Built by advanced-degree trainees, our team offers a unique, interdisciplinary perspective on consulting, serving and equipping non-MBA students with the tools, mentorship, and strategic thinking needed to succeed in consulting careers.

Boning Yang

She is a 5th-year PhD candidate at Baylor College of Medicine. Her research focuses on delineating the mechanisms of the removal of CED-1, a phagocytic receptor, in C. elegans and its implication in phagosome maturation. Outside of the lab, she likes running, rock climbing and cooking.

Manasseh Osei

Manasseh earned his PhD in Chemistry from Rice University and is now a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. His research involves developing metal‑based compounds and porous materials that can capture and separate small molecules like carbon dioxide for cleaner energy and environmental applications. Outside of lab work, he enjoys tennis, pickleball, running 5Ks, biking Austin’s trails, and exploring the city’s live music scene.

Ciara Chen

She is a 5th year PhD candidate at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center studying the biology and progression of pancreatic cancer. When she is not PhD'ing, she loves hanging out with her cats Miu and Chui, playing tennis, spending time outdoors, and exploring Houston’s restaurants, bars, and breweries.

Rui Lui

Postdoc

Mikhail Valkov

He is a 4th year PhD candidate at Baylor College of Medicine working on novel strategies to mitigate to boost efficiency of adoptive cell therapies

Saptarsi Shai

He is a third-year PhD student at Baylor College of Medicine, where he studies the biology of chronic myeloid leukemia. His research focuses on identifying and validating leukemic stem cell–specific targets and leveraging them for novel therapeutic strategies that more effectively eradicate disease-driving cells. Outside the lab, he loves travelling—having visited ten different U.S. cities in 2025—along with cooking, listening to music, going for walks, and watching sunsets.

Mohammad Fayyad Zaman

He is a 4th year PhD Candidate at UTHealth MD Anderson Cancer Center primarily working on high-grade brain tumor therapeutics. Outside of the lab, Fayyad loves to play soccer and enjoy diverse cuisines.

Yining “Elena” Zhang

She is PhD student at Rice University with a focus on system human factors and UX. She is experienced in market research, project management, and cross functional collaboration.

Dayo "Debbie' Akinsiku

Dayo is a third-year PhD candidate in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago. Her research focuses on immunoinflammation-driven signaling pathways in corneal neovascularization, with particular interest in host-virus interactions during HSV-1 infection and how intrinsic signaling pathways regulate disease progression in the cornea. Outside of the lab, she is deeply engaged in student leadership and community building, and enjoys theatre and the arts, proudly identifying as a Broadway-in-Chicago aficionado. She also enjoys walking her dog, Giovanni, as a favorite pastime.

Zixi Yang

1)4th year PhD candidate at UTHealth Houston. 2)My research area is focusing on dynamic prediction of medical imaging using deep learning methods. 3)Exploring trendy music and styling, also learning new languages and listening to podcast,

Sophia Eloufir

Sophia Eloufir is a recent graduate of the University of Houston, where she earned her Master’s degree in Management & Leadership with a concentration in Healthcare Leadership in December 2024. Her academic and professional interests center on healthcare administration, organizational leadership, and systems-level improvement within academic and clinical environments. She is particularly interested in how strategy, policy, and leadership practices can be leveraged to improve healthcare delivery and workforce development. Outside of her academic and professional work, Sophia enjoys fitness, exploring personal finance and investing, and continuously learning through professional development and leadership initiatives.

Kai Jiang

Kai Jiang is a 5th-year Ph.D. candidate in Biostatistics at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and a Graduate Research Assistant at MD Anderson Cancer Center. He works on statistical modeling and data-driven problem solving across interdisciplinary projects. Outside of the lab, he enjoys spending time with friends, indoor climbing, and exploring the various cakes and desserts available in Houston.

Quan Mai

He is a PhD student at MD Anderson, working on exploiting radiation-induced tumor vulnerabilities by combining radiation therapy with antibody-drug conjugates against gastric and colorectal cancer. Outside of lab, he loves table tennis and piano!

Atta Chang

She is a 4th year PhD candidate at University of Toronto. Her research focuses on modelling nanoparticle retention mechanism in solid tumours. Outside of the lab, she enjoys playing the clarinet and volunteering at 180 Degrees Consulting.

Maliha Munir

Maliha is a 5th year PhD candidate at UTHealth MD Anderson, where her research focuses on engineering natural killer (NK) cells to strengthen immunotherapy responses in solid tumors. She is interested in bridging scientific discovery with business strategy to accelerate translational impact. Outside the lab, she enjoys hiking and caring for her houseplants.

Lauren Masters

Lauren is a PhD candidate at Baylor College of Medicine in the Cancer & Cell Biology program. Her research focuses on cancer genetics, with an emphasis on the mechanisms driving oncogene amplification, specifically homogeneously staining regions (HSRs). Outside the lab, she enjoys working out, reading, traveling, and exploring Houston.

Gaganpreet Kaur

She is a postdoctoral research fellow in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Mass General Brigham and Harvard Medical School. Her research focuses on endothelial cell signaling, mechanotransduction, and vascular biology, with an emphasis on flow-mediated regulation of endothelial cell phenotype. Outside the lab, she is actively involved in biotech consulting and technology commercialization, enjoys building market and financial models for early-stage innovations, and values fitness, travel, and exploring new cities.

Yinuo (Cathy) Meng

I’m a 6th-year PhD candidate at Weill Cornell Medicine studying pancreatic cancer. My thesis investigates the molecular mechanisms that maintain and drive progression of established tumors, with the goal of identifying prognostic markers and therapeutic targets to improve patient outcomes. Outside the lab, I enjoy music and dancing as part of building a life in NYC.

Ebere Okpara

Ebere M. Okpara is a 4th-year PhD candidate in Pharmacy Systems, Outcomes, and Policy at the University of Illinois Chicago. Her research focuses on health outcomes research, with an emphasis on real-world evidence generation to evaluate treatment patterns, comparative effectiveness, safety, and healthcare resource utilization, particularly in oncology diseases. Outside of research, she enjoys trying out new meal recipes and listening to Afrobeats.

Enina Egiebor

Enina is currently a third-year PhD candidate at Rice University. She conducts research on electrocatalytic biomass oxidation, focusing on innovative catalyst design to improve efficiency and sustainability in solar-to-fuel conversion processes. Outside of the lab, Enina enjoys working out, trying new things and traveling.

Sofia Tovar

Sofia Tovar is a second-year Master of Public Health student in Healthcare Management at UTHealth Houston. Her interests focus on healthcare operations, analytics, and strategy, and she has worked on projects with organizations throughout the Texas Medical Center. Outside of school, Sofia enjoys traveling, staying active, spending time with family, and learning German.