RET Hosts Undergraduate Research Day 2025
Research Education and Training proudly hosted its Annual Undergraduate Research Day, a signature event that highlights the achievements of the students in the SPARK, ENCOURAGE and MAP programs, on Aug. 6, 2025.
This year’s event featured 26 student presenters and welcomed over 170 guests, including faculty mentors, peers and proud family members. Students delivered presentations on their summer-long research projects, sparking insightful conversations and showcasing the depth of their scientific engagement. The event served not only as a platform for sharing research but also as a space for connection, reflection and inspiration.
A highlight of the day was the keynote address by SPARK Alumni Dr. Francisco Pascual, who completed both his undergraduate and medical degrees at USF and is currently a third-year internal medicine resident pursuing a fellowship in gastroenterology at Moffitt. It was during his time under the mentorship of Dr. Teresita Munoz-Antoina that he discovered his passion for science and research.
The critical thinking, analytical and research skills he gained during his two years in the program proved invaluable during his medical education and beyond. His story resonated with attendees, offering a powerful example of how early research experiences can shape future careers in medicine and science.
These transformative summer programs would not be possible without the generous support of the American Cancer Society, the Brooks and Joan Fortune Family Foundation, the Frank E. Duckwall Foundation and the Glenn W. Bailey Foundation.
Undergraduate Research Day showcases student-driven innovation, highlights the power of mentorship and reflects the future of cancer research.
Watch a video recap of the 2025 Research Day on our LinkedIn page.
2025 SPARK Interns
- Jazmine Afridi
- Mentor: Dr. Alexander Anderson
- Supervisor: Dr. Jill Gallaher
- Alexander Borysov
- Mentor: Dr. John Mullinax
- Supervisor: Dr. Madeline Rodriguez-Valentin
- Carter Craig
- Mentor: Dr. Stuart Maudsley
- Supervisor: Mia Pardo
- Laura Dong
- Mentor: Dr. Xiaqing Yu
- Supervisor: Dr. Xuefeng Wang & Dr. Bin Baek
- Baylee Holcomb
- Mentor: Dr. John Koomen
- Supervisor: Dr. Lancia Darville
- Jomana Ibrahim
- Mentor: Dr. Michael Dunne
- Supervisor: Dr. Shirin Changizi & Andrew Mayts
- Mouktik Isukapalli
- Mentor: Dr. Jose Guevara
- Supervisor: Elena Kostenko & Kayla Reid
- Manasa Jaishankar
- Mentor: Dr. Erin George
- Supervisor: Dr. Lucia Mazzacurati & Angie Rivera
- Madison Kwo
- Mentor: Dr. Uwe Rix
- Supervisor: Dr. Debojit Bhattacherjee
- Ella Lawrence
- Mentor: Dr. Mark Alexandrow
- Supervisor: Dr. Kevin Xiang
- Humberto Martinez
- Mentor: Dr. Nicholas Lawrence
- Supervisor: Briley Humphrey
- Isabella Peralta
- Mentor: Dr. Greg Sawyer
- Supervisor: Dr. Diego Pedro, Dr. Alfonso Pepe, & Dr. Ryan Smolchek
- Alejandro Peralta Jacome
- Mentor: Dr. Lixin Wan
- Supervisor: Dr. Yaser Gamallat
- Joseph Vadaparampil
- Mentor: Dr. Derek Duckett
- Supervisor: Anna Iermolaieva & Saad Khan
- isabella Valenzuela
- Mentor: Dr. Brian Czerniecki
- Supervisor: Colin Snyder & Amy Aldrich
2025 ENCOURAGE Students
- Carliyah Albury
- Mentor: Dr. Lauren Peres
- Supervisor: N/A
- Daniella Bowen
- Mentor: Dr. Antonio Amelio
- Supervisor: John Powers
- Makayla Ford
- Mentor: Dr. Doug Cress
- Supervisor: Gabriela Wright
- Javier Landa Pulido
- Mentor: Dr. Jeffrey West
- Supervisor: Dr. Sadegh Marzban
- Joshuah Otu
- Mentor: Dr. Lee Green
- Supervisor: N/A
- Angely Pinales
- Mentor: Dr. Eric Padron
- Supervisor: Maria Balasis
- Teron Ricketts
- Mentor: Dr. Clement Gwede
- Supervisor: Dr. Jong Park, Rania Abdulla, & Samantha Montoya
- Juan Ulloa Arrieta
- Mentor: Dr. Florian Karreth
- Supervisor: Dr. Zulaida Soto Vargas
2025 MAP Trainees
- Kiana Antoine
- Mentor: Daniel Abate-Daga, PhD
- Supervisor: Dr. Renata Rossetti
- Jose Calle
- Mentor: Derek Duckett, PhD
- Supervisor: Dr. Smitha Ravindranadhan
- Lauren Cardosi
- Mentor: Doug Cress, PhD
- Supervisor: Gabriela Wright, Annelise Glode, & Ryan Gebert
- Lara Ulstad
- Mentor: Lixin Wan, PhD
- Supervisor: Dr. Yifeng Gao