Eliana Aerts, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Researcher; Department of Occupational Health Sciences

Eliana Aerts is a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Matt Butler’s lab in the Department of Occupational Health Sciences. Eliana completed her bachelor’s degree in Chemistry at The College of New Jersey. She completed her Ph.D. in Cellular and Integrative Physiology at West Virginia University in 2024, where she researched the neuroendocrine basis for the timing of female puberty onset. Ellie was very involved in increasing the diversity resources available in her graduate program through advocacy in conjunction with the graduate student organization. As a postdoctoral fellow, she will examine the neuroendocrine link between mistimed feeding and infertility. Ellie’s long-term goals are to examine the link between nutrition and female reproduction.

“I am very dedicated to improving the way we as scientists treat each other: both our peers and those we consider mentees. The IRACDA program has excellent resources for improving communication and providing a more well-rounded understanding of how everyone’s needs are different. I believe that wide-spread training in these skills will lead to a healthier and more welcoming environment in academic science.” Eliana Aerts, Ph.D.  

Hatun Duran Cete, M.D.

Postdoctoral Researcher; Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine

Hatun Duran Cete is a postdoctoral researcher in Dr Pepper Schedin’s laboratory in the Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine. She received her MD degree from Dicle University, School of Medicine in Diyarbakir, Turkey. She completed her pediatric surgery residency at the Pediatric Surgery Department of Dicle University, School of Medicine. As a postdoctoral fellow in Dr Schedin’s laboratory at the Knight Cancer Institute, Hatun’s research will focus on the metastatic microenvironment within the liver that facilitates breast cancer establishment in postpartum women. Hatun has been studying the immune infiltrate of weaning-induced liver involution in the postpartum liver in mouse models, with the goal of identifying an immune-based therapy targeted to the liver metastatic niche. Her long-term goals are to develop the skills and knowledge needed to set up a project of postpartum breast cancer studying a vulnerable ethnic population of women in southeast Turkey that have an increased birth rate compared to the US and developed western countries. She also aims to build her teaching skills to become more involved in scientific education and outreach, especially in her home country, with a goal of passing on her knowledge and research experience.

“After dedicating over 18 years to practicing as a pediatric surgeon in another country, I embarked on the challenging journey of establishing a new academic career from scratch in the United States. In navigating through language and cultural barriers, I have come to realize the immense value that the IRACDA program offers, particularly in enhancing the teaching skills essential for my future career aspirations.” Hatun Duran Cete, M.D.

Daniel A. Lopez, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Researcher; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine

Daniel A. Lopez is a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Bonnie Nagel’s Developmental Brain Imaging Lab in the Department of Psychiatry. Daniel completed his bachelor’s degree at the University of California-Los Angeles. He holds a master’s degree in public health from the City University of New York and a Master of Arts from Stanford University. He completed his Ph.D. in Epidemiology in 2023 at the University of Rochester. Prior to joining the Epidemiology PhD program, he worked with the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos in the Bronx, New York. His graduate research focused on reward processing and behavioral health in adolescents. As a postdoc, Daniel will continue his work analyzing longitudinal trajectories of cognitive and behavioral health in adolescents.

“I applied to the IRACDA program because it offered a great opportunity to do both teaching and research. My goal from day 1 has been to incorporate both teaching and research in my academic career. The IRACDA program helps bridge that gap.” Daniel A. Lopez, Ph.D.