White Lab @ Cornell University

Chia-Hsin (Cindy) Hsu (DVM, MS) (PhD student) completed her PhD in the BBS program at Cornell where her work in the White Lab focused on developing strategies to overcome therapy resistance in melanoma. She is currently a postdoc in Deshka Foster’s lab at Stanford University

Tiffany Zhou (undergraduate student) was a member of the White lab from Spring 2024 through the completion of her degree of Biology and Society from the College of Arts and Sciences in 2025

Erin Yim (undergraduate student) was a member of the White Lab from Fall 2023 until her graduation in 2025

Danielle Kacaj (undergraduate student) was a member of the White Lab from Fall 2022 until her graduation in 2025

Nora is a senior from South Dakota studying biological sciences in the College of Arts & Sciences. She has been a part of the White Lab since Fall 2021, and is interested in the cellular mechanisms of skin cancer and cancer resistance. She likes to ice skate, try new restaurants, and learn how to cook in her free time!

Jiwon joined the White lab in January 2019. She is in the class of 2022 majoring in Biology and Society in CALS and minoring in Global Health. She is interested in studying medicine with a specialization in oncology, and is currently working at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as a clinical research assistant!

William is a member of the class of 2021 in the College of Human Ecology majoring in Human Biology, Health and Society. He joined the lab in August 2019 and is interested in pursuing a career as an oncologist. He is currently attending medical school. Good luck, Will!

Michelle is an AEM and Biology double major in the class of 2020, and joined the White lab in January 2018. Outside of the lab, she enjoys doing community service on campus as a member of APO, and learning how to cook for herself. Michelle helps with performing PCR genotyping in the lab. 

Luye was a graduate student in the White Lab from 2018-2023 in the BMCB program. His primary focus was on molecular mechanisms of adult stem cell activation and sexual dimorphism in UVB induced melanocyte stem cell activity.

Dah Ihm joined the lab in May 2018 as a PhD student in the BBS program. She defended her thesis titled “Defining the Roles of Macrophages in Melanoma Drug-Resistance Trajectories” in April 2023 and is now a completing training as a Lab Animal Veterinary Resident here at Cornell!

David is an Animal Science major in the class of 2020.  He began working with the White lab in January of 2018 through his graduation.

Jerry is a member of the Class of 2020 in the College of Human Ecology studying Human Biology, Health, and Society. He joined the lab in January of 2017 and is interested in understanding the extrinsic and intrinsic factors involved in cancer initiation. Jerry is currently attending the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Mackenzie worked with the White lab from June-August 2019 as part of the Veterinary Investigators Program (VIP). She studies at Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences and will graduate with a DVM in 2022. Her research interests include stem cells and cancer initiation. Outside of academics , she enjoys traveling and hiking .

Lab Alumni -Nicole joined the lab during her Junior year in January 2016, and assisted with genotyping and histology procedures such as cryosectioning and immunofluorescence until her graduation in 2017. Good luck in Med School, Nicole!

Elizabeth Lavin, Cornell DVM class of 2021 was a White Lab member during the summer of 2018. Since completing her DVM, she has completed a lab animal residency and a M.S. in Epidemiology, both at Cornell!

Sunny worked as a postdoctoral associate in the White lab from February 2015 until April 2019. He currently works as a Senior Scientific Lead at Loxo@Lily