Dr. Destiny V.

At Spelman College, Dr. Van’s academic excellence was recognized with awards and scholarships, including a second-place award at Spelman’s RISE START Program Symposium, the Procter & Gamble Scholarship, and the Women in Science and Engineering Undergraduate Program Scholarship. During her undergraduate years, she also developed an early commitment to mentorship by training peers in cell culture and foundational laboratory techniques.

During her doctoral training at Cornell University, Dr. Van continued to build research and leadership experience and received an Honorable Mention for the Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship. She also supported undergraduate researchers through professional development and diversity-focused initiatives, including mentoring historically underrepresented students through Cornell’s Graduate Student Mentoring Undergraduates program to prepare them for graduate studies. As an executive member of Cornell’s Expanding Your Horizons program, she engaged young girls in STEM through mentorship, discussions on biomedical research, and hands-on experimental design activities.

Dr. Van’s research background is grounded in molecular and biochemical approaches to understanding disease mechanisms, and she is known for her technical expertise, collaborative approach, and research leadership. With five years of mentorship experience, Dr. Van meets students where they are and creates supportive, low-stress learning environments that encourage curiosity, questions, and scientific independence. Her mentorship style emphasizes positive reinforcement and interactive discussions to build research skills, critical thinking, and confidence. She has supported students through research in biochemistry, molecular biology, cancer biology, and cell biology, helping trainees strengthen both technical foundations and professional development.