Xtraordinary Joy

Leylah Drusbosky, Ph.D., is a Medical Science Liaison at Guardant Health, a company that utilizes blood samples to guide personalized treatments in advanced cancer patients. She received her Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Florida and has expertise in next-generation sequencing, precision medicine, and translational research.

Kim Hawkins, Ph.D., is the Lead of Global Reagent Management for all vaccine R&D labs in Sanofi Pasteur. She received her Ph.D. in neuroscience at the University of Florida. She has experience investigating new treatment strategies for ischemic strokes, studying epigenetics of learning and memory, and neurogenetic viral therapy.

Coy Heldermon, MD, Ph.D., is an associate professor of medicine, board-certified medical oncologist with expertise in the treatment of breast cancer at the University of Florida. He is a member of the American Society of Hematology and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. His research expertise is in the use of gene replacement and stem cell therapies for the treatment of inherited disorders such as lysosomal storage diseases. He also studies the spread of stem cells from maternal or malignant sources using mouse models. Heldermon also serves as the faculty advisor for the Xtraordinary Joy Student Chapter at UF.

Naohiro Terada, MD, Ph.D., is professor of experimental pathology and director of the Center for Cellular Reprogramming at the University of Florida. He has published hundreds of research articles and served with numerous granting and publication agencies.