Alumni

Sara Torres — Class of 2015

Hi MAS! I’m Sara Torres (ES’15) and I studied Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. At Yale, I loved serving as a leader of MAS Familias for several years and volunteering in various service activities, like tutoring at the ALPHA Achievement Program and interpreting at the HAVEN Free Clinic. I also enjoyed conducting research as part of Dr. Yang’s lab at the Yale School of Medicine. In my spare time, I enjoy dancing, gastronomic photography, and going to concerts! After graduation, I will be completing a volunteer project at el Centro Integral de la Niñez y Adolescencia in Quito, Ecuador.

Fabian Ortega — Class of 2013

Hello! My name is Fabian and I graduated from Yale in 2013 (SY) with a BS in Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry. While I’m originally from Peru, my family moved to Long Island when I was 12 years old, so I’ve lived most of my life in the United States. While at Yale, I served as both MAS vice-president (sophomore) and president (junior), and mentored science-oriented freshmen of Latin American descent during my year as a La Casa peer liaison. I worked for three years in Dr. David Schatz’s lab in the Immunobiology Department studying the biochemical interactions of the proteins that mediate V(D)J recombination. After a rewarding undergraduate research career, I decided to go to graduate school to pursue a PhD in biosciences. Now, I’m a graduate student in the Department of Biochemistry at the Stanford School of Medicine in Julie Theriot’s lab. I currently use microscopy and computational techniques to study the host/pathogen interactions between Listeria monocytogenes and epithelial cells. In my copious free time, I like to read books associated with magical realism, go jogging, visit lighthouses, and play videogames.

Gabriella Puente — Class of 2013

I graduated from Yale in 2013 (TD!) as an MCDB major, with a senior thesis studying yeast cell biology. My main extracurriculars in college included MAS, being a La Casa staff member and Peer Liaison, A Cappella, and volunteering at YNHH in pediatrics. As a pre-med at Yale I had gained a lot of exposure to bench research so after graduation I sought addition clinical experiences. I spent one year at Boston Children’s Hospital as a group visit coordinator for pediatric exercise and nutrition groups which really exposed me to the ins and outs of primary care. My current position is as a pediatric health coach on a clinical research study at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children. I’m applying to medical school this year and I’m happy to offer advice to pre-med students about the process! Overall, my goals in medicine include urban pediatric primary care, ideally working for undeserved populations.

Jonathan Marquez — Class of 2013

Originally from a little bit north of Houston, Texas, I was treasurer of MAS and a Froco in TD. I graduated in 2013 and took a year to continue my research in the developmental genetics of neural crest specification in the lab of Martin Garcia-Castro (now at UC Riverside). In order to continue my training in biology and medicine I then joined the MD/PhD program at Yale. I am now in my second year and have explored research in genomics, cardiac development, and nuclear envelope dynamics, all the while learning the basics of patient centered care. My interests include biomedical innovation, health reform, genetics, oncology, development, soccer, bacon, and turtles.

Jarrad Aguirre — Class of 2009

I graduated from Yale in 2009 with a BS in Biology. I am currently a MD/MBA Candidate at Stanford University. I recently completed an internship at the Gates Foundation, where I focused on US healthcare reform. I will be starting residency in Internal Medicine in 2016. Prior to starting the MD/MBA, I completed the MPhil in Medical Anthropology at the University of Oxford. I’m originally from Denver, Colorado, and I love playing ice hockey, getting outside, and traveling. 

Melissa Campos — Class of 2008

Melissa grew up in San Diego. She attended Yale University (Davenport ’08) for college, where she was actively involved in MEChA, danced Ballet Folklorico and played water polo. Before medical school, Melissa spent two years investigating cocaine addiction at The Scripps Research Institute. She returned to the East Coast to attend Tufts University School of Medicine. There, she was the co-president of the Student National Medical Association and mentored and tutored middle school students in science and public health. In addition, she spent a summer conducting research in Alzheimer’s Disease. Her passions include empowering her patients through education about their health and social justice. She also enjoys staying active doing outdoors, including running and snowboarding.