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Dr. Heather Dunn

Principal Investigator
Master of Science, University of California Davis

Doctor of Philosophy, Clemson University

Post-Doctorate Studies, Dana Farber Cancer Institute 

Dr. Heather Dunn has worked at Clemson University since 2006. She has received multiple teaching and advising awards of excellence and was the Clemson Bradley Award recipient in 2014. She has authored several photo atlas textbooks and filed four different patent inventions. She has completed professional development in the fields of inclusion and equity, conflict resolution, and mindfulness training. She also directs a summer study abroad program that focuses on global professional development which provides a solid foundation for individuals seeking careers requiring global engagement.

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Kylie King

Graduate Research Assistant

Kylie is a PhD candidate in the Bioengineering department and has worked in the Dunn lab since August of 2022. Her current research aims to use 2D and 3D in vitro models to explore the racial disparities in triple-negative breast cancer. Additionally, she examines gene expression at the tumor-extracellular matrix interface in patients from diverse backgrounds. Kylie holds both a Master's and Bachelor's degree in Bioengineering from Clemson. She also previously served as the Clinical Research Coordinator at Clemson’s REDDI Lab, the university’s first CLIA-certified testing facility.

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Matt Harrington

Graduate Research Assistant

Matt is currently a graduate student in the Bioengineering program at Clemson. He received his Bachelor of Science in Genetics from Clemson in 2023 and currently works as a graduate assistant for the Department of Bioengineering and the Rutland Institute for Ethics on campus. His research utilizes CRISPR/Cas9 to investigate the cellular mechanisms underlying racial disparities in triple-negative breast cancer.

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Sulagna Mukherjee

Graduate Research Assistant

Sulagna is a Ph.D. student in the Bioengineering program. She has completed her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Zoology in India, after which she has worked as a research assistant at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, India. Sulagna joined the Dunn lab in the Summer of 2024, where she is studying racial disparities associated with metastasis and tumor progression of triple-negative breast cancer, using zebrafish as a model organism.

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Leiara Rivera

Graduate Research Assistant

Leiara Rivera is a current doctoral student in the Bioengineering program. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of South Carolina between 2020-2023. Leiara also works as a teaching assistant in the Bioengineering Department. Her research focuses on identifying and compiling data for racial disparities in various cancer types through bioinformatic analysis.

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Alannah Akins

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Alannah is a senior bioengineering major currently in the B.S. to M.S. program at Clemson University and plans on getting her Ph.D. She is currently working on determining in vitro racial disparities in triple-negative breast cancer relating to immune function.

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Arden Dailida

Website Manager & Undergraduate Research Assistant

Arden is a senior Criminal Justice major with a minor in Biological Sciences. Her academic pursuits reflect a keen interest in the intersection of law and healthcare, indicating a focused and multidisciplinary approach to her career aspirations. Arden plans to attend law school and has been a part of the team since January of 2023.

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Hope Mitchell

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hope is currently working in the lab experimenting with Caucasian and African American cell cultures using Zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a disease model. The goal is to obtain more information about cancer metastasis and the factors that cause racial disparities between these groups. Hope has been a part of the team since August 2024. 

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Marshall Geier

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Marshall is a senior Bioengineering major at Clemson University, focused on studying the variation of immune system gene expression in triple-negative breast cancer across racial groups. After graduation, he plans to attend graduate school and pursue a career in the regenerative medicine and tissue engineering industry. Marshall has been a part of the team since August 2024.

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Cameron Stetson

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Cam is currently a junior biochemistry major with a minor in genetics. She specifically focuses on using bioinformatics to uncover and analyze genetic data sets from diverse racial groups to better understand the genetic factors influencing cancer risk. Cam's goal is to pursue a Ph.D. after working in the biotech industry following graduation. She has been part of the team since August 2024.

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Grayson Whitten

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Grayson is a freshman bioengineering with a minor in materials science. He is currently working on investigating the molecular basis of racial disparities in the tumor microenvironment of triple-negative breast cancers. Grayson is also interested in investigating the identification of breast cancer cells as well as the viral insertion of DNA or gene editing proteins into breast cancer cells to observe the effect on cancer development. Grayson has been a part of the team since August 2024.

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