Four scholarship recipients combine medicine with mentorship and science with service.

From authoring a bilingual STEM coloring book to mentoring biotechnology students at Los Angeles Mission College, this year’s scholarship recipients in USC’s stem cell master’s program are using science to innovate and uplift others.

“Even though they’re still early in their own educational and professional journeys, our students have shown an exceptional commitment to giving back to their communities and encouraging the next generation to pursue paths in STEM,” said Francesca Mariani, faculty director of the master’s program.

Supported by the Office of the Dean of the Keck School of Medicine of USC, the Dhablania-Kim family and an anonymous donor who established the Cardinal Fellowship, the scholarships recognize students who not only succeed academically, but also drive innovation and expand opportunities for others.

This year’s recipients are Dean’s Fellow Erik Gutierrez and Cardinal and Dhablania-Kim Fellows Logan Beharry, Ken Furuichi and Brian Rubio.

“Together, these four scholars represent the next generation of stem cell scientists at USC, driven not only by discovery, but by a commitment to expanding who benefits from it,” said Mariani.

Dean’s Fellowship

Erik Gutierrez

Erik Gutierrez grew up in the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles area, graduating from North Hollywood Senior High School. A first-generation college graduate, Gutierrez earned a Bachelor of Science in biology with an emphasis in cellular and molecular biology from the University of California, Merced.

As a National Science Foundation (NSF) fellow, he conducted research on engineered membrane-bound compartments with Anand Subramaniam at the Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Machines and studied fungi-plant symbiosis in Carolin Frank’s laboratory, experiences that deepened his interest in how cells function and adapt.

After graduation, he worked as a research associate focused on inflammation and metabolic disease at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He later served as an industrial hygienist testing for lead, asbestos, mold and other hazards with Ellis Environmental Management, before accepting a position as a laboratory assistant with Certified Group.

He earned a certificate as a biotechnology lab technician from Los Angeles Mission College, and then returned to serve as an informal mentor and teaching assistant for the program’s next cohort, reflecting his commitment to paying forward the support he received.

While pursuing his Master of Science degree in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine at USC, he conducted research on the genetic mechanisms that drive stem cells to differentiate into lung-like cells at the Hastings Center for Pulmonary Research. He then began working as a senior quality assurance specialist at Cardinal Health, where he oversees the safety and regulatory compliance of the radioactive drugs used in PET scans.

“Without my fiancée and mentors, I would not be where I am today,” he said, emphasizing that science is never a solo journey.

His long-term goal is to launch a biotechnology company in the greater Los Angeles area that develops treatments for chronic diseases.

Cardinal and Dhablania-Kim Fellowships

Logan Beharry

Logan Beharry completed his Bachelor of Science in biology at Caltech.

His experience living with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome inspired his interest in studying the human body and sparked his commitment to developing innovative solutions for patients.

“It made me a natural problem solver,” he said.

He began pursuing research in high school with a project on rheumatoid arthritis. Since then, he has interned in Martin Picard’s Mitochondrial Psychobiology Lab at Columbia University and at biotechnology companies, including Pfizer and A2 Biotherapeutics.

At Caltech, he conducted research in Mikhail Shapiro’s lab and in Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz’s lab. His senior thesis focused on developing a novel, noninvasive imaging technique to visualize embryo implantation, a process that fails in approximately 30 percent of pregnancies.

Beharry has also consistently looked beyond the bench. He served as an Admissions Ambassador and Research Reviewer, advocating for students with unconventional paths into STEM.

Through Caltech’s Office of Technology Transfer and Corporate Partnerships internship program (OTTCP), he investigated how to commercialize a sensor that detects a form of estrogen in sweat, developed by Wei Gao’s lab. He also received the Bill Gross Prize for Entrepreneurship for IND CoPilot, a machine learning tool designed to streamline the regulatory process required to gain FDA approval to begin testing new drugs in humans.

More recently, he began serving as a founding engineer for the company Novaflow, which is using AI to automate data analysis for biology labs.

After earning his Master of Science in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine at USC, his long-term goals include launching a health technology startup and founding a research institute focused on Ehlers-Danlos syndromes.

Ken Furuichi

Whether in the lab or in an ambulance, Ken Furuichi has focused on serving others.

Furuichi earned his Bachelor of Science in neuroscience from the University of California, Riverside.

As an undergraduate researcher, Furuichi pursued his strong interest in neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly Fragile X syndrome. In Iryna Ethell’s lab, he studied the role of the brain’s supporting cells, called astrocytes, and the neurotransmitter GABA in forming and remodeling the connections between nerve cells, known as synapses.

He worked to inspire the next generation’s interest in STEM by serving as president of BROTHERS, a student organization aimed at motivating youth to pursue STEM education,  and led outreach events as a science ambassador for the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

His commitment to service extended to the broader community through his volunteer roles as an emergency medical technician (EMT) with Highlander EMS and as a member of the Substance Use Committee at Inland Empire Street Medicine Clinic, which provides education and clinical care for people experiencing homelessness.

After earning his Master of Science in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine at USC, Furuichi plans to pursue an MD, while continuing to engage in research in neuroscience.

“I’m particularly interested in using stem cell-derived organ models called organoids to study the mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases,” he said, “and to explore potential regenerative therapies.”

Brian Rubio

Brian Rubio sees science as an avenue for access to health care.

A first-generation college student, Brian Rubio graduated with university honors in biological sciences, with an emphasis in cellular and developmental biology, from California State University, Fullerton.

At Cal State Fullerton, he conducted research on the microbiome and aging in fruit flies in Parvin Shahrestani’s lab, where he also mentored junior researchers. Expanding into translational medicine, he later joined Rady Children’s Health of Orange County,, where he co-authored a clinical research manuscript on a machine learning model designed to predict remission in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

As a CSU STEM-NET Edison Fellow, he presented his research at conferences including the Southern California Conference for Undergraduate Research (SCCUR) and the CSU Edison STEM-NET Student Research Symposium.

Beyond the lab work, he is deeply committed to expanding access to STEM education. For his Honors Senior Project, he authored and illustrated a STEM-themed children’s coloring and activity book to promote early science exposure in underserved communities.

He also founded and organized the first Multilingual Symposium for Cal State Fullerton’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, creating an inclusive space for students to present their work while celebrating their cultural identities.

In addition, he served as the inaugural Resident Advisor for the Latinx-themed floor Titans Unidos, and as Vice Chair of Associated Students, Inc.

He is currently pursuing his Master of Science in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine at USC. After graduation, he plans to apply to medical school to become a pediatric physician.

“I’d like to dedicate my career to advancing equitable and innovative patient care,” he said.