Class of 2006

TADEH VARTANIAN
PHARM. D.,
CLINICAL PHARMACIST AT CHA HOLLYWOOD PRESBYTERIAN MEDICAL CENTER

I gained a greater level of appreciation for the Academy of Science and Medicine, and Crescenta Valley High School in general, when I started my undergraduate studies at UCLA in 2006. The couresework for my two bachelor degrees, Chemistry and Biology, were challenging, but I felt prepared going in. Thanks also to the Academy's focus on experiential training and my volunteer work at the USC Verdugo Hills Hospital outpatient pharmacy, I knew pharmacy was for me early on, so I wasted no time and began my graduate school studies at USC in 2010. Since graduating in 2014, I focused on the inpatient hospital world by working at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center and Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Both give me different experiences with regards to patient demographics, company culture, etc. I feel the work I do as a pharmacist is diverse and constantly changing, and I look forward to more opportunities to come

TEO SOLEYMANI 
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES - B.A EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE - SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
NYU FELLOWSHIP DERMATOPHARMACOLOGY 
STANFORD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE - RESIDENCY

Dr. Soleymani’s tertiary education journey began in the year 2006, when he enrolled in UCLA to pursue a degree in evolutionary biology. “It was during that time I became interested in translational research, particularly in the fields of molecular and cellular biology,” says Dr. Soleymani.
“During my undergraduate days, I worked in the lab of [Associate Professor] Dr. Andrea Hevener at UCLA, studying the molecular mechanisms of inflammatory pathways and signaling cascades that regulated inflammation, insulin resistance, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.” says the researcher.
“I owe much of my interests in research to her mentorship and the fruitful research conducted in her lab,” he says of his adviser Dr Hevener who in 2013 was recognized as one of the 12 outstanding women of Los Angeles by the National Women’s Political Caucus Los Angeles.
One of his proudest accomplishments while working with Dr. Hevener was when their research was published in the April 13, 2016, issue of the journal Science Translational Medicine. “This was work that took over seven years to complete, with 33 different authors across 16 different departments in three continents!” he exclaims.
Upon completion of his degree, the researcher attended the School of Medicine at University of California, Irvine, to continue his medical education, where he received numerous academic awards and distinctions. “I would say my single most successful accomplishments during medical school was when I was nominated and inducted into the renowned Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society (AOA), the most prestigious and coveted academic honor bestowed in medical school in the United States, reserved for only the top tier of graduating medical doctors,” says Dr. Soleymani.
He completed his post-graduate training at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the largest hospital in the western United States, and continued on to NYU where he completed a fellowship in dermatopharmacology and clinical trials at the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology. He then entered the prestigious Department of Dermatology at the world-renowned School of Medicine at Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, where he currently undergoes his residency training.

Class of 2007

ANDREA WONG
BA, BIOLOGY, OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE
PHD STUDENT IN MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, TUFTS UNIVERSITY

My thesis project is investigating a virus-host (phage-bacterium) receptor interaction at the genetic, biochemical and structural levels. Last year our lab published a paper showing the presence of both ICP2 phage and Vibrio cholerae escape mutants in rice-water stools from cholera patients. Many of the escape mutants contained missense or duplication mutations in the regions encoding two extracellular loops in ompU, which is a major outer membrane porin. Our lab later isolated ICP2 "suppressor" mutants that could plaque on specific ompU point mutants. I plan to further elucidate the interaction between ICP2 and OmpU and investigate the impact of the "suppressor" mutations on ICP2 phage fitness.

ARTIN GALOOSIAN

A DOLORES ZOHRAB LIEBMANN FELLOW M.D., M.A. 
GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY - SCHOOL OF MEDICINE & HEALTH SCIENCES 2017
RESIDENT, CA PACIFIC MEDICAL CENTER, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 

After graduating from UC Berkeley with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Health from the School of Public Health, I completed a my Master of Arts degree at Boston University School of Medicine. I then went on to complete my Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree at The George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences in Washington, D.C with a focus on Medical Education. I was also the recipient of the prestigious Dolorez Zohrab Liebmann fellowship during medical school. I am now an internal medicine resident at California Pacific Medical Center, where I was lucky enough to be named one of three chief residents.

Class of 2008

SUSAN LEE, D.O., MPH

Growing up, I always dreamed of becoming a physician, and the Academy of Science and Medicine catapulted my dreams even further. After graduating first in my class at CV, I started USC as a Biological Sciences major but switched to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in order to enable me to take more public health courses. I also began getting clinical exposure through various programs in university and graduated in the top 2% of my class at USC. I went on to medical school and decided on a family medicine residency to further develop my love for continuity of care and ensuring optimal health outcomes for various patient populations. After completing my residency in New York, I returned to my true home of Southern California to begin practicing primary care full-time.

Class of 2009

ESTHER LIM
PASADENA CITY COLLEGE ’11, A.S. IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ’13, B.S. IN GLOBAL HEALTH
YALE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH ’16, M.P.H. IN CHRONIC DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOGY 

I am a Clinical Research Coordinator I at the SC Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (SC CTSI), which is a department at USC focused on supporting investigators conducting non-cancer clinical trials. I first built my fascination and love for the clinical sciences during my time at the Academy in high school, and the skills I learned carried me on throughout college as I took preventative medicine and pre-medical lab courses. During my time at USC and the global health/preventative medicine department, I earned a greater appreciation for mixed methods research, which blends the qualitative with the quantitative and the lab science with population health. This spurred me to earn my MPH in epidemiology, where I was able to take part in research both in the US and abroad in South Africa, learning the skills and knowledge needed to conduct good research both within and beyond the lab. Although I did not plan on ever devoting my life to research, I am surprised by how much I love every small detail of the process, although excruciating at times, and am happy and amazed to have found this path for myself.

JESSICA KIM

UC RIVERSIDE, B.S. IN BIOLOGY, ‘13
LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY, PHARM.D., '18

I went to Univeristy of California Riverside and majored in Biology. I graduated from UCR in 2013 and worked as a pharmacy technician for CVS until I began pharmacy school at Loma Linda in 2014. I am currently a third year and will be graduating in 2018 to receive my Doctorate in Pharmacy. In addition to school, I work as an intern pharmacist for Kaiser Permanente. Though it is challenging to be studying and working at the same time, the obstacles I've been through have given me the opportunity to learn to manage my time, prioritize, and learn valuable skills I will need when I apply for residency this coming year. Ever since high school, I have always had a passion for helping children, and as I continue this journey in the health care field, I hope to one day become a pediatric pharmacist.

Class of 2011

ARVIN HS JAVADI

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY MAILMAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, MPH CANDIDATE 2022
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, BA MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015

After completing my undergraduate studies in molecular biology at the University of California, Berkeley, I worked in the San Francisco Bay Area for three years in fundraising and development. My most fulfilling and exciting work was as Development Director of the Berkeley Free Clinic, an acute primary care clinic offering free health care services. My roles and responsibilities introduced me to state and federal health policy, financing, and payment mechanisms. I also engaged with local public health officers to develop partnerships to benefit our shared community populations. My work at the clinic was instrumental in motivating me to pursue a career in public health. I am currently pursuing an MPH in health policy & management – my interests are focused on efforts by non-profits and private organizations to reduce health care costs and improve health quality. My accomplishments have largely been due to the relationships, education, and skills I have developed within the Academy.

SEVANA MANUKIAN

UCLA, Human Biology and Society, B.S. 2015
UC Davis, Master of Public Health 2017 

I completed my Bachelor's Degree at UCLA in Human Biology and Society and a minor in Spanish. While I pursued a pre-med degree, I became interested in public health because it offered interdisciplinary perspectives on solving healthcare issues. I then chose to pursue a Master's in Public Health at UC Davis. As part of my practicum project, I worked with an interdisciplinary team to conduct an environmental health assessment in the migrant farm-working community of Knights Landing, CA. It was an incredibly impactful experience which has motivated me to commit to serving vulnerable communities as a physician. I then applied to medical schools and I plan to attend Albany Medical College this year. I will be part of the graduating class of 2022. I hope to apply my public health vision by serving as a preventative medicine physician in a community health center. I can't thank Ms. Tuason or the Science and Medicine Academy at CV enough for allowing me to explore medicine and develop my passion for service so early in my academic career.

MARY GORAL
AZUSA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY, PSYCHOLOGY, CHILD LIFE B.A. 2015
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA - KECK SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH CANDIDATE, CHILD AND FAMILY HEALTH 2017

At Azusa Pacific, I was introduced to Child Life and focused on learning about children's health. Child Life Specialists provide family-centered care in hospitals and teach children about their new diagnoses. They do this through craft and play interventions, and also prevent emotional trauma by allowing kids to have a normal experience when hospitalized. During my senior year, I served patients and their families through a Child Life internship at Miller Children's Hospital in Long Beach with rotations in the Hematology/Oncology unit, ENT Clinic, and Rehabilitation unit. Upon graduating from APU, I began working with typically developing children in school and daycare settings. From there, my interests in early childhood education and the importance of preventative medicine began to fuse. I am now at USC working on my Master of Public Health degree and studying Child and Family Health. I also am substitute teaching at a local preschool and work as an Administrative Purchasing Assistant at one of USC's research institutes. I hope to make a difference by working in underserved communities, creatively implementing Public Health programs for children and women, and in the future be a Certified Child Life Specialist.

LARA HOVSEPIAN
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, M.D. CANDIDATE 2022
UCLA, PHYSIOLOGICAL SCIENCE M.S. 2017
UC, BERKELEY, MOLECULAR AND CELL BIOLOGY, B.A. 2015

At UC Berkeley I performed research on biofuel production at the Joint BioEnergy Institute. I also worked at the Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center to help expose underprivileged high school students to basic concepts of biotechnology. In addition, I was the President of Caliber Magazine, a campus-wide, student-run publication.

I later pursued my Master of Physiological Science at UCLA where I performed research on rapid steroid production in the mammalian brain. I presented my findings at the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology and am awaiting publication. I also developed and instructed a seminar on Hormones and Sexual Development, which focused on how biological development is largely influenced and driven by sociological factors.

I will be beginning medical school in August and hope to practice as an OB/GYN.

ADENA ZADOURIAN

UC SAN DIEGO, CLASS OF 2015
B.S.,PHYSIOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE
MINOR, HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

I work as a Clinical Research Coordinator at UC San Diego for a cardiologist who focuses on preventative medicine. As a Coordinator, I'm in charge of her clinical trials-from initiating the contracts to obtaining Institute Review Board (IRB) approvals for the study to performing study visits. I interact with patients on a daily basis, which is something that I love. We currently have 5 clinical trials going on, and I screen/recruit patients for those studies. I have learned so much from this position, and I intend to continue researching in my professional career. The Academy initiated my interest in science and medicine, and I am forever thankful for all the doors it has opened for me. And, a special thank you to Ms. Tuason for always encouraging me and being an amazing mentor. If anyone has any questions, feel free to contact me-I'd love to help! 

Class of 2012

ALLISON SOHYUN LEE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES
NURSING, B.S. '16

I graduated from UCLA in June 2016, passed my nursing exam in August. I am now a Licensed Registered Nurse. I started my residency at CHLA in September.

DENNY CHA
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY B.A 2016

In my senior year at UC Berkeley, I participated in the Molecular and Cell Biology (MCB) honors program. As a research assistant working in the Rape Lab, I had continued to work on Usp44 project. To complete the MCB honors program, I presented my research project at the Cell and Developmental Biology (CDB) honors symposium and wrote the honors thesis, which was approved by my PI, Professor Rape. This honors is only given to students who have strong backgrounds in academics and successfully completed MCB research requirements at UC Berkeley. Read more about me here.
I am currently working as a research technician in lab. I have been accepted to Hofstra Medical School, New York.

Class of 2013

AREV MARKARIAN
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT, B.S. '17

I've been working in a fish conservation lab on campus the past year getting an array of experiences from taking care of predatory crabs to tagging fish with glow in the dark paint, and finding an isopod in a killifish gill during a dissection. 
Next quarter I hope to begin working in an environmental applications of remote sensing lab as well, where I will hopefully be helping find correlations between fire intensity and climate change in Southern California. I plan to pursue graduate studies after I graduate in June 2017.

KIANA TOM
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
PHYSIOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE B.S. '17

I plan on going to PA school. The schools normally require at least 2000 hours of health care experience (some programs want paid, some will accept volunteer experience).  For the longest time I was choosing between being a teacher or a PA. They both have their strengths, which is why I was in a state of limbo. I attended a dinner where we could network with PAs and this one assistant director of the program told me, "As a PA you get to be an educator. Every. Single. Day." Eventually I plan on giving back to the profession and probably teaching new PAs at a PA school.

JOSHUA HERMAN COOK

HARVARD UNIVERSITY, PhD. CANDIDATE 2022

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE
DOUBLE MAJOR: BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY; CHEMISTRY B.S. '17

I've been in two labs since leaving CV with a publication in each. I am a Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship receipient. I earned degrees in chemistry and biology from the University of California, Irvine. There I trained under Professor Melissa Lodoen researching the ability of the single-celled parasite Toxoplasma gondii to infect the human immune system. My work was published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry "Toxoplasma gondii disrupts beta1 integrin signaling and focal adhesion formation during monocyte hypermotility." After graduating in 2017, I moved to Boston to enter the Biomedical and Biological Sciences graduate program and Harvard Medical School. I am now training in bioinformatics and computational biology under the mentorship of Kevin Haigis and Peter Park studying the effects of mutations to the KRAS gene in cancer formation and behavior.

EASUN ARUNACHALAM
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, PhD. CANDIDATE 2023
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY,
DUAL DEGREES: B.S CHEMISTRY 2017 & B.S CHEMICAL AND BIOMOLECULAR ENGINEERING 2017

In undergrad, I studied statistical mechanics and transport processes in chemical and biological systems driven far from equilibrium. I explored biophysical systems through theoretical and computational techniques and worked on genetic network evolution and polymer self-assembly.  For my grad school I am  interested in exploring how living systems expend energy to promote self-organization and ensure stability. I work on understanding the structure and dynamics of sub-cellular structures and the underlying sources of heat generation — the energy that is expended but does not contribute to useful work. It may be that the thermodynamic balance between work and heat production in biological systems can give us clues about how the gears are turning, so to speak.

KRISTEN AMPIG
DREXEL UNIVERSITY, MD. CANDIDATE 2023
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE,
DEVELOPMENTAL AND CELL BIOLOGY, B.S. 2017

Undergoing multiple life-saving surgeries in my life inspired me to become a physician. Therefore, I am thankful for the opportunities that the Academy provided me to further explore the fields of science and medicine. I discovered a new curiosity for research after taking the Biotechnology class and participating in the CalTech Summer Research Connection Program under the guidance of Ms. Orenda Tuason. Taking the emergency medical response course and volunteering at the Verdugo hospital also strengthened my passion for serving others through medicine.
I carried my increased curiosity for science and medicine with me as I started my college journey at the University of California Irvine. Through my 4 years in college, I was able to contribute to multiple research projects that studied epilepsy, neurotransmitters, adipogenic agents, and transcriptional factors involved in embryo development. I’m most proud of the DNA constructs I designed for an ongoing study investigating the role of the zinc finger 703 protein in frog embryo development, which other studies have shown to be upregulated in breast cancer tissue. I hope my contribution can increase our understanding of the mechanisms behind breast cancer since I’ve lost many loved ones to it. I am thankful for the advancements in medicine that saved my life, but I recognize that there is still an immense need for research and innovation.
My view of medicine was very idealistic until I gained more insight through personal and volunteer experiences. I have experienced firsthand how careless treatment affects the patient and family. I have learned to be more understanding of circumstances that complicate healthcare coverage. I strive to be a physician who perseveres through these challenges to provide comprehensive and compassionate care. Due to the limited accessibility of healthcare for underserved communities, I empathize for those who experience similar or worse situations. I see the limitations of medically underserved communities through volunteering with the UCI Outreach Clinic and the Orange County Needle Exchange Program. I’ve learned the need for low-cost curative, preventative, and educational medical services for uninsured and low-income patients. I hope to continue advocating for underprivileged populations by immersing myself in the compassionate training of Drexel University School of Medicine. By enhancing the care of uninsured and underprivileged communities, we can improve public health and keep our society moving forward.
Among all the healthcare team players, I know I want to play the role of the doctor that provides direct care to patients with compassion and competence through evidence-based practices. I want to be a physician scientist in academic medicine who contributes to the forward movement of medicine through innovative research and mentorship. I strive to be a doctor who provides comprehensive care unconditionally and serves underprivileged populations to improve public health. I will forever be thankful for Ms. Orenda Tuason and the Academy of Science and Medicine for helping me build a strong foundation in my pursuit of becoming a caring, innovative, and culturally-sensitive physician.

Class of 2014

CHRIST ORDOOKHANIAN
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE, B.S. '17, M.D. CANDIDATE '21

I have been diving deep into the science courses and conducting my biomedical research here at UCR [at the Perry laboratory], I have a book chapter I wrote being published soon along with a research article as well. 

ZACHARIA SAWAGED

STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK
BIOCHEMISTRY, B.S. '17
RESEARCH COORDINATOR, NYU LAGONE HEALTH

The Academy of Science and Medicine has given me a foundation that has not only instilled a strong drive for research and medicine, but also a profound work ethic. Once I entered college I hit the ground running. I took up extra-curriculars that furthered my professional network and used the discipline I gained from advanced Academy courses to achieve a superb academic record. My relationship with Ms. Tuason and the Academy of Science and Medicine allowed me to gain a meaningful summer research position at USC well after I graduated. At USC I learned vital research skills that would open the doors for me to work at my university's neurobiology department. There, I worked on my own project to unlock the secretive work a neuregulin receptor played on neural stem cells once it's intracellular domain entered the cell. 
Thanks to the Academy, my work ethic and academic drive allowed me to graduate with a bachelors in biochemistry a year early. With my extra year off, I took up a full time job at NYU Langone Heath's Perlmutter Cancer Center as a clinical research coordinator. During this year I also applied to medical schools and I am currently awaiting to hear back. With two interviews already down the pipeline, I am hoping for an acceptance!"
Currently I am working full-time at NYU Langone Health's Perlmutter Cancer Center as a research coordinator. I was able to graduate a year early so that I can take the job and apply to medical schools. I completed my applications and so far have interviewed at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine in Brooklyn. Hopefully I will have more good news to come - fingers crossed!