Four new doctoral students have joined the Ph.D. in Biomedical Science program at FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine.
The program prepares students for careers in academia, medical research, and the biomedical and biotechnology industries. Each student’s curriculum is uniquely designed to align with their individual needs and research interests. The students will work under the mentorship of Wertheim Medicine research faculty on the main FIU campus and at the FIU Center for Translational Science (CTS) in Port St. Lucie.
Salonee Chavan, who has a master’s degree in industrial pharmacy, will research pulmonary advanced drug delivery with Heidi M. Mansour, Ph.D., at CTS.
Valerie Delgado Maceira, who has a bachelor’s degree in biology, will collaborate with Kyung Bo Kim, Ph.D., at CTS, focusing on neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease at CTS.
Yesenia Lopez Hernandez, also a biology graduate, will concentrate on neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s and dementia, under the guidance of Saurabh Aggarwal, M.D., Ph.D., on FIU’s main campus.
Justyn Scicchitano, who also holds a bachelor’s degree in biology, will work with Stephen Black, Ph.D., on lung, vascular, and airway diseases. Black is the CTS director and associate dean for research.
Wertheim Medicine is committed to advancing research and cultivating future leaders in the biomedical field. We look forward to the innovative contributions of our new doctoral students.
This cohort is expected to graduate in the fall of 2028.