Celebrating Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University Graduates

Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University will award professional certificates to the first graduates of the Chuck Lorre Allied Health School at its annual commencement ceremony on June 10. The students are among 40 graduates who will be awarded certificates, doctoral degrees or master's degrees as part of the university's 14^th graduating class.

The allied health school prepares students-particularly those from Southern California's underserved communities and Cedars-Sinai employees-for healthcare careers.

Jessica Chung, 29, is one of five students graduating from the allied health program, established with a $30 million gift from the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation. She is completing the Clinical Laboratory Scientist Program, which prepares students with the innovative skills, clinical practices and procedural techniques needed for a successful career in a hospital laboratory.

"The training experience has been challenging but highly rewarding," said Chung, a Pasadena resident. "Working as a clinical laboratory technician inspired me to grow professionally and make a greater difference in patient care."

Chung, who holds a bachelor of science degree in molecular, cell and developmental biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, praised the instruction she received throughout the program.

"My Cedars-Sinai instructors generously shared their knowledge and gave me a deeper appreciation for how every part of the laboratory works together to support patients," Chung said. "I look forward to developing my skills further and mentoring new specialists entering the field."

The graduating class also includes students receiving a doctorate in biomedical and translational sciences, a master of science in health systems, and a master of science in magnetic resonance in medicine. The graduate programs combine scientific and translational medicine curricula with dedicated mentorship from scientists and clinicians.

Peter L. Slavin, MD, president and CEO of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Cedars-Sinai Health System, will serve as a commencement speaker.

"This year's ceremony marks a significant milestone in the continued growth of our health sciences university," Slavin said. "With this graduating class and the ones that follow, our university will expand its contribution to biomedical science, clinical care, practitioner advancement and a rich variety of healthcare careers."

Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University was established in 2024 to prepare generations of academic scientists, physician leaders and allied health professionals for the future of healthcare and biomedical science.

Shlomo Melmed, MB, ChB, executive vice president of Academic Affairs and dean of the Medical Faculty at Cedars-Sinai, said graduates will use their training to shape healthcare delivery and scientific advances.

Melmed played a foundational role in establishing the Cedars-Sinai Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and the health sciences university.

"Our graduates immersed themselves in basic and translational research and helped spur innovation, discovery and creative scholarship at Cedars-Sinai and beyond," Melmed said. "We are delighted to watch the many ways they bring their training to myriad disciplines."

Melmed will be honored during the ceremony for 46 years of extraordinary service to Cedars-Sinai. He transitions to the role of dean emeritus of the Medical Faculty and executive advisor to the president and CEO at the end of 2026.

Melmed and other commencement speakers said the university's students gain a better understanding of human disease and how best to treat individuals and populations, enhance disease prevention and elevate the overall health of communities.

"Our university brings an energy and enthusiasm unique to Cedars-Sinai," said Jeffrey A. Golden, MD, executive vice dean of Research and Education who also helped found the health sciences university. "This energy is best exemplified by the graduates we get to recognize at commencement-innovators in healthcare delivery, pioneers of medical technologies and forward-thinking leaders who are now equipped to solve the many mysteries of medicine."

The first graduates from the Chuck Lorre Allied Health School include clinical laboratory scientists Melissa Amy Casillas and Jessica Chung, and pharmacy technicians Mehdi Allahbakhsh, Fariba Fazeli and Jayson Flores.

The class of 2026 of master of science in health systems graduates includes Brianna Garcia; Claudia Carrillo; Alexa Schroer; Elisa M. Ditman; Fiorella Agredas; Ayako Ikenouchi; Elizabeth LeeAnn Jackson; Jigna Dhyani, MSHS; Katherine Eckert; LaShon Heidelberg; Michael Fine; Michelle E. Riley, PA-C; Rainier Francisco Pizarro; Ranjalika Aashna Devi; Rongsen Li; Samaneh Samadi; Julio Silvestre, MD; Jenna Mattinson; Sheree Wynn; Ta'Nia J. Harris, BSBA, CIIP; Thomas J. Hoffmann; and Harmon Arthur Clarke Jr.

Doctor of philosophy in biomedical and translational sciences graduates include Alicia Gamboa, Sehrish Javed, Arati Naveen, Michael Edison P. Ramos, Fardad Serry, Vaishnavi Devarakonda and Jianhang Zhou.

Master of science in magnetic resonance in medicine graduates include Dante Rigo de Righi, Angel Liu, Yimeng He, Sophia Katherine Mostowy, Chen Wang and Yufeng Wang.

Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University is advancing groundbreaking research and educating future leaders in medicine, biomedical sciences and allied health sciences. Learn more about the university.