About Me
In my professional life, I'm all about technology transfer, project and program management, and scientific communications, with research expertise in translational cancer biology.
In my personal life, I love flamenco dancing, baking, modeling, and enjoying the scenery around me and the myriad opportunities for laughter and love.
Tech Transfer/Science/Dancing/Baking/Modeling
Dr. Risa, PhD/MBA
I'm a Mexican-American, gluten intolerant, vegetarian type 1 diabetic (diagnosed 12/18/2003). I grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico with three silly sisters and an excellent mama.
COLLEGE
I went to Mills College in Oakland, CA and obtained a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Environmental Studies in 2016.
GRADUATE SCHOOL
I then went to Duke University and obtained my PhD in Pathology and a certificate in Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health in 2021. My dissertation work was done in a breast cancer lab in the Department of Surgery under the mentorship of Dr. Gayathri Devi. Finally, I completed an online MBA in Management through University of the People in 2022.
PROFESSIONAL LIFE
Although I can't talk about a lot of the work I do (confidential inventions currently being worked on/patented/etc.), I am currently a first year CRTA fellow/postdoc in the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute/Technology Transfer Center (NIH NIC TTC). I manage programs centered on fellow and scientist education in tech transfer. I am also a Tech Transfer Manager for some labs at the NCI who do many different kinds of cancer research, including CAR-T cell immunotherapy research.
