Cesar joined the Lodato lab in April 2020 and is interested in somatic mutations and aging, specifically in skeletal muscle stem cells. He received his B.S. from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) in 2018. As an undergraduate, he worked in the Dr. Shizue Mito Lab working on synthesizing DNA intercalators for cancer therapies. He went on to join the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) Post Baccalaureate Program in 2018 and worked in Dr. Sharon Cantor’s Lab for a year. His work there focused on the development of chemoresistance in Breast and Ovarian Cancer. He officially joined UMMS in 2019 as a PhD Graduate Student. Cesar is now a student leader as the Co-Vice President of the Diversity Interest Group (DIG) at UMMS where he is highly active in promoting advocacy, inclusivity, and equity across the institution.