President: Sarah Copeland

I am a PhD candidate in Dr. Beth Weaver’s lab. Our lab focuses mostly on studying cell division in cancer and chromosomal instability. My project is specifically trying to understand how a mitotic checkpoint protein (Mad1) becomes overexpressed in breast cancer patients and what the consequences of this overexpression are using a novel mouse model. When not in the lab I enjoy camping with friends, biking around Madison, picnics in the local parks, and the hobby I picked up in lockdown – playing games on my Switch.

Vice President: Brenna Walton

I am a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the Molecular and Environmental Toxicology program working in the laboratory of Dr. Lisa Arendt. Our lab focuses on elucidating how obesity increases the risk of breast cancer development and metastasis. My project specifically looks at how the dietary component, acrylamide, increases obesity, and breast cancer risk in a postmenopausal model. Outside of the lab I enjoy going hiking and camping, baking, scrapbooking, and spending time with my family.

Treasurer: Alexis Adrian

I am a third-year Ph.D. student in the Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology program. I work in Dr. William Ricke’s lab, which specializes in basic and translational research related to prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia. My project specifically focuses on how aging and mitochondrial dysfunction contribute to lower urinary tract dysfunction in benign disease. In my free time, I enjoy reading, playing the clarinet, listening to music, and spending time with my friends and family.

Scholarships/Fundraising: Metti Gari

I am a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology program working in the lab of Dr. Suzanne Ponik. Our lab focuses on understanding the specific signaling pathways that are regulated by cell interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM), and how these pathways are involved in the progression of breast cancer. The main goal of my project is to assess the anti-cancer efficacy of a bacterial-derived peptide (PEG-FUD) that specifically targets the ECM protein fibronectin, which is highly expressed in breast cancer. Outside of the lab, I enjoy reading quotes, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Co-3 Minute Thesis Coordinator: Hannah Miles

I am a fourth year Ph.D. student in the Pharmaceutical Sciences program. I work within both Dr. Lingjun Li and Dr. William Ricke’s research groups, focusing on utilizing mass spectrometry-based approaches to better understand prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia. My main focuses involve mass spectrometry imaging of steroid hormones and discovering novel biomarkers for earlier and improved detection of prostate cancer. When outside of the lab, I enjoy hanging out with friends, exercise and listening to music.

Co-3 Minute Thesis Coordinator: Brynn LeMasters

I am a second-year biophysics PhD student in Dr. Martin Zanni’s lab. Our lab utilizes and develops ultrafast, multidimensional spectroscopies to study various biological processes and materials. In my free time I enjoy trying new things around Madison, biking, and spending time with friends.

Co-Outreach: Sri Vidya Dangudubiyyam

I am a third-year Ph.D. student in the Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology program working in the laboratory of Dr. Sathish Kumar. Our lab focuses on understanding the mechanisms by which external stressors such as pollutants like endocrine disruptors, maternal conditions such as obesity, sleep apnea, smoking and alcohol causes vascular and placental dysfunction leading to fetal growth restriction. My project mainly focuses on how perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS, an environmental pollutant) causes vascular and placental dysfunction during pregnancy. Outside of the lab, I enjoy spending time with my family, baking, and painting.

Co-Outreach: Cristina Paz

My name is Cristina Paz, I am a 5th year graduate student in the Kimple Lab as part of the Cancer Biology graduate program and I am one of the Outreach Chairs for GWIS. I earned my Bachelor of Science from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, IL and my Master’s from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. I am Colombian and Guatemalan, I love my 2 cats, and I am happily married. I look forward to meeting and becoming friends!

Co-Social:Shelby Fertal

I am a fourth-year student in the Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology program here at UW-Madison. I work within Dr. Suzanne Ponik’s lab focusing on the relationship between antiestrogen therapy resistance and the extracellular matrix in breast cancer. My main research focus is better understanding how the noncanonical g-protein coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) is aiding in extracellular matrix deposition and architecture to drive tamoxifen resistant disease progression. Outside of the lab, I enjoy spending time with my dog and cat, hiking, camping, knitting, and exploring all the fun things Madison has to offer with friends. 

Co-Social:Fong Liew

I am a second-year PhD student in the Integrated Program in Biochemistry working in the Brian Fox Lab. My project is mainly about engineering a biochemical pathway to convert lignin into biofuels. Outside of research, I like to cook, travel, and being outdoors.

Co-Communications Chair (Website/Newsletter): Anuoluwapo Mattix

I’m a second-year Ph.D. student in Dr. Mark Burkard’s lab. We employ a handful of molecular techniques to study the signaling pathways that drive chromosomal instability in cancer. My projects focus on understanding the mechanisms of the master regulator, Plk1 at the mitotic kinetochore to generate a molecular map of protein interactors at the centromere. Outside of the lab, I enjoy biking, baking, movies, yoga, and spending time with my family.

Co-Communications Chair (Social Media): Ira Tandon

I am a fourth-year student in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Training Program working in the lab of Dr. Weiping Tang. My research focuses on the characterization of targeted protein degraders and developing assays to identify novel TPD compounds. My main project is to understand the role of autophagy in targeted protein degradation. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends, hiking, and trying new restaurants in Madison.