2021 Leadership Team
Matt Dysthe
President
Matt is a 4th year graduate student at Baylor College of Medicine in the Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine program. Originally from Minnesota and a graduate of University of Wisconsin-Madison, his work focuses on enhancing the efficacy of adoptively transferred NK cells in the setting of solid tumors. In his free time, he enjoys trying all of the great food Houston has to offer and hanging out with his dog.
Lindsay Teliska
VP - Education & Events
Lindsay is a 6th year graduate student at Baylor College of Medicine in the Neuroscience program. She is originally from New York, and graduated Quinnipiac University in Connecticut with a B.S. in Behavioral Neuroscience. Her current research focuses on the mechanisms of axon regeneration after injury. In her free time, Lindsay enjoys playing soccer, visiting the Houston breweries, and walking her dog Lily.
Divya Ravirala
VP - External Relations
Divya is an immuno-oncologist with more than 10 years of experience in translational oncology. She obtained her Ph.D. from University of Houston in Cell & Molecular Biology. Her research work was focused on developing immune therapeutic strategies in combination with oncolytic viruses for the treatment of solid tumors. In her free time, she enjoys baking with her family and work-out doing Zumba to keep herself fit and healthy.
Jaclyn Beckinghausen
VP - Communication
Though her interest in science began before grade school, Jaclyn's professional experience launched with her undergraduate major in Biology and minors in Chemistry and Psychology. She earned her B.S. from SUNY Brockport in Rochester, NY, not far from her hometown in Buffalo, NY, and pursued a job as a research assistant at Cornell University for two years thereafter. Now in Houston, TX, she is a 6th year graduate student of Neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine. Her project focuses on the role of the cerebellum in seizure initiation. Outside of science, Jaclyn enjoys fostering animals, horseback riding, and trying not to get sunburned in the unrelenting Houston sun.
Sydnee Spruiell Eldridge
VP - Development & Resources
Sydnee is a 4th year Ph.D. candidate in the Cellular and Molecular Biology program, with an emphasis on Neuroscience, at the University of Houston. She earned her B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of St. Thomas and her M.A. in Public Health Communication from the University of Houston. Her current research focuses on traumatic brain injury and modulating the inflammation cascade via astrocyte activation. In her spare time, Sydnee enjoys coffee and cocktails at Houston's many patio hotspots, hiking, and podcasting.