developmental PhD program. This is my second time serving as Chair. I also do lots of Grant Review service and manuscript reviews (this was happening 10 years ago).
What I can share as a mentor: I am a Black Woman Scientist who has remained funded since I began at CUNY in 1994. I just recently earned my first R01 award. I can share how incredibly hard this enterprise is for all scientists, and especially hard for Black women.
What I expect from a Mentee: I expect a hard worker who can take constructive criticism.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Boston University
What I did 10 years ago: 10 years ago, I was a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Epidemiology at Harvard Chan T.H. School of Public Health and the Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
What I do now: Currently I am Associate Professor of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine and senior epidemiologist at the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University. I am PI/MPI of 3 NCI R01 grants and co-Investigator on the Black Women’s Health Study. My current research efforts focus on understanding racial disparities in cancer incidence and outcomes, primarily for breast cancer and hematological malignancies.ars ago).
What I can share as a mentor: I am deeply committed to teaching and mentoring the next generation of research scientists. In addition to formal mentoring of 11 undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students, I have informally mentored several clinical and postdoctoral fellows. Currently, I am a mentor to an MD/PhD student at Tufts who is a member of an underrepresented minority group (URM) and a clinical fellow at BU School of Medicine (BUSM). I have also just recruited a URM postdoctoral fellow to join my research group in July 2022. In addition, since 2014, I have served as an alumni mentor to undergraduates through the Women’s Launchpad Program at Brown University. I am dedicated to promoting an inclusive and supportive scientific and academic environment, where trainees from all backgrounds can thrive. As a mentor, I have taken on several roles: I have served as a career coach, a sounding board, a therapist, a life coach, a shoulder to cry on, a cheerleader, a teacher, and a role model. As a mentor with the EIAP, I am confident that I will be able to provide academic/scientific mentorship, including helping guide my mentee through their first R01 grant application, as well as professional/career mentorship, including their providing advice about transitioning to becoming an independent investigator. I will also help my mentee develop and expand their academic networks and help them identify resources that will be useful to them during their career.Black women.
What I expect from a Mentee: What I expect from a Mentee:< My approach to mentorship is to listen and ask questions. Therefore, my expectations of a mentee are that they will be open and honest about their needs and that they are a willing participant in the mentoring relationship. I would expect my mentee to participate in identifying their own goals so that I can help them navigate a path toward success. Finally, I would expect my mentee to be open to feedback.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Boston University
What I did 10 years ago: PhD student transitioning into a postdoc.
What I do now: Assistant professor.
What I can share as a mentor: Management experiences, organizational tips and skills, recruitment strategies.
What I expect from a Mentee: Be enthusiastic about learning non-scientific skills related to interpersonal relationships
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: University of California at Davis
What I did 10 years ago: I was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Oxford.
What I do now: I am a University of California Professor and the Chief Diversity Officer and Associate Director for DEI at our comprehensive cancer center. I am also launching, as founding director, our new Center for Advancing Cancer Health Equity.
What I can share as a mentor: I love mentoring and have a strong track record in supporting women and URMs.
What I expect from a Mentee: Dedication, drive, hard work, and sensitivity to inequities and DEI.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: University of TX MD Anderson Center
What I did 10 years ago: I have been an independent faculty since 2008. Ten years ago, I was an Assistant Professor at LSU-HSC New Orleans and I was developing a research portfolio in mechanisms of immune suppression in tumors that continues until today.
What I do now: I am a Senior Member (Professor) at Moffitt Cancer Center and work in tumor immunology and immunotherapy. Our active research program parallels with training activities for graduate students, postdocs and junior faculty.
What I can share as a mentor: I strongly believe that mentors play a key role in the development of successful research programs. I also think that the interaction between mentor-mentee continues after the mentee has successfully establish a program and evolves into becoming collaborators and eventually mentees becoming mentors. An open door interaction is in my opinion the best strategy.
What I expect from a Mentee: Mentee should develop an original idea that tackles an important unanswered question in the field. Significance and innovation are crucial. Next, during the development of the idea and proposal, they need to be hardworking and open to criticism. Endurance is the key, but adapting to the conditions that the system is providing. This process could take more than a year. Thus, although EIAP could officially operate for one year, I am committed to continue our interactions if needed.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: University of Kentucky
What I did 10 years ago: Scientist who was working on oxidative stress and cancer metastasis.
What I do now: Assistant Professor who is working on oxidative stress and cancer resistant mechanism.
What I can share as a mentor: My journey as someone who graduate from non-US university.
What I expect from a Mentee: Be opened mind and willing to take constructive criticisms.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Kaiser Permanente, Center for Health Research, Portland, OR
What I did 10 years ago: Ten years ago, I had just started my current position as the Mitch Greenlick Endowed Scientist in Health Disparities Research at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research. I had come from an Associate Member position at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. In my role at the Hutchinson Center, I had served as a project director on several community-based participatory research projects based in an agricultural region of Washington State, the Yakima Valley.
What I do now: In my current role, I partner with community health centers, Medicaid health plans, and rural clinics to implement innovative programs to raise rates of colorectal cancer screening and follow-up. I also work with the KP delivery system and community health centers to apply risk prediction models to inform their delivery of outreach and care services. I currently serve on a committee for the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine on Improving the Representation of Women and Underrepresented Minorities in Clinical Trials and Research. I also serve as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for the National Cancer Institute.
What I can share as a mentor: I can share some strategies to build a team and transform an idea into a fundable research proposal. I can also share my personal story of coming from a farmworker family to success in a career in research. As possible, I can connect the mentee to experts in the field who can help support their career.
What I expect from a Mentee: I expect the mentee will set goals and expectations, and will regularly attend monthly meetings.
Mentor since 2022
What I did 10 years ago: Assistant Professor and Interim Associate Vice Provost for Diversity at UMASS
What I do now: Director, Center for Health Equity and Community Engagement Research; Director for Community Engagement Center for Clinical and Translational Science, and Deputy Director Mayo Clinic Cancer Center.
What I can share as a mentor: My career, trajectory and experiences, guide scientific and professional development, networking
What I expect from a Mentee: Motivation, Interest and Focus.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: UCLA
What I did 10 years ago: Researcher Immunologist at UCLA
What I do now: Assistant Professor at UCLA
What I can share as a mentor: My experience as an underrepresented minority in the science (Hispanic woman) on how I was able to get my own NIH funding (R01, R21) which allowed me to stablish my own lab.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: University of California LA
What I did 10 years ago: I had started my lab and writing my first grants and balancing life-work demands of having my first child while on tenure track.
What I do now: I am an associate professor, GDD (gene and drug delivery) CSR study section as member.
What I can share as a mentor: I can share success advice and resilience advice also when you are not successful. I can share life-work balance/integration perspectives. I can share strategies for tenure, how to ask for what you need, how to train grad students. I can share anything they would like to know about my career trajectory.
What I expect from a Mentee: I would expect them to be well organized, manage our relationship in the sense that they are self starters and can follow through on their plans once we set goals. I would like him/her to be motivated to succeed and that he/she be open to advice and new ideas.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Medical University of South Carolina
What I did 10 years ago: Served as Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences and as the Hollings Cancer Center Associate Director of Cancer Disparities at the Medical University of South Carolina
What I do now: Serve as a Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences, as a SmartState Endowed Chair in Cancer Disparities, and as the Hollings Cancer Center Associate Director of Population Sciences and Cancer Disparities at the Medical University of South Carolina. Serve on the Planning Committee of the 15th AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved - American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).
What I can share as a mentor: I could share my experiences and the training opportunities that have helped me to do the work I am doing today.
What I expect from a Mentee: To have a desire to learn from the experiences and advice of others.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Department of Pediatrics Baylor College of Medicine
What I did 10 years ago: In 2012, I obtained an NIH K23 Career Development Award to Promote Diversity in support of my work investigating genetic factors underlying risk for childhood acute myeloid leukemia. This achievement launched my physician scientist career, and led to subsequent foundation funding and national collaborations. At this point, I had been faculty at Baylor College of Medicine for three years, and had just completed our Clinical Scientist Training Program, supported by a K12 faculty fellowship. The CSTP included an extensive, robust grant-writing program that was instrumental to my success in obtaining this award. The K23 award also prompted my decision to pursue a PhD in Clinical Investigation, vs. a Master’s degree.
What I do now: My K23 project was founded on research in telomere biology as underlying genetic predisposition for AML and risk for therapy-related toxicities. Developing expertise in this area led to collaborations outside of my institution, and extension of this work into the survivorship space. One of these collaborative publications investigated telomere length associations with second cancer risk, and laid the foundation for an ESI, New Investigator R01 proposal, which was funded in 2015 in response to an NCI-designated provocative question. This R01 was the start of a new focus in my laboratory’s research, exploring genetic and molecular factors underlying risk for late effects in survivors of childhood cancer. I have become particularly interested in outcome disparities, which is the focus of my three recently awarded grants in 2021 and 2022, an NCI UG3, and NCI R01, and a CPRIT dissemination grant, all of which address disparities experienced by Latino populations as well as survivors with developmental disabilities (Down syndrome).
What I can share as a mentor: A passion for research and the joys/benefits, of a physician scientist career, an appreciation of opportunities offered through NIH for funding junior investigators (including loan repayment), significant experience with critical review of grant proposals (sitting member of CHSA, and participant in several foundation review boards), national leadership and connections (I lead a national guidelines working group, and am a member of the Outcomes committee for the Children’s Oncology Group), extensive mentorship experience at my own institution, and strong support of developing productive, multidisciplinary research collaborations.
What I expect from a Mentee: Enthusiasm, responsiveness and receptiveness to criticism, following through, attention to detail, preparedness, respect of the mentor’s time (e.g. scheduling flexibility, ample advance notice of a deadline for a letter or review of an abstract, proposal, or manuscript)
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Medical University of South Carolina
What I did 10 years ago: 10 years ago I was a “Genome Fellow” at the McDonnell Genome Institute having completed my PhD about a year earlier. At that time, I was working on some of the first proof-of-principle applications of NGS of tumor DNA and RNA to personalize treatment of individual cancer patients. I was also generating data and preparing publications in support of a K99/R00 application in the area of tumor transcriptome regulation that was ultimately successful.
What I do now: I am now an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at Washington University (Division of Oncology) where I direct a cancer informatics lab focused on understanding genomic mechanisms of response to therapy, immunogenomics, and the development of computational tools and resources that help integrating multi-omics information into basic cancer research and translational/clinical studies.
What I can share as a mentor: I can share my experience with interdisciplinary training (including a transition from biochemistry to bioinformatics focus), applying for and receiving career development awards at every career stage up to obtaining tenure, expertise in genomics, data science and bioinformatics approaches, relatively recent experience applying for tenure track positions and negotiating a startup package, experience mentoring PhD students and navigating many collaborations with investigators of diverse backgrounds, etc.
What I expect from a Mentee: A willingness to share current thoughts on their current research and career development plans in the hopes that I can provide useful and relevant context informed by my own experience and what I have observed as other close colleagues have progressed in their career. I would be happy if this mentoring experience led to a long term contact and colleague whose experiences and perspectives would also better inform my own understanding of how career development in science can work.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
What I did 10 years ago: Postdoc
What I do now: Physician-scientist, I run a research lab at Fred Hutch where I am an associate professor in the division of human biology.
What I can share as a mentor: My experience
What I expect from a Mentee: That s/he be engaged.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
What I did 10 years ago: I was a translational researcher working with early career faculty and postdoctoral fellows on combining chemotherapy and molecularly targeted agents with radiation therapy in pancreatic cancer.
What I do now: my overall focus is similar but now includes immunotherapy, with a greater focus on coordinating larger groups of investigators. I will be stepping down from the chairmanship this summer after 25 years.
What I can share as a mentor: I have good experience in career planning, paper writing, and grant writing.
What I expect from a Mentee: Enthusiasm, lots of ideas (knowing that they may not all produce), a willingness to work hard, and an open mind.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
What I did 10 years ago: I was just promoted to the rank of Full Professor at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
What I do now: I am a cancer epidemiologist focused on breast and colorectal cancer. My research spans cancer prevention, early detection, etiology, and survivorship and I lead a number of multidisciplinary human research studies. Additionally, I serve as our cancer center’s Associate Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and am engaged in a number of efforts to support structural changes at our institution as we seek to advance a culture of inclusive excellence.
What I can share as a mentor: 20 years of experience in academia and experience mentoring multiple successful junior faculty members here in Seattle.
What I expect from a Mentee: I would want to spend time up from really understanding what the mentee’s goals are and then structuring our time to meet their particular needs.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Case Western Reserve, Cleveland, Ohio
What I did 10 years ago: I was an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Rutgers University, running the laboratory of Computational Imaging and Bioinformatics
What I do now: Today I am the Donnell Institute Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University and direct the Center for Computational Imaging and Personalized Diagnostics.
What I can share as a mentor: I have mentored a number of graduate students, junior faculty, scientists, research associates and postdoctoral fellows, as well as undergraduate researchers and high school students. I have picked up a number of lessons along the way on mentor-mentee relationship, grant writing, performing research (biomedical). I have also commercialized my research. I am happy to share thoughts and suggestions on grant writing, research, and research translation.
What I expect from a Mentee: To be engaged, professional in dealings with the mentor.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: University of California-Irvine
What I did 10 years ago: SI was a postdoc.
What I do now: I am a tenure-track Assistant Professor going up for tenure this year.
What I can share as a mentor: I have 2 NIH grants and I still consider myself fairly early stage. Based on this, I have gotten a lot of advice from senior faculty. Some good, some bad. I’d like to help out the next generation of ESI investigators.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: USCD School of Medicine
What I did 10 years ago: 10 years ago I was in my last year of residency in radiation oncology.
What I do now: I’m a faculty at UC San Diego. I see patients one day a week, and the remainder of my time is split between research, education, and mentorship. The majority of my effort in research and education revolve around individuals from underrepresented backgrounds.
What I can share as a mentor: I traversed the K-grant to R-grant path, and teach a course about grant writing at UCSD. I’ve had the pleasure of mentoring trainees at different levels and in different disciplines for the last decade. I’m happy to share my experience, and my expertise to help my mentees excel.
What I expect from a Mentee: The goals I have with respect to mentorship primarily revolve around the goals of my mentees, and with this in mind I typically don’t have pre-defined expectations. That said, I do encourage trainees to use an Individual Development Plan, or similar structured approach to help organize career goals and help strategize for how to successfully tackle their careers.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: University of Virginia
What I did 10 years ago: 10 years ago today, I had just started my lab as an assistant professor at Washington University in St. Louis and just given birth to twins, so I was balancing building the lab with maternity leave.
What I do now: Today I am an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Virginia, where I teach molecular data science (an undergraduate elective and graduate elective) and co-teach a core graduate course and run a primarily graduate-student centric lab building computational and molecular tools to study and understand tyrosine phosphorylation.
What I can share as a mentor: I can share my own experiences and I can connect people to others who might have more shared experiences. For example, I've only run a lab in a research-heavy undergraduate institute, but I have been within schools of medicine as affiliate, so I can speak somewhat to that. But, I have not been at a predominantly teaching institute. I am a cis-het white engineer, which brings with it certain experiences, but I have not navigated the world as a woman of color (for example). I have had a non-linear path and I can share a lot of learning I had to do about identifying department culture, recruiting students, and obtaining grants.
What I expect from a Mentee: I would hope the mentee would be willing to identify what I can do to assist and communicate well about expectations.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Dana Farber Cancer Institute
What I did 10 years ago: Postdoctoral; Research Fellow
What I do now: Professor in Oncology: research, education, health equity and global health
What I can share as a mentor: Opportunities, advice, support for career development,an network.
What I expect from a Mentee: Willingness and motivation.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Weill Medical College of Cornell University
What I did 10 years ago: Assistant Professor of Radiology.
What I do now: Professor of Radiology - Chief of Molecular Imaging.
What I can share as a mentor: One of many possible paths of being a physician scientist, grant writing.
What I expect from a Mentee: Flexibility and tenacity.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: UCLA School of Medicine
What I did 10 years ago: Associate Professor at UCLA.
What I do now: Full Professor at UCLA.
What I can share as a mentor: Experience in career development of junior investigators
What I expect from a Mentee: To become an independent investigator in the academic or industry
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Research Institute of Fox Chase Cancer Center
What I did 10 years ago: I was Associate Prof. in the Cancer Prevention Control Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center
What I do now: I am Professor in the Cancer Prevention Control Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center
What I can share as a mentor: Grant writing experience, career development advice especially in the context of an Underrepresented minority scientist
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: University of Pennsylvania
What I did 10 years ago: Molecular Biology of Oncogenic Gammaherpesviruses
What I do now: Now additional work in Microbiome and cancer and drug discovery
What I can share as a mentor: Experiences in navigating academia, grant writing and publications
What I expect from a mentee: Commitment to the process, honest and open dialogue
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: University of Pennsylvania
What I did 10 years ago: 10 years ago, in 2012, I was planning my transition to independence while being a postdoctoral fellow in Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York. I had spent about 5 years as a postdoc and I was finally accumulating very exciting data in my project. I worked studying chromosome segregation and the mitotic checkpoint generating conditional knock out cell lines to study the role of a mitotic protein called Mad1 and the role of its localization to the nuclear pore complex in the nuclear envelope. We were starting to prepare data for publication. I started thinking ahead to plan applications to faculty positions while preparing the manuscript for submission. It was a very crucial time in my scientific career and certainly a bit stressful. Determination towards a goal (be an independent cancer researcher) and the support of my network helped me navigate successfully that period.
What I do now: I am the principal investigator of the Rodriguez-Bravo Lab. After my postdoc I secured a K22 grant that allowed me to really propel my independent career at Mount Sinai School of Medicine (New York), followed by Thomas Jefferson University (Philadelphia) were I started my lab. Recently we were offered to join Mayo Clinic and I relocated my lab and family to Rochester (MN) to continue our scientific journey. My laboratory studies the mechanisms regulated by nuclear pore proteins that are important for cancer aggressiveness, with a strong focus on prostate cancer. We are interested in defining how genome function and stability are regulated and coordinated to find new vulnerabilities to target cancer cells.
What I can share as a mentor: As a mentor I hope to share my career experiences. My career was not a straight line and as many others I struggled to find my place and to also gain experience both as a scientist but also as a future lab leader. I accumulated experience in grant writing through trial error. But I was able to secure a NCI K22 first and an NCI R01 besides multiple foundation grants. I participate in NIH study sections and other grant review panels as well as reviewing articles. I evaluate also CVs from faculty candidates, and also PhD students and medical students and overall I learned to appreciate what institutions are looking for when recruiting scientists. In addition I am a mother and underrepresented in science researcher who seized the opportunities to be able to work on cancer research. There were many challenges but if I could overcome them I know anyone can. I would like to share tips and clues that helped me navigate the academic career from my PhD to my current PI position and that may be important for others coming after me.
What I expect from a mentee: I expect a mentee to be determined, engage and excited to have a career in science and be able to work hard towards that goal. I also would expect self-doubt, straggle and uncertainty about what the future holds. But overall I would like to see that despite all, there is a spark of excitement about dedicating a career to scientific research. A luxury and a privilege that is worth working hard for to improve human health.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: LSU Health Sciences Center
What I did 10 years ago: 10 years ago I began my first faculty appointment in Radiation Physics at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. I was appointed at the rank of Instructor, with 80/20 split between clinical radiation physics and academic responsibilities. That same year, I also received an NIH extramural loan repayment award, which would ultimately reimburse a significant portion of my graduate student loan debt.s
What I do now: Today I am a board-certified medical physicist and Associate Professor in the Winship Cancer Institute Department of Radiation Oncology. I have the privilege to sit on the School of Medicine Faculty Committee on Appointments and Promotions (FCAP), the Emory University Faculty Council, and within my department serve as inaugural Director of the accredited Emory University Certificate Program in Medical Physics. I am active in multiple nationally administered service initiatives, including as standing member of the NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR) Imaging and Technology Development Study Section, Chair of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee, inaugural Chair of the AAPM Hispanic and Latin-X Medical Physics Subcommittee, as well as Associate Senior Editor in Education for the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics. I am actively engaged as MPI on multiple NIH-funded research studies (R01CA236857, UG3CA247605) that are multi-disciplinary and multi-center collaborations to advance novel quantitative imaging and computational technologies into improved standard of care in radiotherapeutic management of thoracic malignancies.y
What I can share as a mentor: the onset of my training, I was the first Hispanic or Latin-X student to be accepted into and to graduate from the PhD program in Medical Physics at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Later, as junior faculty in the Department of Radiation Physics at MDACC I became the first Hispanic faculty member awarded an NIH Research Scientist Development Award to Promote Diversity (K01CA181292). I am happy to share lessons learned, and advise young scholars on persistence, dedication, and perseverance as an under-represented minority in academic medicine.
What I expect from a mentee: I expect engagement, and genuine commitment to EIAP as a truly rare and exceptional opportunity for invaluable technical and professional training.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: University of TX MD Anderson Center
What I did 10 years ago: Ten years ago I was completing my first year as a new and independent PI studying cell signaling and redox biology in head and neck cancer.
What I do now: I am now a tenured Associate Professor and continue to run my research lab focused on novel strategies to treat head and neck cancers.
What I can share as a mentor: I can share my experiences and advice on how to navigate academia as a URM.
What I expect from a Mentee: Expectations are regular communication, to reach out when experiencing hardships or struggles, and to take advantage of the advice given to advance their careers and professional relationships.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center
What I did 10 years ago: I was a postdoctoral fellow 10 years ago, Started my tenure track job in 2014
What I do now: Associate Professor with Tenure, Dept of Radiation Oncology at MD Anderson
What I can share as a mentor: * Writing R01s as a physician-scientist with clinical duties
* Managing projects s grant writing early in career
* I have expertise in metabolism, cancer and other fields
* Experience with mentoring women and URM to successful career
What I expect from a mentee: To be motivated and curious
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Chapman University
What I did 10 years ago: I was a second year postdoc 10 years ago working on endothelial cell models of Kaposi Sarcoma
What I do now: I’m a PI of a lab funded by three NCI R01 awards. We work on the immunology of KSHV transmission and how the virus invades the immune system.
What I can share as a mentor: Grantsmanship is a particular strength of mine as well as strategy for submitting the right grant to the right funding opportunity. I’m also a mother and had my second child early in my independent career, so I could provide mentorship on how to balance work and parenting. I’m also passionate about teaching and work hard on my working relationships with my grad students and other trainees so I could help a mentee with these aspects of the job as well.
What I expect from a mentee: Mentees should mostly be interested and receptive to advice but also respectful of their mentor’s time and effort.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine/CWRU
What I did 10 years ago: I was an assistant professor at the Cleveland Clinic, studying DNA methylation in cancer.
What I do now: I am an associate professor at the Cleveland Clinic, studying DNA methylation in cancer (maybe possibly branching out to neurological diseases).
What I can share as a mentor: My experience in building my research program, challenges I faced being a working mother, and skills I learned to manage a lab (hiring, firing, mentoring people).
What I expect from a mentee: I expect open communication and proactive attitude towards contacting me.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: MD Anderson
What I did 10 years ago: I was starting as an Assistant Professor in MD Anderson and starting my lab for the first time. This was my first faculty appointment. So, I was in the middle of transitioning from post-doc fellow to tenure-track Assistant Professor, opening a lab, starting my program and my own clinical practice in a busy and demanding academic environment. I wrote grants, protocols and papers with many failures and few successes but I capitalized on those and moved forward successfully with lots of help from my peers and mentors.
What I do now: I am Associate Professor and Deputy Chair in the Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention at MD Anderson. I direct an academic lab with 12 direct reports, continue practicing as a colorectal medical oncologist and medical geneticist, and run co-direct our site for the Cancer Prevention Clinical Trial Network at the same time that I am a PI of 3 NCI-funded clinical trials. My group is funded at the R01, U01, UG1 and SPORE levels.
What I can share as a mentor: mentoring was crucial for my career development. I was able to establish and to have amazing mentorship relations which have been crucial at many different levels in my academic live. I am happy to contribute and share with the community what I have learnt and mentor the next generation of scientists.
What I expect from a Mentee: Work hard, be resilient, ask questions, be open minded and eager to learn. Yes, the system is hard and complicated but people that are dedicated will keep moving forward with the help of others and the advice of those that have gone through similar experiences.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Stony Brook University
What I did 10 years ago: I10 years ago I was conducting research at Stony Brook University in the area of Cancer chemotherapy with an emphasis on racial health disparity. I was also teaching a course in which I developed and acquired funding to outfit the laboratory to teach “laboratory techniques in cancer biology.” I was co-PI and co-director for two biomedical training grants: bridges to the baccalaureate and MARC fellowship.
What I do now: I have extended my research at Stony Brook University in the area of Cancer chemotherapy and racial health disparity to encompass the effect of social determinates of health on tumor initiation and . I still teaching “laboratory techniques in cancer biology.” I am also teaching topics on cancer biology /health disparity in the Renaissance School of Medicine. I am co-PI and co-director for bridges to the baccalaureate and IMSD-MERGE. I am PI and director for a training grant in cancer biology: Increasing Diversity in Undergraduate Cancer Education and Research. I mentor junior faculty and Post-doctorial fellows.
What I can share as a mentor: With many years of successful mentoring of STEM pathway programs, I will use the learning experiences I have gained. With experience born from many years of conducting research, I can describe the pitfalls, how to navigate the minefields, and what is needed to raise successfully in academia and research. In other words I can share my experience and perhaps provide a blueprint for success.
What I expect from a Mentee: I would like a mentee who is serious about continuing in this field of study and wishing to make a difference. I only ask that the individual is open to suggestions and open to communication. I can give advice, however, it is up to the mentee to take it or leave it. If they decide to follow their own consul, I would not be offended as it is their final decision. I would only want the end result to be the acquisition of an independence career in academia and research.
Mentor since 2022
Current affiliation: Loma Linda University
What I did 10 years ago: I was developing microfluidic devices for molecular profiling of single mammalian cells
What I do now: I am applying single-cell molecular profiling for cancer diagnosis and treatment evaluation.
What I can share as a mentor: Experience in research project development
What I expect from a mentee: I expect a mentee who would be willing to spend time for manuscript and proposal writing.