We are excited to introduce the Jan Maudlin Sarcoma Scholars for the 2023-2024 academic year from Mayo Clinic. The Jan Maudlin Scholars Program awards annual scholarships for medical students to support Rein in Sarcoma’s goal of educating the medical community and public about sarcoma cancers. Thanks to the generosity of Jan and Tim Maudlin!
It is time to meet Julia and Conan!
Conan Zhao
Conan completed his undergraduate degrees in physics and math at Washington and Lee University, where he learned how much he disliked pipetting, but loved leveraging mathematical and computational approaches to understand biological systems. This led him to pursue a Ph.D. in Quantitative Biosciences at Georgia Tech, where he studied cystic fibrosis microbiomes under the guidance of Dr. Sam Brown. His research spans microbiomics, epidemiological modeling and medical AI. As a medical student at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Conan aims to merge microbiomics, AI, and clinical oncology, with aspirations to one day lead his own cancer informatics lab.
Outside of medicine, Conan plays piano in a band with his fellow medical student. Conan has been heavily involved in international student advocacy and mentorship, drawing from his own experiences as a first-generation immigrant.
As a Sarcoma Scholar and co-leader of the MCASOM Oncology Interest Group, Conan is eager to join the Rein In Sarcoma community and encourage his fellow medical students to pursue careers in oncology.
Julia Debertin
Julia completed an undergraduate degree in International Relations and a master’s degree in Public Health from Tufts University, with a thesis in cancer epidemiology. During this time, she developed a passion for working at the intersection of broader social systems and individual needs, in the context of health equity. Entering medical school as a first year at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Julia was drawn to the field of oncology and began to engage in shadowing opportunities and oncology research projects.
