Student's Biography

2018-2020 Cohort

Leticia Herrera

I am Leticia Herrera and I am a first-generation college student majoring in Psychology. I am apart of the Marc U* Star 2018-2020 cohort. I work with Dr. Sumaya as a lab assistant in the Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory conducting research investigating Parkinson's Disease and Depression behavioral effects in animal models. I hope to achieve my PhD in Neuroscience/Biomedical field studying neurodevelopmental disorders, specifically Autism. Apart from research, I enjoy spending time with my family, friends, visiting coffee shops and volunteering for community events. I am very involved and hold positions for multiple on-campus clubs, such as being President for Psi Chi, the International Honor Society for Psychology. 

Sumaiya Olia

My name is Sumaiya Olia. I am double majoring in Biology and Religious Studies with a minor in Chemistry. I did research for Dr. Francis last semester on Streptomyces and am currently doing research for Dr. Paul Smith on the genomics of the petroleum fly, Helaeomyia petrolei. This project is particularly interesting because this petroleum fly is the only animal known to ingest and survive in toxic crude oil conditions. In the future, I would like to apply to PhD programs to continue doing research and specialize in the medical field. 

Layla Vasquez

My name is Layla Vasquez and I am a junior at California State University, Bakersfield. I am majoring in Psychology and minoring in Biology. I am currently in Dr. Sumaya’s Behavioral Neuroscience Lab where I plan to begin my own research project in the next semester. My hopes are to be accepted into a doctorate program at UC San Diego where I can work towards a PhD in the Neurosciences. My future career goals is to further the research of Alzheimer’s disease as a Neuropsychologist.

Sarah Winchester

My name is Sarah Winchester. I currently major in Psychology and minor in Biology. I work in Dr. Sumaya's Behavioral Neuroscience Lab at CSUB. For a little over six month I have been working in the animal colony doing care and maintenance. I am assisting a student on her project testing Parkinson's medication and the effect a high-fat/low-fat diet has on the medication. After this I will begin a project where I will share the lead that will focus on the effects of exposure to high and low-fat diet early in development on later sucrose intake with both Dr. Sumaya and Dr. Gancarz-Kausch. 

After CSUB, my goal is to work on my graduate degree at either UC San Diego or UC San Francisco. After that I would love to conduct research and teach at the University level upon completing my graduate program.  

2017-2019 Cohort

Francisco Cervantes

My name is Francisco, I am currently a Biochemistry major. I conduct research with Dr. Danielle Solano in her organic chemistry lab. The LOX project I am part of involves the synthesis of inhibitors of the enzyme Lysyl Oxidase which is involved in the metastasis of tumors. My goal is to apply to combined MD/Ph.D programs and focus on studying immunology/cancer biology during my Ph.D to better understand the biology behind it and provide better care to those who need it.

Justin Cordeiro

I am Justin Cordeiro and I am in Dr. Amy Gancarz-Kausch's Lab  working on a research project analyzing the effects of sucrose/H20 intake of subjects during adolescence and measuring subjects’ ethanol intake as adults using an animal model. I am interested in behavioral neuroscience, specifically ethanol, social defeat, and learned helplessness. Additionally, I am intrigued in brain molecular changes. My career goal is to earn my PhD and eventually have my own research lab. My hobbies include: playing sports, the beach, working out, and reading.

Morgan Musquez

I am Morgan Musquez working as a lab assistant in Dr. Isabel Sumaya's Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory. My current research project is measuring the depression and anxiety levels from rats that have been removed from enriched environments and placed into standard caging. I am planning on applying for Behavioral Neuroscience programs after I graduate with my bachelor's degree. I would love to be able to continue my research during and after graduate school and become a college professor. When I'm not at school, I am either coaching at Rio Bravo Valley CrossFit or spending time with my family, friends, and pets.

Raveena Parmar

Hi my name is Raveena Parmar, I am a precocious, determined, charismatic 20-year-old junior at CSUB. I am part of the second cohort for Marc U*star here at CSUB. I am a very active/social person, some of my hobbies include going to the gym, mediation, hiking, and swimming. One of my biggest aspirations is to contribute to world peace through my research. Growing up in an environment where drug abuse was highly prevalent led me to wanting to understand why some people are more susceptible to becoming addicted to drugs than others. Also, throughout my interactions I have met people who have faced problems with drug addiction. From these early childhood exposures, ideas and research interests have emerged. I am now in Dr. Amy Gancarz-Kausch's lab where we investigate why some people are more susceptible to becoming addicted to drugs while others are more resilient utilizing rodents as our animal model. With time, this passion has intermittently developed into an ambition committed to pursue a Ph.D. in the biomedical and behavioral fields. I hope to research complex health issues in drug abuse and relapse in order to help people make better use of health services, adopt self-care practices, and with time find an antidote that can help alleviate substance abuse for oncoming future generations.

2016-2018 Cohort

Moriah Cobb

Hello, my name is Moriah Cobb and I am a senior at CSUB. I am currently a research assistant in Dr. Amy Gancarz-Kausch’s psychopharmacology lab. Overall, our lab is interested in drug addiction. More specifically, my project is looking at how adolescent exposure to sucrose might impact adult drug taking in rats. We have found that rats pre-exposed to a sucrose solution in adolescence self-administered more cocaine, and also had a higher motivation for the drug in adulthood compared to the water control group. We are also interested in investigating the molecular mechanisms that are underlying these behavioral changes. After graduating CSUB, I would like to continue researching drug addiction in a Ph.D. program in Neuroscience.

Jazmine Mejia Munuz

My name is Jazmine Mejia Muñoz, and I am a first-generation college student at California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB). I am currently the research assistant for both Dr. Antje Lauer and  Dr. Amber Stokes. As a MARC U*STAR scholar, I am currently involved in two research labs that explore (1) coastal impacts of Valley Fever and (2) the ecological role of Tetrodotoxin in Newts. MARC U*STAR has not only enriched my experience as a student, but it has allowed me to grow as a young professional through the research opportunities and guidance provided by my mentors. I am grateful to be part of a this nurturing program that has allowed me to be a member of this supportive and ethical cohort.

Tavis Price

I am Tavis Price, a student in the chemistry and biochemistry department working with Dr. Danielle Solano on a green chemistry method for the production of biomedical relevant isoxazoline derivatives. With the help of MARC U*STAR I have presented my work at the CSUB Student Research Poster Competition and at the ACS National Convention in Washington D.C. in 2017. I love doing chemistry, but I also love ceramics. I work on ceramics in the art department as a creative outlet.

Susie Villarreal

I am Susie Villarreal and I work in the Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory of Dr. Isabel Sumaya in the Psychology Department investigating the interaction of high fat diet and enriched environment on the behavioral effect of pharmacological agents that target the D2 dopaminergic receptors within the substania nigra. I aspire to earn a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and enter a research career in academia investigating the interactions of the dopamine system and Parkinson’s disease. Apart from research and academics, I enjoy volunteering for community centered local nonprofit organizations, paint crafting, and hiking and traveling with my daughter. As a mother and a beginning researcher I have found new motivations to pursue my passions. The MARC U*STAR program at California State University, Bakersfield is helping me develop required skills for future success.