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2024 Project STRIDE Cohort
Zion Chung
Zion Chung, a dedicated student at Gardena High School, has a strong passion for the healthcare field and was a part of Project STRIDE’s 2024 cohort. To continue to develop her interest in healthcare, Zion conducted a systematic review, examining the role of diet, eating habits, and disparities in obesity among adolescents.
At Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Zion dove into the procedures of performing scientific research in detail.
Zion will expand her research knowledge further by attending a 4-year college to obtain her bachelor’s degree in nursing in order to pursue her dream of becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner. 
Alexander Estrella
Alexander Estrella is a driven student who attends Saint John Bosco High School. Over the summer of 2024 Alex attended the Project STRIDE program at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science and completed his first research project.
His research during his 10-week period in Project STRIDE was about the implications of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in society and the role that CARF played in the disease when expressed. He used a variety of techniques including a Western Blot, IHC, and literature reviews to obtain results for his research.
After his time in the program, Alex has decided to continue on his path to studying neuroscience.
Jonathan Luna
Jonathan Luna, a rising senior from Alliance Dr. Olga Mohan, has completed a research project at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science through Project STRIDE. The focal point of his research is how a natural compound arctigenin can have an anti-breast cancer effect on xenograft mouse models.
Jonathan with his mentors, Piwen Wang, PhD, and Joshua Yang, PhD, conducted experiments as well as a few literature reviews. Jonathan is motivated to continue his future in the biomedical field.
Project STRIDE has helped grow his motivation to pursue a 4-year university where he can specialize in studying biochemical engineering and biology.
Elijah Macon
Elijah Macon is a rising senior who attends King/Drew Magnet High School of Medicine and Science. Over the 2024 summer, the STRIDE program provided opportunities for him to do clinical research at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. This is where he studied the cardiovascular system and cardiovascular diseases.
His research was aimed at answering the question of how exercise affects the cardiovascular system and how it battles disease within the system.
Elijah plans on attending a 4-year university to further explore the medical field. Project STRIDE has helped him decide what he wants to do in the future.
Lynijah McKnight
Lynijah McKnight is a rising senior athlete who attends Centennial High School. During her 10-week experience in Project STRIDE, Lynijah worked alongside Alicia Salmeron-Blaisdell at MudTown Farms (MTF), an urban farm and community wellness center, to learn more about the field of community research.
She wanted to determine if community members embraced Mudtown Farms as a community wellness center and engaged in outdoor activities. Lynijah and her mentor worked together to conduct a literature review as well as code and collect internal data from MTF.
More than ever, Lynijah is confident in her future decision to study nursing. Project STRIDE has helped her decide the path she wants to take in the medical and research field.
Isaiah Munoz
Isaiah Munoz is a rising senior at Sato Academy who had the opportunity to do cancer research through Project STRIDE. Under the mentorship of Dr. Wang and Dr. Yang, Isaiah studied arctigenin’s potential as an anti-carcinogenic agent in vitro.
His project aimed at finding the compound’s effects on the breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, looking at its ability to slow cell proliferation, regulate growth factor expression, and inhibit cell migration. Isaiah has also contributed to Dr. Wang’s prostate cancer studies, by assisting in maintaining LNCAP cells with cell culturing.
Isaiah saw his time in STRIDE not only academically enriching, but socially rewarding, creating friendships with other passionate peers. He wants to thank Dr. Wang and Dr. Yang for their mentorship, as well as his friends in the south lab, Jonathan, Samaria, and Emma. This experience has reinforced his aspirations in laying a solid foundation for a future career in the medical field.
Hannah Palma
Hannah Palma is an incoming senior who currently attends King/Drew Magnet High School of Medicine and Science. Throughout her experience in Project STRIDE, Hannah worked alongside Alicia Salmeron-Blaisdell at MudTown Farms (MTF), an urban farm and community wellness center, to learn more about the field of community research.
The main objective of her research was to see how much food MudTown Farms is providing to the Watts community and if the residents of Watts were benefitting from this resource. Hannah also conducted a literature review to better understand the efficacy of community gardens and how communities labeled as food deserts are impacted by a lack of nutritious food.
Hannah plans to attend a 4-year university where she plans to study neuroscience and, in the future, become a neurosurgeon.
Inaya Reddick
Inaya Reddick is a student at the California Academy of Math and Science and will be entering her senior year in the fall. The biotechnology classes she took in high school sparked her interest in science and clinical research.
During her time in the program, Inaya studied youth mental health alongside her mentor and conducted a thematic analysis. Her research focused on how teens could maintain their social emotional well-being and how that data fit into the youth participatory action research framework.
Inaya currently plans to study biomedical engineering at a 4-year university, and she believes the skills she has gained from Project STRIDE will greatly benefit her in the future endeavors.
Vanessa Uvera
Vanessa Uvera is a first-generation student who is a rising senior at King Drew Magnet High School of Medicine and Science. Throughout her 10-week experience in Project STRIDE, Vanessa worked in the Division of Cancer Research and Training Laboratory.
Her research focused on observing and comparing isolation methods of extracellular vesicles from breast cancer cells. Vanessa with her mentor, Qiongyu Hao, PhD, MD conducted various experiments during her time in the program. She has learned about the procedures done when working with breast cancer cells and learned about the different isolation techniques.
She is determined to continue her passion in the healthcare field and become an oncology nurse. Project STRIDE has also ignited her goal of pursuing a PhD in Nursing. She wishes to attend UCLA School of Nursing in the fall of next year and continue achieving her dreams. 
Christopher Venegas
Chris Venegas is a rising senior who attends Pioneer High School. Over 2024 summer, the STRIDE program gave Chris the opportunity to do clinical research.
This young scientist studied satellite cells from skeletal muscle cells via mice exposed to e-cigarettes. His research was aimed at answering the question of how e-cigarettes impact the skeletal muscle cells growth.
Chris plans to attend a 4-year university where he can study human physiology.  
2024 Project STRIDE II Cohort
Courtney Hammond
Courtney Hammond is currently a junior at the California State University, Northridge majoring in Cellular and Molecular Biology. During her time in Project STRIDE II, she has worked with professionals in the lab to complete a full Western blot and Immunohistochemistry protocol.
She and her mentor, Jorge Espinoza-Derout, PhD, have focused on the effects electronic cigarettes and the drug Acipimox have on coronary function in mice.
Courtney’s experience in Project STRIDE I & II has helped her cement her decision to attend medical school to achieve her dream of being a Forensic Pathologist.