Natalie is a third year PhD student. Having received her B.A. in Organic Chemistry at Smith College and Immunology training at Sentien Biotechnologies for five years, she’s come to Mount Sinai to work in the Samstein lab. Her current research examines the role of DNA repair on the tumor myeloid microenvironment.  She is particularly interested in the mechanistic contribution of BRCA2 to the TME and to cancer immunotherapy effectiveness across different cancers to identify novel therapeutic targets.

Miriam is a third year PhD student in the Samstein lab. Originally from New Jersey, she made the short trek to NYC to earn her BA in biochemistry at Stern College for Women and a BS in biomedical engineering from Columbia University. She is interested in tumor immunology and bioinformatics, and she uses both computational and experimental approaches to study cancer risk and immune surveillance. Some of her hobbies include browsing bookstores, swimming, eating froyo and a recent fetish for hand-lettering and building Ikea furniture.

Prerna is a PhD student in the Immunology training area. She completed her undergraduate education in India and moved to the US to pursue a master’s degree in immunology. Her research interests focus on understanding mechanisms of resistance to immunotherapy by studying the effect of mutations on tumor microenvironment. Outside of lab you can find her trying to convince her dog to visit local breweries, bakeries and hiking trails with her.

Ezekiel Olumuyide is a 4th year MD/PhD student (2nd year PhD student) working in Dr. Samstein’s laboratory on understanding how cancer grows in the presence of our immune system. He grew up in Nigeria and came to the US to pursue higher education at CUNY Lehman College, where he studied Biochemistry. Outside of the Laboratory, you can see Ezekiel hiking, in the gym, running, cooking and watching the best movies/series to exist. 

Esi is a research associate studying the sex based differences within the tumor micro environment of lung cancer patients. She very passionate about global health and addressing health care disparities with the ultimate goal of becoming a physician scientist. She graduated from Bowie State University in Maryland. Outside of lab, she enjoys reading and binge watching her favorite reality shows

Carol is an Associate Researcher at the Samstein Lab. Originally from Salvador, Brazil, she moved to the US to pursue a BA in Biology at Columbia University. In the lab her research focuses on creating BRCA2 KO prostate cancer cell lines and understanding the effect of the gene on the tumor microenvironment and cancer immunotherapy effectiveness. In her free time, she can be found baking, trying new restaurants and reading.

Jo is originally from Edina, Minnesota and graduated from Williams College in 2022 with a B.A. in Biology. She has long been passionate about translational science, particularly in the field of cancer therapy. Her current research focuses on identifying genes that drive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and understanding their impact on immunotherapy effectiveness. In her free time, Jo enjoys golfing, snowboarding, and arranging flowers from Trader Jo(es)

Juhana is an Associate Researcher at the Samstein Lab. She is from Queens, NY and got her degree in Biology and Psychology at NYU. Applying to MD/PhD programs in 2022, she is interested in cancer and immunology research, and hopes to gain valuable research experience before applying. Her hobbies include eating chicken over rice from halal carts, doing crossword puzzles, and restaurant hopping in NYC.

Tony is a second-year master’s student in the Biomedical Sciences program. Born and raised in Queens, NY, he made the long trek to NYU, where he earned a BA in Biology. His research in the lab focuses on discovering new genes that drive non-small cell lung cancer and affect the success of immunotherapy. In earning his graduate degree, he hopes to help bridge the gap between basic science research and clinical medicine. In his free time, Tony can be found brewing another cup of coffee, experimenting with new recipes, learning film photography, and playing with his pup.