Convergence Scholars

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November 2, 2021. The MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine and the Marble Center for Cancer Nanomedicine are pleased to announce the 2021-2022 class of Convergence Scholars. The Convergence Scholars Program (CSP) fosters the development of a new type of scientist—one who understands a broad range of disciplinary approaches, is able to ask creative questions, and is trained to answer those questions with diverse tools. By preparing postdocs for life beyond the bench, the CSP helps young scientists hone the skills they need to succeed within and beyond the academic setting.

CSP Scholars receive training, mentors, insights, and inroads into careers in academia, industry, health care, the policy arena, and federal research or regulatory agencies. Building upon on strong partnerships between the Koch Institute, the MIT community, and industry and clinical partners around greater Boston, the Scholars gain critical knowledge about the clinical development life cycle, policy and regulation, technology transfer, education and outreach, business and finance, and clinical practice. The Scholars participate in professional development workshops to enhance their communication, science management, and science leadership skills, and also receive a stipend for supplemental professional activities and travel.  Since its inception in 2017, the CSP has offered postdoctoral fellows the opportunity to explore their futures more deeply and thoughtfully, and as a result has launched many careers in academia and industry. 

2021-2022 CPCM Scholars: (top, left to right): Chun-Chin Chen, Angela Ahn, Matt Henley; (bottom, left to right): Jason Yu, Johny Chen

  • Ryuhjin (Angela) Ahn, White Lab: Using phosphoproteomics, systems and molecular biology approaches, Ryuhjin seeks to understand the balance between pro- and anti-tumorigenic immune responses that are regulated by the interplay of microglia and brain cancer.
  • Chun-Chin Chen, Hemann Lab: Chun-Chin studies the role of genome instability in blood cancer, focusing in particular on the leukemia susceptibility in children with Down syndrome.
  • Jung-Kuei (Johny) Chen, Yaffe Lab: Johny’s research aims to decipher the molecular mechanism and signaling in DNA/RNA damage responses, with the goal of identifying diagnostic and therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.
  • Matthew Henley, Koehler Lab: Matthew is interested in the development of proteolysis targeting chimaeras (PROTACs) for the "undruggable" transcription factor PAX3-FOXO1 in rhabdomyosarcoma, a devastating childhood cancer with poor survival rates.
  • Jason Yu, Manalis Lab: In his research, Jason seeks to understand how biophysical properties change immune cell activation and differentiation in tumors.