Sheeba Jacob is currently a postdoctoral associate in Dr. Reitman’s lab at Duke University. Prior to her position at Duke, she made significant contributions to cancer therapeutics while working as a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Anthony Faber’s lab at Virginia Commonwealth University. Her research there primarily focused on identifying novel drug targets and conducting pre-clinical testing across various cancer types.
In Dr. Reitman’s lab, Sheeba’s research is centered on investigating the efficacy of novel radiation therapies in diffuse midline gliomas, a type of malignant brain tumor. She is particularly interested in exploring the synergistic potential that may arise from combining novel drug targets and immunotherapy with radiation to enhance the effectiveness of cancer treatment.
Beyond her academic pursuits, Sheeba enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.
Loren Weidenhammer was a research technician in the Reitman Lab at Duke. She received a Bachelor of Science in biology with a double major in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As a biologist, Loren is interested in studying the underlying molecular mechanisms of cancer and how those mechanisms can be applied to improving cancer radiation treatment. She worked with Dr. Reitman to investigate the molecular genetics of brain cancer tumors that are found in children and adults, with the goal of improving cancer treatment and clinical outcomes for patients. In addition, she worked to identify and target the key molecular players in the pathways that promote brain tumor formation. Loren is currently earning a PhD in the prestigious Duke Pathology program with plans to become a research professor. In her spare time, Loren likes to travel, read and play with her pets.
Kevin Tu was an undergraduate at the University of Maryland who joined the Reitman Lab as an Amgen Scholar. Working towards a double degree in biology and economics, Kevin is interested in uncovering and targeting the genetics that drives cancer progression and onset to improve patient outcomes. An aspiring physician-scientist, Kevin hopes to earn an MD-PhD in cancer biology and develop gene-based therapies, diagnostic tools and biomarkers for aggressive and treatment-resistant cancers. In his spare time, he enjoys sketching with charcoal and playing video games with friends. He is now pursuing a prestigious Churchill Scholarship at Cambridge University in the UK before matriculating into medical school.
Connor Stewart was a research technician in the Reitman Lab at Duke. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from North Carolina State University in 2020, with a focus on cell and molecular biology. As a biologist, Connor is interested in studying the molecular mechanisms that underlie cancer and cancer treatment. He worked with Dr. Reitman to investigate the genetics of brain tumors, with the goal of improving treatment options and clinical outcomes. Connor hopes to eventually earn a PhD in cancer biology and to conduct research that helps improve our understanding of cancer. In his spare time, Connor enjoys watching baseball and playing the violin and guitar. Connor is now a PhD student in cancer biology at Emory University.
Maria Guerra Garcia studied biomedical engineering and biology at the University of Texas at San Antonio and completed an honors thesis on the development of an animal model of Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis to examine the efficacy of Rhenium-186 Nanoliposomes and other therapeutics. She was born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico, and is especially passionate about the fight against pediatric cancer and mental health advocacy. During her free time, she enjoys practicing piano, playing with her cat Daisy-Lu and volunteering as a crisis counselor for the Crisis Text Line. In the Reitman Lab, Maria investigated different brainstem glioma genotypes that are radiosensitized by the deletion of the ATM gene with the hope of increasing the therapeutic window of radiation and improving survival rates for adults and children with brainstem tumors. She aspires to become a physician scientist focused on caring for cancer patients, conducting research to improve treatments and outcomes, and advocating for her patients through non-profit organizational work. Maria is now a PhD student in biomedical engineering at Washington University in St. Louis.
Joshua Regal was a postdoctoral associate in radiation oncology at Duke when he joined the Reitman Lab. Joshua completed his MD and PhD training at the University of Michigan. His PhD work with Dr. David Ferguson involved deciphering roles of dysfunction of the DNA damage response/repair factor MRE11 in carcinogenesis and human genetic disease pathogenesis. As a postdoctoral fellow at University of British Columbia with Dr. Phil Hieter, his work involved mechanistically dissecting cohesin genetic interactions to better understand the consequences of cancer-associated cohesin alterations with potential implications for cancer diagnosis, prognostication and treatment. He joined the Reitman group to better understand brain tumors on a cellular and molecular level, which could potentially be leveraged for better understanding of tumor development and maintenance and therapeutic management and development. After completing his postdoctoral work in the lab, Dr. Regal began a position as Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY.
Avneesh Saravanapavan is a passionate individual on a journey towards a career in medicine, fueled by a keen interest in pursuing an MD/PhD in biology. His fascination extends beyond the realms of traditional medicine, as he actively engages in statistical analysis within the medical field. When not immersed in the demanding pre-med requirements, Avneesh finds solace in the pages of books and explores eateries in search of novel culinary experiences.
Abby Groth is an undergraduate research assistant and joined the Reitman Lab in the spring of 2023. Originally from Wisconsin, Abby is majoring in biology and psychology with a medical sociology minor and plans to graduate in May 2024. She has always been interested in cancer research and is interested in pursing an MD/PhD and working in pediatric oncology. Outside of the lab, Abby enjoys strength training, hiking, cooking and rooting for Duke athletics.
Sophie Wu is an undergraduate research assistant in the Reitman Lab at Duke University from Seattle, WA. She is pre-health student working towards a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering and is set to graduate in May 2024. In the Reitman Lab, Sophie is developing and testing the RCAS-TVA-CRISPR-Cas9 system for future precision tumor modeling. After graduation, she hopes to attend medical school, potentially as an aspiring physician scientist. During her free time, Sophie enjoys playing tennis, drawing and spending time with friends and family.
Spencer Maingi joined the Reitman Lab in the summer of 2023. Prior to joining the lab, he worked at Locus Biosciences as a research technician intern and as a CNA at Duke Regional Hospital. He graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2021 with a BS in biochemistry and neuroscience. Spencer has had a long-standing interest in brain cancer, motivated in large part by his previous experiences with researcher Dr. Shawn Hingtgen and neuro-oncologist Dr. Simon Khagi. In the future, he plans to attend medical school and continue doing brain tumor research to help improve patient lives at the bench and bedside. Outside of work, Spencer loves to cook, spend time with his family and cheer on Penn State football and UNC basketball.
Josh Tolliver joined the Reitman Lab from the MGM department at Duke University in the Summer of 2023. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in May 2022 with a BS in biology and a BA in Asian studies – Chinese concentration. Though he has experienced multiple fields of biological research in his career so far, Josh has always had a longstanding interest in cancer biology in particular and is excited to learn more about this field in the Reitman Lab. His longterm plans are to attend graduate school to earn his PhD in biology; he is eager to contribute to scientific discovery and innovation. Outside of science, Josh enjoys playing guitar, spending time outside, cooking and reading.
Harrison Liu joined the Reitman Lab in the summer of 2022. He graduated in 2021 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Science in biology. Harrison is fascinated by oncology research and looks forward to continuing it in medical or graduate school. No matter where he ends up, Harrison is determined to drive scientific discovery and innovation in his career to better patient outcomes. Besides science, Harrison enjoys cooking, playing golf and cheering on the best college basketball team – his alma mater.
Vennesa Valentine has a strong passion for making a positive mark in the field of pharmacology and within her academic and local community. She actively participates in mentorship and community service, both at Duke University and as a Passport to College Peer Mentor. In her academic pursuit, Vennesa demonstrates a keen interest in cancer research, where she seeks to make valuable contributions to the advancement of cancer therapeutics and treatments. In her leisure time, Vennesa finds joy in experiencing diverse cultures and savoring new culinary experiences.
