Welcome to the Trainee Spotlights page, a space where we celebrate the accomplishments of our students, postdoctoral fellows, and clinical fellows here at the Meyer Cancer Center.
Each month we feature select trainees to highlight the volunteer work, grant awards, travel awards, invited talks, invitations to speak on panels, publications, and more of our talented trainees!
July 2025: Congratulations to Tatiana Delgado Cruz, Presidential Travel Award Winner at SITC!
Congratulations to Tatiana Delgado Cruz, a Research Associate/Technician in Dr. Jonathan Villena-Vargas’ lab, on receiving the prestigious Presidential Travel Award for her project, “Harnessing lymph nodes for polyclonal multipotent T cell therapy!” This highly competitive honor was awarded to just four abstracts out of more than 1,000 submissions. Tatiana was also selected to present her work during the Presidential Session at SITC’s 39th Annual Meeting, held in Houston, Texas, in November 2024.
July 2025: Invited Talk Announcement: Congratulations to Aakanksha Rajiv Kapoor on her invitation to speak at the New York Academy of Sciences' Frontiers in Immunotherapy Symposium!
Aakanksha Rajiv Kapoor, a PhD candidate in Vivek Mittal’s lab, was invited to present a short talk at the New York Academy of Sciences’ Frontiers in Immunotherapy 2025 symposium. She shared her thesis research, “Immunoregulatory Role of Club Cells in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer,” which investigates how club cells modulate the tumor immune microenvironment and influence responses to therapy.
July 2025: Invited Talk Announcement: Congratulations to Yang (Shelley) Bai on her invitation to speak at the 6th International Cancer Symposium!
Yang Bai, PhD, a postdoc in Vivek Mittal, PhD, MSc's lab, was honored to be invited to present at the 6th International Cancer Symposium in Lyon, an esteemed event organized by global leaders in cancer research and oncology. Her presentation focused on her project, “Epigenetic Regulation of Chromosomal Instability in Triple-negative Breast Cancer Metastasis,” which explores how epigenetic modifications influence chromosomal instability during cancer progression and metastasis. The research delves into the molecular mechanisms driving metastasis, aiming to uncover potential therapeutic targets that could be harnessed to disrupt this process. By understanding how chromosomal instability is regulated epigenetically, they hope to contribute to novel strategies for early detection and targeted treatment of metastatic cancers. As a researcher, she presented both the methodology behind their approach and the promising findings that could lead to advancements in cancer treatment. The conference brought together leading experts and innovators from around the world, providing a platform for fruitful discussions, collaborations, and the exchange of cutting-edge ideas. It was an invaluable experience, allowing her to share her work with the global cancer research community and learn from the groundbreaking studies presented by others.
June 2025: Congratulations to Dr. Theresia Akhlaghi, Winner of the 2025 ASCO Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Award
Theresia Akhlaghi, MD, a clinical fellow in Hematology and Medical Oncology mentored by Mark Bustoros, MD, was recently awarded the 2025 ASCO Young Investigator Award (YIA) by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The YIA supports early-career oncology researchers conducting promising clinical or translational cancer research.
Dr. Akhlaghi’s project focuses on understanding the immune determinants of response and resistance to CAR T-cell therapy in multiple myeloma, an innovative form of immunotherapy that has significantly improved outcomes for patients with relapsed or refractory disease. Despite its promise, many patients either do not respond or eventually relapse after treatment. Her work aims to identify key immune cell subsets and molecular pathways—both at baseline and during treatment—that correlate with durable responses or early progression.
To accomplish this, Dr. Akhlaghi is leveraging high-dimensional immune profiling techniques, including single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and mass cytometry (CyTOF), to comprehensively characterize the immune landscape before and after CAR T-cell infusion. These findings may help refine biomarkers for patient selection, inform mechanisms of resistance, and ultimately guide strategies to enhance efficacy—such as rational combination therapies or optimized sequencing of immunotherapies.
May 2025: Congratulations to Dr. Nikolaos Koundouros on winning the 2025 Tri-Institutional Breakout Prize for Junior Investigators!
Congratulations to Nikolaos Koundouros, PhD, a Postdoctoral Associate in Pharmacology in John Blenis’ lab, who has been selected as Weill Cornell’s 2025 winner of the Tri-Institutional Breakout Prize for Junior Investigators. This award honors exceptional postdoctoral scientists across Weill Cornell Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and The Rockefeller University.
This prestigious recognition includes a $25,000 prize and will be formally presented at the Tri-Institutional Breakout Prize Symposium on June 2, 2025, at The Rockefeller University. We congratulate Dr. Koundouros on this outstanding achievement and thank them for their impactful contributions to science and the Weill Cornell community.
April 2025: Congratulations to Valerie Gallegos for being chosen to participate as a moderator for the MCC Diversity Driving Excellence in Oncology panel!
Valerie Gallegos, a graduate student in Dr. Olivier Elemento’s lab, recently served as a moderator for the MCC Diversity Driving Excellence in Oncology panel alongside hosts Drs. Eloise Chapman, Monica Guzman, co-moderator Dr. Minerva Romero Arenas, and panelists Dr. Evelyn Cantillo, Desiree A. H Walker, Dr. Juan Cubillos-Ruiz, Dr. Jonathan Villena-Vargas, and Dr. Onyinye D. Balogun.
April 2025: Congratulations to Dr. Valentina Marulanda-Corzo for being selected as one of the Best Abstract Poster Presentations!
Valentina Marulanda-Corzo, MD, was recently featured at the PSMA & Beyond 2025 Conference, co-hosted by UCLA, UCSF, and the Prostate Cancer Foundation, where she presented her research on PSMA-targeted alpha therapy. As a postdoctoral fellow in the Division of Molecular Imaging and Therapeutics at Weill Cornell Medicine, Dr. Marulanda-Corzo showcased a poster integrating quantitative imaging biomarkers and clinical outcomes in patients treated with Actinium-225-labeled J591, a PSMA-targeted monoclonal antibody. Her abstract was selected for an oral Power Pitch presentation and recognized as one of the top three best poster presentations at the conference, which brought together over 600 attendees from across the globe. Her research highlights the role of imaging not only in detecting disease but also in predicting response and personalizing therapy in advanced prostate cancer. Dr. Marulanda-Corzo conducts her research under the mentorship of Dr. Joseph Osborne, Chief of the Division of Molecular Imaging and Therapeutics, and Dr. Scott Tagawa, Medical Oncologist and Director of the Genitourinary Oncology Program. She continues to explore novel imaging-guided approaches to advance precision oncology in prostate cancer.
April 2025: Congratulations to Dr. Shadi Azam for receiving an outstanding poster award at the American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO)!
Shadi Azam, PhD received the 2025 Outstanding Poster Award at the American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO) conference selected by the Survivorship Special Interest Groups for the abstract she presented, which focused on the impact of social and structural determinants of health on delays in breast cancer surgical treatment using the INSIGHT dataset collected from academic medical institutions across all five NYC boroughs. Dr. Azam is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Population Health Sciences in Dr. Rulla Tamimi's lab. Her area of research is breast cancer epidemiology, identifying imaging biomarkers, and survivorship. In this project, she is the leading author. In addition to her research in cancer epidemiology, Dr. Azam actively serves on the Trainee Advisory Council, demonstrating her commitment to academic leadership, mentorship, and advancing the field through active participation in outreach and community engagement initiatives.
March 2025: Publication Announcement: Congratulations to Nikolaos Koundouros, PhD, for his first-author publication in Science!
Nikolaos Koundouros, PhD, a Postdoctoral Associate in Pharmacology in John Blenis’ lab, is the first author of their new publication, Direct sensing of dietary ω-6 linoleic acid through FABP5-mTORC1 Signaling, published in Science earlier this month. His research interests focus on understanding the genetic, metabolic, and signaling mechanisms through which cells sense dietary nutrients in health and disease and how this can be harnessed for personalized cancer therapies. Dr. Koundouros was involved in conceptualizing the study and performing most of the experiments, with help from all of the co-authors. You can check out the article here.
March 2025: Congratulations to our STEM Day Team, Shadi Azam, PhD, Franco Castillo Tokumori, MD, Elliot Eton, and Valerie Gallegos for their incredible work in designing an interactive, engaging, day-long curriculum for middle school students to foster curiosity and interest in science and research!
Pictured from left to right: Valerie Gallegos, PhD Candidate; Elliot Eton, MD, PhD Student; Shadi Azam, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow; and Franco Castillo Tokumori, MD, Clinical Fellow.
In collaboration with the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, Dr. Erica Phillips and the CARES4You program, Trainee Advisory Council members Valerie, Elliot, Shadi, and Franco designed a day-long curriculum of hands-on activities that complement the CARES4You learning units. Over the course of 2 days they welcomed nearly 200 middle school students, guiding them through engaging activities to foster an interest in science and to promote a fun, engaging learning environment. During these field trips students identified cancer cells under a microscope, tested their observational skills with a radiology AI challenge, built a model lung to understand the effects of smoking and lung disease, and extracted DNA from strawberries.
February 2025: Grant Announcement: Congratulations to Dr. Mariela Cortés López who has been awarded the NIH NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00)!
Dr. Mariela Cortés López has been awarded the NIH NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00). Her research project leverages single-cell technologies and long-read sequencing to uncover altered RNA isoforms unique to cancer cells, specifically in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). By identifying these cancer-specific isoforms, Dr. Cortés López aims to uncover novel targets for precision immunotherapies, potentially expanding treatment strategies.
This award recognizes Dr. Cortés Lopez’s approach to understanding how alternative splicing contributes to tumor heterogeneity and highlights the growing importance of RNA-based mechanisms in cancer research. The funding will provide support to facilitate her timely transition to an independent faculty position, allowing her to establish a research program at the intersection of RNA biology and computational oncology.
January 2025: Invited Talk Announcement: Congratulations to Dr. Valentina Marulanda for being selected to present at the American Urological Association (AUA) 2025 Annual Meeting!
Dr. Valentina Marulanda, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Division of Molecular Imaging and Therapeutics (MI&T) within the Department of Radiology at WCM, has been selected for a podium presentation at the American Urological Association (AUA) 2025 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her abstract, "PSMA-Targeted Actinium-225 Therapy in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: Comparative Outcomes Between Monotherapy vs. Combination Therapy," showcases her contributions to the rapidly evolving field of theranostics and molecular imaging.
Under the mentorship of Dr. Joseph Osborne (Chief of MI&T) and Dr. Sandra Huicochea-Castellanos (Program Director, Nuclear Medicine), Dr. Marulanda’s research is at the forefront of precision oncology, investigating PSMA-targeted Actinium-225 therapy to refine treatment strategies for advanced prostate cancer. Her work provides critical insights into optimizing patient outcomes and advancing the role of nuclear medicine in personalized cancer care.
Beyond her research, Dr. Marulanda is an active member of the Trainee Advisory Council, demonstrating a commitment to academic engagement, mentorship, and the future of oncologic imaging. Passionate about innovation and collaboration, she is eager to present her findings at AUA 2025, contributing to discussions that will shape the future of theranostics and molecular imaging.