Ian Shelton (he/him) is Co-CEO of Academia Industry Alliance | My current work in Craig Jordan’s lab is focused on characterizing the heterogeneity of leukemia stem cells (LSCs) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. Specifically, my interest is to dissect intra-patient AML heterogeneity, which is the main driver of therapeutic relapse. Through deeper understanding of LSC heterogeneity at the genetic, epigenetic, metabolic and developmental levels, we can lay the groundwork for precision medicine designed to eliminate relapse responses in AML patients with evident LSC heterogeneity. 

In addition to bench-based functional studies, I’m also interested in leveraging multi-omic and single cell bioinformatic techniques to address disease heterogeneity. Combining powerful bioinformatic approaches with in vitro and in vivo functional studies on the bench will provide unprecedented resolution of the biological mechanisms driving leukemogenesis in patients and therapeutic resistance in the clinic. 

Outside of the lab, I’m quite active in many of the outdoor activities Colorado has to offer – I’ve climbed 32/58 Fourteeners, I enjoy running marathons, backcountry skiing, cycling, climbing, and fishing.

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Lily Elizabeth Feldman (she/her) is Co-CEO of Academia Industry Alliance | I am a Pharmacology PhD student in the Costello Lab, where my work focuses on characterizing mechanisms of treatment resistance in human muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Our lab specializes in cancer systems biology, where we integrate multi-omics bioinformatics with molecular biology to better understand chemoresistance in solid tumor cancers. Our goal is to use large, publicly available datasets to learn about treatment effectiveness in MIBC patients, then follow these leads into the lab where we work to develop therapeutic interventions to improve patient outcomes.

I received my B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of New Mexico in 2020, where I completed a senior thesis on the effects of intermittent fasting on adipose tissue remodeling and fat loss. I also earned a minor in Chinese and learned how to culture cells in Mandarin.

When I'm not lab, I love to spend time in the mountains - hiking, climbing, or skiing as the seasons allow. I am a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and have previously worked as a ski patroller, rock-climbing teaching assistant, and ambulance driver.

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Bridget Hoag (she/her) is Co-CEO of the Academia Industry Alliance | Bridget is pursuing her PhD in Cancer Biology at the University of Colorado Anschutz. She researches the evolution of splicing mutations in clonal hematopoiesis and acute myeloid leukemia in the lab of Dr. James DeGregori.  Bridget grew up right here in Colorado and received her BS in biochemistry from Gonzaga University. Prior to starting her PhD, she worked as a research associate at Genentech in South San Francisco, in the department of Biochemistry and Cellular Pharmacology. Outside of work, you can find Bridget skiing, hiking, camping, or backpacking! 

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Ellen Bamberg (she/her) is Co-COO of the Academia Industry Alliance | She is a cancer biology PhD student in the Kabos Lab and is interested in dissecting the role of the tumor microenvironment in cancer progression. Her current project delves into how obesity modifies the extracellular matrix to promote more aggressive breast cancer progression. Originally from the East Coast, Ellen earned her B.S. in Behavioral Neuroscience from Northeastern University. Before pursuing her PhD, she worked as a Senior Research Associate at Ribon Therapeutics, where she contributed to the development of treatments for immunologic and oncologic malignancies. Beyond her academic pursuits, Ellen finds solace in reading and hiking the scenic Rockies.

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Aidan Borkan (he/him) is Co-COO of the Academia Industry Alliance | My current research is in the Lau Lab in the Division of Cardiology in Computational Proteomics. I have ongoing research projects in the experimental generation of cardiomyocytes (heart muscle cells) from iPSC, 2D-Thermal Proteomic Profiling, and Machine Learning predictive models. Through multi-omic  LCMS and RNA-seq research, we can create better maps of protein interaction and regulators of abundance. 

I am passionate about exploratory and pre-clinical science and leveraging laboratory data to generate new models and insights into organogenesis and heart disease. I strongly believe in open science and strive to write reproducible, understandable, and interactive scripts and applications in R Shiny and Streamlit. 

I received my BSc from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, before working in the private sector for three years for a pre-revenue start-up and personalized medicine company. I returned to school to earn a master's in biomedical science and biotechnology with a focus and certification in Biomedical Data Science. 

Outside of the lab, I am an avid climber, snowboarder, and gardener. I am the CFO of the Academic-Industry Alliance and seek to foster and grow the relationships between local bioscience professionals, academic scientists, students, and biotechnology companies here in Colorado. I have a goal to inspire and convince companies to scout for talent locally and open up learning and professional opportunities for our students here.

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Alana Keller (she/her) is a Co-CCO of the Academia Industry Alliance | Alana is a Cancer Biology PhD student researching immunotherapies for multiple myeloma in the lab of Dr. Daniel Sherbenou. She received her BS in chemistry at the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill (go Tar Heels!) and worked as a technician at UNC-Chapel Hill’s HIV Cure Center before moving to Colorado. Upon graduation, she plans to follow her interests in immuno-oncology within the realm of industry.

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Regan Miller (she/her) is Co-CCO of the Academia Industry Alliance | She is working towards her PhD in the Cancer Biology Program at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She is currently a 2^nd year graduate student in the Jordan Lab in the Division of Hematology. During her graduate studies, she hopes to translate her findings at the bench to improve the clinical outcomes of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Before coming to CU-AMC, Regan had gotten her B.S. and M.S. in Biology from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. When Regan is not in the lab, she is hiking, watching documentaries, or tending to her many houseplants.

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Lisa Wood (she/her) is the CFO of the Academia Industry Alliance | Lisa is a Cancer Biology PhD student researching mechanisms of chemoresistance. She is in the Moore lab in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology. Her research focuses on how protein of the cytoskeleton have evolved to have specific functions and how certain cancers might hijack these unique functions. Lisa received her B.S in Molecular Genetics from the University of Vermont. She hopes to go into industry after graduating where she can work on drug discovery and researching new compounds. When she is not in the lab she enjoys hiking, biking, CrossFit, and playing with her dog.

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Michael Orman (he/him) is CTO of the Academia Industry Alliance | Michael is a fifth-year doctoral candidate in the Pharmacology program at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. He is working in the Costello lab, where he is interested in understanding how an aggressive subtype of prostate cancer (PCa) progresses to metastatic disease. To investigate this question, Michael utilizes a combination of bioinformatics tools and wet lab techniques to probe molecular factors that may contribute to PCa progression. Ultimately, the goal of his work is to discover clinically-relevant regulators of PCa aggressiveness. In his spare time, Michael enjoys being outdoors, cooking, cycling, and spending time with friends.

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Bruce Mandt, Ph.D. (he/him) is an Assistant Dean in the Graduate School and Director of the Postdoctoral Office and the Career Development Office at the University of Colorado Denver|Anschutz Medical Campus (CU Denver/Anschutz). Bruce’s primary function is to ensure that CU Denver/Anschutz provides a supportive and effective training environment where graduate students and postdoctoral fellows can acquire the professional skills and experiences requisite for successful career transitions. Bruce believes that participation with trainee organizations, like AIA, is critical for trainees to test drive different career interests, gain valuable career skills and experiences, and expand their professional networks.

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