Lia Sorrell

SRTP student Summer 2025

I am an undergraduate student in the biomedical engineering department at the University of Texas at San Antonio graduating spring of 2027. I am excited to be a part of Dr. Calderon’s lab summer 2025 through the Summer Research Training program at UCSF, working on how the genome is affected when treated with different oncogenes under PhD student Madeline Chertkow. Some of my background includes genetics work using Drosophila, and tactics like microscopy, and immunohistochemistry. When I am not in the lab, I love to ride my bike, go to yoga, paint, and spend time with my dog June.

Benjamin Lu

Summer Student

I’m a high school student at Gunn High School (Class of 2028) with a strong interest in genetics and molecular biology. This summer (2025), I’m thrilled to be joining the Calderon Lab as a student volunteer, where I’ll be shadowing and learning wet lab techniques under lab manager Kina Atkin-Yamaguchi. I’ll be getting hands-on experience with procedures such as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), plasmid extraction, E. coli transformation, and more. Previously, I worked on neurodegeneration research using Drosophila, focusing on the tau protein, Reverse Electron Transport in the mitochondrial complex, and their connections to Alzheimer’s disease.

Outside the lab, I enjoy playing basketball, walking dogs as a side hustle, and watching Tarantino films. I also play the saxophone, and some of my favorite musical artists are Frank Ocean, Lil Wayne, and Coldplay.

Isobel Beasley

Rotation student (BMI) Spring 2025

I am a Biological and Medical Informatics PhD student at UCSF. Broadly speaking, I’m interested in advancing equitable genetics research with interdisciplinary approaches. My current rotation project is a collaboration between the Calderon and Andrews labs, aiming to better understand the cell types and traits important in Alzheimer’s development.

Outside the lab, I maintain a science blog sharing code snippets, teaching resources, and research reflections. In my free time, I love photographing and drawing wildlife.

Wan-Yu Lai

Project Coordinator

I am a project coordinator in the Department of Bioengineering & Therapeutic Sciences, and I provide administrative support for multiple PIs, including Drs. Shuvo Roy, Catera Wilder, and Diego Calderon.

In my free time, I like to knit, hike, and try new foods.

Angela Gao

Rotation student (Tetrad) Fall 2024

Hi everyone, my name is Angela! I was born and raised in Beijing, China, but I immigrated to Chino Hills, CA when I was 11 years old. After receiving a BS in Mechanical Engineering from UCLA, I spent two years in the Floor Lab at UCSF, where I studied the molecular pathways involved in stress granule formation when human cells are treated with periodic stress. Moving forward, my goal is to incorporate my engineering background into developing new methods that advance the fundamental understanding of the natural world. Outside the lab, I enjoy watching sci-fi movies, going to the beach, playing with my cats and dogs, and exploring local bars.