Directory

Growing up in Long Island, New York, my interest in science stemmed from a long-held obsession with Agatha Christie novels and crime television. Fascinated by the mysteries that science could uncover, I threw myself wholeheartedly into the incredible research program offered by my high school. While attending Carnegie Mellon University, my interests began to narrow; I sought out research experiences at the interface of biology and chemistry. I came to realize that biology was a predictable, malleable series of reactions in which I, as a chemist, had the power to interfere when those reactions went wrong. During my MPhil in Chemistry, I hope to work towards elucidating some of the molecular mechanisms that allow genetic material to be translated into the many proteins that are needed to sustain life. In doing so, I can develop molecules that prevent dysregulation of protein production, and the diseases that come with it. The ability to break down complicated biological processes into well-controlled experiments will be an invaluable skill as I ultimately lead my own research group in developing therapeutic agents against cancer.

Previous Education

Carnegie Mellon University

Growing up in the Bolivian Amazon, I witnessed both the construction of infrastructure and the creation of natural reserves. The puzzling tensions between these projects sparked my interest in the politics of the built and natural environment. I moved to Mexico to pursue a BA in Industrial Design at Tec the Monterrey, a training that left me well attuned to the ways in which material cultures (re)produce human-nature relations. During my MPhil in Latin American Studies, I studied the expansion of infrastructures, socio-environmental conflicts, and the emergence of the bio-tech approach to regional development. Now, through my PhD in Geography, I seek to understand the dynamics between scientific knowledge and entrepreneurial networks, and the role that such dynamics play in shaping visions of development in the Amazon. More specifically, I plan to examine how genetic and genomic sciences are enabling the emergence of new discourses and practices of development in relation to the enormous biological diversity concentrated in the Amazon Basin. My research interests also include Indigenous Knowledge, Bioeconomy, Intellectual Property of Genetic Material, and Histories of Development.

Previous Education

University of Cambridge Latin American Studies 2020
Tec de Monterrey (ITESM CEM) Industrial Design 2012

Growing up in Beijing, China, before moving to the U.S. for high school, I have been drawn to the fundamental questions of nature—both how we can use computation to understand it and how nature itself can be harnessed as a computational resource. This curiosity led me to quantum information theory, where I have been excited to explore the fundamental capabilities of quantum computers with theoretical guarantees. Throughout my undergraduate career at the California Institute of Technology, I worked on quantum simulations, quantum algorithms, and quantum error correction, where I have been fascinated by how techniques in theoretical computer science could be applied to help illuminate physical phenomena. At University of Cambridge, I will be pursuing a MPhil in Advanced Computer Science to further my understanding of interdisciplinary approaches that integrate physics, computer science, and mathematics to push the boundaries of quantum technology. I am excited to contribute to the future of quantum computing as both a researcher and, hopefully, one day as an educator, and I look forward to being part of the Gates Cambridge scholar community.

Previous Education

California Institute of Technology Electrical Engineering

My interest in the intersection of child nutrition and education grew out of my experience helping to start Vincent Academy, a charter school in West Oakland, CA. I have pursued the topic of child nutrition in my coursework as a Health and Societies major at the University of Pennsylvania. My thesis investigated the impact of recent changes to the nutritional composition of school meals in Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs. As a Gates Cambridge scholar, I hope to continue to explore the potential for schools to function as a locus for health intervention, with a specific focus on mechanisms for preventing childhood obesity. As an undergraduate, I have been involved in starting and managing an afterschool program at the HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy and have worked as a college access mentor at West Philadelphia High School. Going forward, I hope to continue to work with children in a range of educational settings.

Interests: mountain biking, hiking, sailing, skiing (downhill and cross country), running, and baking.

Previous Education

University of Pennsylvania

Having received the Gates once already, I am deeply honored to be selected for the award again to continue on for my PhD. I have immensely enjoyed being a part of the Gates scholar community, and my time in Cambridge so far has been a uniquely enriching experience. I am beyond excited to continue studying the cosmos at the Institute of Astronomy, where I will resume my investigations of how supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies and galaxy clusters interact with their extremely hot, gaseous environments, under the direction of Prof. Andrew Fabian.

Previous Education

University of Cambridge
University of South Florida

As the trilingual daughter of a traditional West African healer, my identity embodies the complexity of diaspora, migration, and collective memory. My research interests are in African identity formation, the social, political, and historical processes which inform various African experiences across and through diaspora. Through a historical lens, I have investigated the practice of female circumcision and how to apply this analysis to aid contemporary efforts to address the practice. My past research explored British colonial narratives on female circumcision in Kenya and received the highest honour thesis award in the History Department at Spelman College. In 2012, I collaborated with the Vice President of the Gambia to organize the first national conference on women’s health to mutually create strategies to address women’s health disparities. I am committed to contributing to knowledge production that engages with communities and their material realities. At Cambridge I continue to excavate how historical forces inform contemporary moments in African Studies, by examining how colonial legacies of women’s advocacy around female circumcision endure in the present.

Previous Education

University of Cambridge
Spelman College

At Cambridge my research was in the broad area of computer vision. I worked on feature extraction for classification of objects in images. I believe that progress made in this area will enable us to build rather intelligent machines, enabling them to see and analyse data on a real time basis. Cambridge is an exciting place to be and I was able to meet fellow students from all over the world. The diversity of students here makes Cambridge a truly unique experience.

B.A. Paris IV, La Sorbonne
MPhil University of Cambridge
PhD University of Cambridge

Fight against disease is not only fought in the trenches of hospital wings, but also and especially in the lab, by trying to uncover its fundamental principles. Transcription of genetic information into RNA is at the heart of cellular function and is controlled by the activity of three RNA Polymerases (Pol) in human cells. While most research has so far focused on Pol II, not much is known about Pol III transcription. However, knowledge of the latter may be instrumental to combat disease, since Pol III has been shown to be commonly dysregulated in a number of pathologies, including cancer. For example, tRNA-methionine overexpression is sufficient to increase cell metabolism and proliferation. In my PhD, I aim to harness state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence methods and genomic tools that are yet to be brought together in transcriptional regulation to capture the biological complexity of Pol III activity. Through the study of cis- and trans- regulators of human RNA Polymerase III, it will be possible to identify novel potential therapeutic targets. I am honoured to have become part of the Gates community and eager to apply my skills for the betterment of human health.

Previous Education

University of Cambridge Systems Biology 2022
University of Cambridge Natural Sciences, Engineering 2021

Having lived my entire life in a developing country, I’ve seen firsthand how inaccessible life-saving therapies can be—especially for diseases like cancer, where high recurrence rates make treatment not only costly but continuous. This reality shaped my commitment to advancing cancer therapies aimed at curing, not just managing.My interest in cancer biology deepened when I joined the R&D team at BiOptimizers as a Research Scientist, focusing on colorectal cancer and the gut microenvironment. While earning my degree in Genetics and Bioengineering at International Burch University, I became particularly interested in the molecular characteristics of stem cells and their role in cancer recurrence.At Cambridge, I will pursue an MPhil in Stem Cell Medicine during which I aim to explore how cancer stem cells contribute to colorectal cancer progression, focusing on their role in micrometastases—undetected cells that often drive relapse. My goal is to help develop long-term, targeted treatment strategies that reduce recurrence and improve outcomes.I am honoured to join the Gates Cambridge community as the second scholar from Bosnia and Herzegovina in the pursuit of more equitable global healthcare.

Previous Education

International Burch University Genetics and Bioengineering

From my childhood, I remember the smell of books. The shelves full of novels at my grandmother’s house, the aroma of old pages in the reading room of my primary school during winter. I like to think of my life as a series of libraries. From the surreal verticality of Biblioteca Vasoncelos, with its whale skeleton hanging from the roof, to the Maori carvings of Auckland University Library. When I think of it that way, perhaps it is not surprising that, after pursuing a degree in biotechnology in Mexico City, I ended up studying immunogenomics. Picture, for instance, Alice through the looking glass. “Here it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place”, said the Red Queen. When I read this quote, I think of the immune system. How fast must it run to keep our place in a world ruled by microbes? But the immune system does not run, it plans ahead and divides tasks. It is a community of cells that talk to each other. During my PhD in at The Sanger Institute, Cambridge I will study the immune system, using transcriptomics to link gene expression and cellular functions to genetic variation across individuals. Because I firmly believe in the transforming power of knowledge, when out of the lab I like teaching, and promoting art and science. Languages and music are my biggest passions. Monet, my favourite painter. And my dearest dream, to someday have a positive impact in Latin American society. As a Nahuatl poet once put it, “all that is true has a root”. And, to me, the desire to improve our world will always be the root from which everything else stems.

Previous Education

University of Auckland
University of Cambridge

As a medical graduate and an aspiring physician-scientist, I wish to contribute to improving women's health by integrating my medical background with fundamental research. During my medical education, I was struck by the remarkable need for more efficient screening and definitive treatment approaches to obstetrical complications. Therefore, I am interested in extra-embryonic lineage differentiation and obstetric complications stemming from defective placentation. During my MPhil project in Boroviak Lab, I worked on a microfluidic-based human stem cell model to elucidate the mechanisms of amnion and embryonic disc formation. By continuing with a PhD in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, I will further focus on early placental development. I am passionate about addressing the gender-based knowledge gap in fundamental research, creating translational experimental models with clinical applicability to enhance women's healthcare, and advocating for equal access to healthcare services. I feel truly honoured to be joining the Gates Cambridge community of inspiring and dynamic scholars.

Previous Education

University of Cambridge Biological Sciences, R&E Path 2024
Yeditepe University Medicine 2023

Erica Cao joined the Gates Cambridge community and began her PhD in Music in 2017. Her research interests are in the arts, health, and civil society. At the Cambridge Center for Music and Science, her PhD project is on the impact of music-making on civic engagement and social connectedness. She conducts field research through Humans in Harmony, a nonprofit organization which links students and community members to write collaborative and personalized songs. Before starting her PhD, she studied Psychology and Music Performance at Princeton University (BA), Music Studies at Cambridge (MPhil), and medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.