Emergency Medicine Research Associates
Oscar De La Rosa
Oscar De La Rosa graduated from UCLA with a Bachelors of Science in Human Biology and Society in 2021. He joined EMRA in the Fall of 2018 and during his time in the program he was an active participant in the Mentorship Committee and Research Committee. Beyond EMRA, he was a medical scribe/translator for a family medicine clinic, a research apprentice for Carceral Ecologies, a program focused on analyzing autopsies of decedents from L.A. County Jail and creating a database to measure the frequencies and severities of inconsistencies, and a research assistant for the Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project (MICOP), a program which resulted in an oral history of the Mixteco people published in UCLA’s Oral History Library. He also has a research publication detailing the nuanced experience of undocumented Latinos in California during the COVID-19 pandemic which was awarded UCLA Library Prize for Undergraduate Research, Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences 1st Prize, in 2021. Oscar also served as the Student Engagement Director for the UCLA Office of the President, where he strived to improve accessibility to and transparency of UCLA’s Undergraduate Student Association Council (USAC), and drafted legislation voted into UCLA’s bylaws to ensure that mission remains a priority. In his free time, Oscar enjoys listening to 80s and 90s music, watching horror movies, and dancing.
Julia Vargas
Julia Vargas is a first generation Latina college graduate who obtained a BS in Biology and a minor in Spanish from UCLA in 2019. She joined the Emergency Medicine Research Department at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in 2020 as a staff research associate. Prior to this, she was a study coordinator in the Emergency Medicine Department at Olive View - UCLA Medical Center from 2018-2020. Julia has also served as a management assistant for ASUCLA in the UCLA store, where she strived to create a great customer experience and assisted in several projects within the department. During her time there she was awarded ASUCLA’s “2018-2019 Exceptional Student Performance Award”. Outside of her commitments as a staff research associate, Julia is a mother of one and enjoys spending her free time with her daughter and family, watching television and traveling.
Hena Sihota
Hena Sihota graduated from UCLA with a BS in Neuroscience in 2021 and joined EMRA in Spring 2018. She became a coordinator in Winter 2020 and spearheaded the ASTER study, Mentorship Committee, and EMRA Alumni Program. As a general member, Hena was actively involved in the Research, Mentorship, and Whole Blood Committees. Outside of EMRA, she served as the finance coordinator for SCOPE, a member of Patient Health Advocates, and one of the founding members of All Brains, a program dedicated to creating an inclusive space on campus for neurodiverse students. Hena was also a driver for the Bruinaccess van, a service that provides students and faculty with disabilities rides to and from their academic/work commitments. In her free time, Hena enjoys exploring the LA food scene with her friends, traveling, watching her favorite television shows, reading, rediscovering old music, and thrifting.
Julia Chiemi
Julia Chiemi is a fourth-year Psychobiology major at UCLA. She joined EMRA in Fall 2019 and became a coordinator in Winter 2021. She currently heads Mentorship Committee and the ASTER study. During her time as a general member, Julia was involved in the Mentorship, Research, and Education Committees. Outside of EMRA, Julia works as both a patient care coordinator and clinical researcher at a plastic and reconstructive surgery practice, where she is currently researching prophylactic use of biosynthetic mesh in reconstructive and aesthetic breast surgery. Julia also works as an MCAT Instructor, teaching students how to navigate the exam with plenty of amino acid puns. In her free time, you can find Julia chasing gains in the gym, eating sushi, and adding to an extensive Squishmallow collection.
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Emmy Dunsford
Emmy Dunsford is a fourth-year Psychobiology major at UCLA. She joined EMRA in Spring of 2020 and joined the coordinator team in Summer of 2021. Since joining, she has been a part of Education, Mentorship, and Marketing committees and is now heading Education and Social committees. Outside of EMRA, Emmy is involved in the Student Alumni Association, Neuroscience Undergrad Society, LA program and PEERS program on campus. She currently works as an admin specialist for UCLAHealth and is involved in organizations focused on the biotech area of oncology treatment. In her free time, Emmy enjoys going to the gym and continuing the search for the best bowl of ramen in LA.
Shivam Rana
Shivam Rana is a fourth-year Physiological Sciences major at UCLA, joining the coordinator team in the Summer of 2021. He has been a part of EMRA since Spring 2020, and has been involved with the Marketing committee and Research committee as a general member. Outside of EMRA, Shivam spends his time researching in the Yang Neurosurgery Lab and as an adult leader for the local Boy Scout troop. During his free time, he enjoys working out, watching TV, and cooking for his friends.
Vaibhavi Patankar
Vaibhavi Patankar graduated from UCLA with a B.S. in Molecular, Cell, Developmental Biology in Summer 2022. She joined EMRA in Fall of 2019 and became a coordinator in Summer of 2021. Vaibhavi has been involved with the Mentorship, Education, and Marketing committees over the past few years. Outside of EMRA, she is a supervisor for the Research Enhancement Office, an illustrator for the Daily Bruin, and an undergraduate research assistant in the Kitchen lab. She is also a Pre-Algebra/Algebra 1 instructor for Juni Learning and one of the content-creator leads for the health education non-profit, Bridged Health. In her free time, Vaibhavi enjoys visiting art museums with friends, searching for new Netflix shows, and watching tennis matches.
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Abhinav Vempati
Abhinav Vempati graduated from UCLA with a B.S. in Human Biology and Society in Spring 2022. He joined EMRA in Spring 2020 and became a coordinator in Winter 2022. As a coordinator, he co-heads the YPIC-SP study leads the New Member Training Committee. Before joining the leadership team, Abhi also served as a Research Committee Liaison and was heavily involved with organizing its journal clubs. Outside of EMRA, Abhi is a pre-medical fellow for a Mohs surgery and scar revision clinic in Beverly Hills, where he helps research optimal treatments for scar lifting. In his free time, you can find him reading books, cooking for his friends, and searching for the best pasta place in LA!
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Modupe Osikomaiya
Modupe Osikomaiya is a fourth-year Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology major at UCLA. She has been a part of EMRA since Fall 2020 and joined the coordinator team in Summer 2022. She currently co-heads the YPIC-SP study and is involved with Recruitment. Before becoming a coordinator, she was involved in Research and Education Committees. Outside of EMRA, Modupe is a site coordinator for SHAPE and is involved in UCLA’s Afrikan Student Union. In her free time, Modupe enjoys going to basketball games, hosting dinner parties, working out, and exploring museums in LA.
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Ibrahim Yassine
Ibrahim Yassine is a fourth-year Psychobiology major at UCLA. He joined EMRA in Spring of 2021 and joined the coordinator team in Summer of 2022. Since joining, he has been a part of Mentorship, Marketing, Research, Education, and New Members Training committees. Outside of EMRA, Ibrahim is a student researcher at the Blaisdell lab as well as a learning assistant for Psych 10. In his free time, Ibrahim enjoys skydiving, exploring new cuisines, and going to the movies.
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Sara Sandri
Sara Sandri is a third-year Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology major at UCLA. She has been a part of EMRA since Fall 2020 and joined the coordinator team in Summer 2022. She currently co-heads the Bruins Against Fentanyl project and is involved in the Mentorship, Education, and Marketing Committees. Outside of EMRA, Sara is involved in Project VFC in MESH (Medical Experience through Service and Healthcare) and is in a lab which focuses on Neurofibromatosis Type 2. In her free time, Sara enjoys cooking Italian food (specifically focaccia bread), browsing wikipedia, and working out (sometimes with her gym mom Julia).
Tarika Gujral
Tarika Gujral graduated with a BS in Psychobiology and Minor in Theater from UCLA in 2022. She joined EMRA in Fall 2018, and became a coordinator in Summer of 2022. As a general member, Tarika took part in Mentorship, Research Committee, and New Member Training. She currently co-heads the AbdCT study and is involved with Research Committee. Outside of EMRA, Tarika conducts clinical research in ophthalmology, works as a scribe and ophthalmic assistant, and coordinates an after-school enrichment program. In her free time, Tarika enjoys hitting the gym, hiking, traveling, and spending time with her dog.
