Cecilia is majoring in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology with a speciality in computing. She is passionate about integrating advancements in chemistry to design and study unique biological systems, as she does with the Spokoyny group in the Chemistry and Biochemistry department of UCLA. Under the guidance of PhD candidate Yueying Wang, she is studying how anatomically precise boron clusters can be used as broadband carriers to deliver non-cell permeable payloads to human cells. Her work focuses on how halogenated boron cages may interact with cell membranes via the super chaotropic effect to deliver metal based fluorescent dyes. After completing her undergraduate degree at UCLA, she plans to pursue a PhD to further hone the scientific skills she hopes to develop during the course of the Beckman Scholars program. In her free time she enjoys running, yoga, and exploring the best of LA’s food scene.