Lab Members

Gloria Cecilia Galván, PhD, earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Texas (UT) at Austin. Her dissertation work focused on the role of obesity in modulating the prostate tumor microenvironment by programming immune cells into a tumor-associated phenotype. During her doctoral studies, Galván also completed three summer clinical rotation programs including General Oncology and Phase I Clinical Trials at the START Center for Cancer Care, and Urology at the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center. Due to her interest in translational research and in the role of diet and lifestyle in prostate cancer, she joined the Freedland Laboratory as a postdoctoral scientist where she is leading a study to test the effects of carbohydrate quantity and quality on prostate cancer growth. Additionally, Galván is working on deciphering the impact of an altered cholesterol metabolism on prostate cancer growth and progression.

Alexandra Mack is a food professional with public health, academic, e-commerce and retail experience, and a history of managing teams for food, cooking, and nutrition-related organizations. Her expertise includes project management, multidisciplinary communications, teambuilding, financial analysis and strategy development. An abiding interest in the relationship between food and disease inspired her to received master degrees in public health and urban planning from the Keck and Price Schools at the University of Southern California. Mack worked on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention demonstration grants (Community Transformation Grant, Racial and Ethical Approaches to Community Health) that investigated obesity, hypertension and diabetes in underserved areas of Los Angeles. She came to the Freedland Laboratory from A Place Called Home, a community organization in South Los Angeles, where she managed the nutrition and urban agriculture programs. Mack is working to develop and administer a strategic plan for the Center for Integrated Research on Cancer and Lifestyle, including key collaborations inside and outside of Cedars-Sinai.

Sergio Sanders attended the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where he majored in biology. He joined the Freedland Lab in October 2015. As lab manager he takes care of day-to-day operations as well as assisting on projects.