I am a 3rd year Cellular and Molecular Biology major at SDSU. I joined Dr. Sussman’s lab in the spring of 2014. I have been exposed to several laboratory techniques since then, and I am eager to further my experience as a volunteer. I am confident that experiences such as these will better prepare me for my ultimate goal of attending Medical School and becoming a physician. I am especially fascinated with oncology and the study of cancerous cells. I believe that the possibilities that stem cell research hold are vast and have the potential to change several aspects of modern medicine. When I am not in school or volunteering, I enjoy staying active and spending time with my friends and family.

I am an international student came from Dubai, but originally from Iraq, and a sophomore majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology at SDSU. I very excited of being part of Dr. Sussman’s lab, I joined the lab in the spring of 2016 to have a research experience, since I am a pre-med student and volunteering will give the chance to be involved in researches that will benefit my future goals and career. I became more interested about this lab as it deals with heart based researches that is very important organ in our body system and has effects among other body functions that any pre-medical student should be aware of. Lastly, I hope the experience that I will gain from this lab be a beneficial part of my other future researches that I will be in and especially when I become a physician.

I am a 2nd year biology major with hopes for grad school. I recently joined the Sussman Lab this Fall 2013 Semester and I’m looking forward to the experiences and knowledge I will gain from this lab. I chose the Sussman lab because I am interested in the healing potentials of stemcells. When I finish my education, I hope to use what I gained from my experiences in this lab in other research positions.

I am currently a 4th year undergraduate student majoring in biology here at SDSU, and I am an aspiring Physician. I just started working as a volunteer but am excited to learn more about cardiac research. I am grateful for having the opportunity to volunteer in Dr. Sussman’s lab and cannot wait to apply all I learn in my education and future career.

Hi, my name is Liz Hernandez. I am a 4th year student majoring in Biology with aspirations of pursuing an M.D. or M.D./Ph.D. I am from San Diego but I was raised in Mexico. I joined Dr.Sussman’s lab at the beginning of 2015. I am fascinated by and love learning about the heart and the human body. I want to learn the science behind the medicine and learn lab techniques that will help me in my future career. I am currently involved in FSMP (Faculty Student Mentoring Program), and I am a chemistry tutor at Morse High. Besides school and learning, I enjoy meeting great people, dancing and taking naps. My favorite quote is “In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” – Bill Cosby

My name is Arisa Iga. I am from Japan! I am currently majoring in Biology at SDSU and joined Dr. Sussman’s lab in the Spring of 2015 as a volunteer. I am very interested in the human body, so I am excited to learn everything this the lab has to offer from the fundamentals to new lab techniques. My plan for the future is to work in a Pharmaceutical or a Make-up Company. Everything I learn in the lab will help to build and expand my career future career path.

Hi! My name is Tiffany and I’m currently a senior at SDSU majoring in Biology. I’m studying to become a Pharmacist. I have always been interested in medicine at the molecular level and how it affects the body. I hope to greatly contribute to this lab and learn along the way!

Hi! My name is Marinda. I am a 3rd year student majoring in Biology with an emphasis in Cellular and Molecular Biology. After attaining my bachelor’s, I plan on applying for graduate school in order to become a physician’s assistant or physical therapist. I recently joined Dr. Sussman’s lab in the summer of 2014. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be able to watch, experience, and constantly acquire new knowledge within the lab. I look forward to experiencing and learning more about different research skills and techniques.

I am an undergraduate at SDSU majoring in kinesiology. I plan to graduate in 2016 before pursuing medical school. I joined Dr. Sussman’s research lab because I wanted to learn more about the latest myocardial research, especially after completing anatomy and physiology courses. I find the new technology used to treat patients with cardiomyopathy fascinating, and am eager for the opportunity to get hands-on experience in this lab.

Hello, Everyone! I am a 4th year Biology/Pre-Med student at San Diego State University. After taking an Anatomy and Physiology class this past spring, I discovered my interest for the human body systems and decided to get involved with research to learn more. I recently joined Dr. Sussman’s laboratory in the summer of 2014. I know this is a great opportunity for me to learn different research techniques and skills that I will be able to apply in my career in the near future. My goal is to attend medical school in the Fall of 2016. I want to complete a residency in internal medicine and then complete a fellowship in order to become a G.I. (gastroenterologist) physician.

I am a third year undergraduate student here at San Diego State University. I am pursuing a degree in Biology with aspirations of one day attending Pharmacy School. I joined Dr. Sussman’s lab in the Spring of 2015 with the desire to gain valuable hands on experience in a dynamic research environment. I look forward to the skills and techniques I will obtain while volunteering and the benefits they will have towards my future endeavors.

My name is Natalie Navarrete, third year at SDSU. I was looking for an opportunity to expand my experience in a laboratory environment and working as a volunteer in Dr. Sussman’s team made that possible. I expect to develop many skills working along side graduate students who are pursuing a similar path as me.

I joined Dr. Sussman’s laboratory in the Spring of 2011. I am pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. I have had the pleasure of working under multiple graduate students. I am interested in pursuing a Master’s Degree and then applying to a PharmD program. In the past years that I have volunteered in the laboratory, I have learned many useful techniques that could be applied in future research studies. Volunteering in this laboratory has given me an opportunity to be involved in an exciting field of study.

I joined the Sussman lab in the summer of 2014, and I am currently an undergrad majoring in biology. I am volunteering to find out more aboutresearch opportunities that are available. I have learned lots of fundamental skills in the lab and am slowly building more experience eachday. I have been enjoying the environment and working with everyone in the lab, everyone brings new knowledge and is extremely helpful. Other thanworking as a volunteer, I enjoy playing video games, sewing, and going to various conventions!

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, but raised in San Diego, I am reluctant to be surrounded by such beautiful cities. I am currently an undergraduate junior majoring in Microbiology. The field of science has been an awe-inspiring subject for me since I was in grade school. The ability to accurately describe the functions of the Universe followed by scientific applications to better humanity is truly one of the most precious things we can do. I feel that becoming a part of Dr. Sussman’s exciting research lab will not only do just that, but it will also give insight and lab experience for the field of science. After graduation, I plan on working in a clinical lab setting. I am honored to participate in such a great cause.

My name is Ben Norman, and I am a 3rd year student at SDSU majoring in Biology. Before joining Dr. Sussman’s lab, I was unsure what I wanted to do after graduation, so I joined to get experience working in a laboratory to determine if it was something I wanted to pursue. I’m grateful for the guidance provided, and I look forward to continuing to learn the practices and techniques used.

Hi! My name is Christina Payne and I started volunteering in Dr. Sussman’s lab in Spring 2014. I am majoring in Biology and Kinesiology with an emphasis in Physical Therapy. Since I took anatomy, I have been interested in the heart and would like to learn more about it. I joined the lab to gain research experience and to learn more lab techniques so I can apply them in the future.

I am a 4th year undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. I recently joined Dr. Sussman’s laboratory in fall of 2014. I am very excited to learn research techniques and contribute to the experiments. I am already learning so much from all of the researchers in this lab. I cannot wait to see what this lab has in store for me!

Hi all! My name is Jake. I joined Dr. Sussman’s lab in July of 2014 because I wanted to put my hands and mind to work on some of the incredible research I have read about. The fall of 2014 will be my fourth and final year as a Biology major at SDSU. Soon, I will apply to graduate programs in Cell and Molecular Biology. I hope to have a career in biomedical research and maybe one day a professorship.

My name is Roberto Sacripanti, and I am a sophomore student majoring in Biology. I am a pre-medical student and my ultimate goal is to get my PhD. In Spring 2016, I joined Dr. Sussman’s Lab in order to gain the research experience that can help me in my future career. I am thrilled to be part of this group and I look forward to expand my horizon!

I was born in Baghdad, Iraq, and became a proud U.S. citizen in 2015. Currently, I am a second year
student majoring in Cellular and Molecular Biology. Aside from school, I work parttime at Walmart, tutor at El Cajon Valley High School, and help promote Achieve High Points. Even though my parents and two younger siblings count on my support, I still find time to enjoy my hobbies. I make time to draw, sing, play guitar and piano, and record songs I wrote myself. I usually perform at school events, like open mic nights, and graduation ceremonies. My ultimate goal and my passion is to become a successful and helpful physician who will offer the time and the knowledge to the people who need assistance. I am very excited and eager to start volunteering in Dr. Sussman’s lab to gain experience in the medical field. This will be my first research and laboratory experience outside of a classroom, and I am very sure that I will gain skills and knowledge that will help me in the process of achieving my goal.

I am a 4th year undergrad student of Biology at the university. I recently joined Dr. Sussman’s lab in Summer 2015. I am pursuing Pharmacy School and I am eager to learn not only cardiac research and stem cells, but also how to work in the lab itself. My hobbies include writing, making music, and meditating.