Our team

Jennifer Rooks (Research Assistant)

Jenny recently graduated from Indiana University Bloomington with a degree in neuroscience and minors in biology and Spanish. During college, she discovered her love for working with children. That’s why her goal is to attend medical school and focus on Pediatric medicine. In our lab, Jenny is interested to understand metabolic pathways since metabolic abnormalities underlie a lot of diseases in children. Outside of academics, she enjoys spending time with her friends and has recently picked up gardening as a hobby.

Alyssa Trotter (Research Intern)

Alyssa is an incoming sophomore math major and biochemistry minor at Spelman College. She enjoyed participating in cancer research during the summer of 2023, which encouraged her to continue participating in similar programs and to pursue a career where she can engage in cancer research. Her goal is to attend medical school and specialize in either pathology or oncology. During her free time she likes to crochet, knit, and play video games.

Burke Weldy (Research Intern)

Burke is a current Undergraduate at Indiana University majoring in Biochemistry. He has aspirations to attend medical school beginning in 2026 with heightened interest in surgery and oncology. He developed interest in the root causes of cancer (proactive/preventative focus) through shadowing various specialties including urology and breast surgery. His hobbies include spending time with friends and family, weightlifting, and basketball.

Faris Khan (Medical Student Researcher)

Faris Faris is a medical student at Indiana University School of Medicine. Prior to medical school, Faris graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a Bachelor of Medical Sciences (BMSc) with an Honors Specialization in Medical Biophysics. He is particularly interested in therapeutic resistance mechanisms in prostate cancer and how metabolic adaptations contribute to treatment failure. During his free time, Faris enjoys spending time with his family and friends, reading, and geocaching.

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I am a Pharmacologist and an Immunometabolism enthusiast.

Education:
PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Pharmacology), Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Egypt & Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, USA.
Postdoctoral Fellow in Immuno-metabolism, Physical Sciences in Oncology Program, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL.

More about the PI:
I am an assistant professor in the department of Urology and a full member of Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive (IUSCCC). I became interested in metabolism early in my career. After completing Pharmacy School, I pursued specialized training in diabetes and the molecular mechanisms of antidiabetic agents. As I transitioned my research focus to cancer, I realized during my PhD and postdoctoral studies that metabolic changes are often understudied, despite being key determinants of the therapeutic efficacy of anti-cancer treatments. When I had the opportunity to establish my own lab and launch an independent research program, we decided to focus on exploring how metabolism influences cancer at the cellular and molecular levels. This line of inquiry has the potential to guide the development of more effective targeted therapies and preventive strategies. It also opens the door to comprehensive, personalized approaches in which tailored nutrition can be integrated during or after treatment to improve outcomes and long-term health.