Our Team

Luis G. Carvajal-Carmona, Ph.D. is the founder and director of the LUCHA initiative, in this role he leads the team in bridging the gap between cancer prevention and engaging Latinos in research. He is a principal investigator and has extensive research expertise on cancer genetics, molecular epidemiology, health disparities and Latino population genetics. He is also an Associate Director for Basic Science and the holder of the Auburn Community Cancer Endowed Chair in Basic Science at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, a tenured Professor in the UC Davis School of Medicine and Co-Director for community engagement program for the UC Davis Clinical and Translational Science Center.

Angelica Perez, Program Coordinator with the LUCHA initiative. In this role, she coordinates and conducts efforts to document and describe Latino cancer burden, studies aimed at increasing Latino participation in research studies, and programs to increase community participation in cancer control and prevention activities. Her drive in her professional work is to motivationally educate and increase health knowledge in individuals to support in the fight against lifestyle-preventable chronic diseases. She holds a bachelor’s degree in dietetics and food administration.

Fabian Perez, M.P.H. is a Program Coordinator at the LUCHA initiative. In this role, he coordinates the development of research studies catered to under-represented communities in Northern California, along with engaging and mobilizing community partners to increase Latino participation in cancer research. Fabian plays an integral role in the statistical analysis of data from LUCHA’s community-based research, applying epidemiological principles to determine associations between lifestyle behaviors and cancer risk. Fabian holds a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Arizona with an emphasis on Health Services Management, Policy, and Epidemiology. Fabian is passionate about eliminating health disparities through systems change, Latino health issues, reducing the cancer burden on communities of color, and research on the social determinants of health.

Alexa Morales Arana is a recent graduate from the University of California, Davis where she received her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She is a Bilingual Community Outreach volunteer for the LUCHA initiative and also works as a Junior Specialist in Dr. Luis Carvajal Carmona’s laboratory in the Genome Center. Alexa is passionate about bridging community health and research to help alleviate the burden of cancer in underserved communities. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, painting, and spending time with friends and family.

Elizabeth Quino, M.P.H. is an Assistant Research Specialist with the LUCHA initiative. She holds a Master of Public Health degree from UC Davis. Her work with LUCHA centers on community and creating health equity through education, outreach, and engagement. With experience in health education, qualitative and quantitative research, she aids in the creation of new research projects and data analysis to identify new opportunities to create sustainable, ethical, and meaningful action that give communities the capacity to make informed health decisions.  Additionally, goal is to facilitate changes in health care systems to improve prevention and management of cancer and its risk factors, starting with creating equal access to screening. Elizabeth is also passionate about mentorship and encouraging students to pursue higher education.

April Vang works on data analysis at the Carvajal-Carmona Lab and for the LUCHA Initiative. She received her Bachelor of Science in Statistics with an emphasis in Data Science and a minor in Computer Science from the University of California, Davis. Vang has a background in exploratory data analysis and visualization. She also dedicated two years promoting health education and awareness to underserved communities for her time as a student officer. She is from Stockton, California. In her free time, she enjoys video making, biking, playing chess, watching home or interior design shows, and spending time with family.