YBDIC Leadership Profiles

Jennifer is a doctoral student in the Department of Immunobiology, under the mentorship of Dr. Nikhil Joshi. Her thesis project is focused on uncovering how neoantigen expression influences the earliest stages of lung adenocarcinoma development and the interactions between tumor cells and the immune system. Specifically, she investigates how CD8⁺ T cells suppress tumor progression through non-cytolytic mechanisms, including modulation of MAPK signaling and other molecular hallmarks of cancer. Her goal is to define the immunoediting pathways by which T cells shape tumor evolution, with the aim of identifying new strategies to enhance cancer immunotherapy. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Cell Biology with a minor in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), earning her degree with honors distinction. She started doing research in centrosome biology, studying mechanisms of cell division in C. elegans in the Oegema/Desai Lab during her undergrad at UCSD. Jennifer also completed a senior thesis project in Dr. Enfu Hui's lab, studying the structural components of the immune checkpoint molecule, PD-1. She gained an interest in biochemical techniques and intravital imaging through her undergraduate research experience. She is currently a trainee under the Yale Cancer Biology Training Grant for predoctoral students. She is also the Empowerment Chair for the Yale Biological and Biomedical Sciences Development and Involvement Community (YBDIC). As a first-generation Mexican American scholar, Jennifer strives to empower historically-underrepresented students in science.

Rebecca I. Colón Ríos (she/her) was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She pursued her undergraduate studies at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, where she majored in Industrial Microbiology. In her home institution, she worked on screening for pathogenic aerosols in the biology department and identifying environmental fungal interactions with bromeliads. Now, Rebecca is a fifth year Ph.D. candidate and NIAID F31 Fellow in the Microbiology Track of the BBS program. In Dr. Barbara Kazmierczak’s lab, she’s studying Acanthamoeba castellanii - Pseudomonas aeruginosa interactions. Rebecca strives to increase the representation of underrepresented scientists by organizing recruitment efforts as the Chair of the YBDIC Engagement Branch. In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys making pottery and baking.

Ray Vaca received his bachelors degree in neuroscience from UCLA in 2019. After graduation, he worked in the X. William Yang Laboratory at UCLA from 2019-2022, studying the pathogenesis of Huntington's and Alzheimer's Disease and also contributed to the lab's role in the BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN). In 2022, he joined Yale University as a graduate student in the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program (INP), where he was offered the Gruber Science Fellowship. He is completing his thesis work in the Shaul Yogev Laboratory in the Departments of Neuroscience and Cell Biology. His current research interests include the cellular mechanisms of psychedelic drugs, with a particular emphasis on how these drugs affect the neuronal cytoskeleton, using C. elegans as a model organism. Outside of the lab, Ray enjoys spending his time conducting outreach in the local New Haven community though INP Outreach, Brain Education Day, Yale STEM Mentors, and Yale Pathways to Science. Additionally, Ray is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion at Yale. He is on the executive board of the Yale BBS Diversity and Inclusion Collective (YBDIC), where he is the Chair of Empowerment, and serves on the DEI Committee for the Department of Neuroscience.

Adriana N. Vélez-Avilés was born and raised in Isabela, Puerto Rico. In 2020, she graduated as a MARC Scholar from the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras with a major in Cell and Molecular Biology. During her undergraduate studies, she conducted research in Dr. Gregory Quirk’s laboratory, focusing on neural circuits involved in decision-making. Her interest in genetics and developmental biology deepened after her research in Dr. Mariana Wolfner’s lab at Cornell University, where she investigated the key pathways involved in Drosophila egg activation, a critical process for egg development. Adriana is currently a sixth-year MD-PhD student in the UPR School of Medicine and the Yale Cooperative MD-PhD Program. Her clinical and research interests center on reproductive medicine and women’s health. After completing three years of medical school, she joined Dr. Berna Sozen’s lab in early 2024 to pursue her PhD, studying the mechanisms of infertility related to embryo implantation and uterine receptivity in the context of endometriosis. In addition to her academic pursuits, Adriana is actively involved in clinical work, serving in the Reproductive Department at the HAVEN Free Clinic and the Neighborhood Health Project. She prioritizes providing care to underserved communities. Adriana is also a dedicated mentor in the Yale Program to Advance Training in Health & Sciences (PATHS) Program and Women in Science at Yale (WISAY). She is also committed to increasing diversity in the sciences and serves as a Yale BBS Diversity and Inclusion Collective (YBDIC) Engagement Fellow. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, exercising outdoors, and spending quality time with her family.