Treehouse UCSC Bioinformatics Immersion (TUBI) is a research group held by Treehouse and the Vaske lab. Researchers work in a supportive environment on bioinformatics projects related to finding novel drug targets for pediatric cancer patients using gene expression analysis.

2026 TUBI events

TUBI 2026 will meet online with hybrid options during the UCSC Winter 2026 quarter. Details are available on the application.

There will be two TUBI information sessions. The first is online only,12-1pm Wednesday November 12 2025. The second is hybrid,10am-11am Thursday November 13 in Biomed 200. Both can be access via zoom at https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/4956084165?pwd=WFN2MWIxSGt4YXFkVUdiclFLaHVpQT09.

The TUBI application is at https://forms.gle/QBm6oaTohpJcJKiRA. The application deadline is 11pm Tuesday November 19. We will let you know if you’ve been accepted by December 2 and ask you to accept or decline by December 5.

If you are interested in TUBI and other research opportunities, please join this mailing list: https://groups.google.com/u/1/a/ucsc.edu/g/treehouse-research-opportunities-group

What happens during TUBI?

Recently, undergraduate researchers have focussed on identifying mutations in gene expression data from cancer cell lines. Researchers learn to use linux, run command line programs, and review output on the command line and in the USCS Genome Browser. We spend time in 20 person groups to discuss progress and challenges as well as a larger group to discuss concepts and hear from guest speakers. We talk with a variety of guests: TUBI alumni, advocates for pediatric cancer research, and researchers in biotech, academics and clinical medicine. Most importantly, we build community where researchers are working together to learn things that might have seemed impossible just a few weeks ago. “Immersion” means getting exposure to the real-life experience of research. Immersion gives researchers the confidence that they are capable of the work, helps researchers decide if they want to do that work in the future, motivates researchers if they decide to learn all the building blocks required to do that work independently, and provides researchers with a credential to help them get more experience in the future.

What is TUBI like?

TUBI 2025 participants said:

• TUBI exposed me to new possibilities that I never considered/did not think were possible before
• As a first year, I never expected that I would be doing genomics bioinformatics research. I am so grateful
• I feel super motivated to continue clinical research and TUBI definitely opened up my perspective to that career
• TUBI was an amazing and unforgettable experience
• I had a great time getting to know about genomics

How is TUBI funded?

TUBI leadership was entirely supported by the The Helen and Will Webster Foundation via the Degree Defining Experience program in 2025. In 2026, they continued their support, and peer leaders were funded by the Dragonmaster Initiative https://www.dragonmaster.org/. Huge thanks to the fantastic Amanda Haddock! For many years, financial support for students has been raised during giving day. We are deeply appreciative of all the forms of support TUBI has gotten over the years!

“I thought most of the research was writing grants and writing papers. I didn’t know… you could get to talk to doctors about data and how it could be applied in a clinical setting!”

– Dylan Shiramizu, TUBI Alum and Research Bioinformatician at Cedars-Sinai

2024 Researchers

America Fernandez
Celeste Longo
Darlene Mendoza
Delaney Boman
Estefany Zavala Rico
Feather Ives
Gepoliano Chaves
Goodness Nwakudu
Grace Pantoja
Grant De Leon
Hope Maldonado
Jaidan Jenkins-Kiefer
Jalen Hinson
Karyme Fierros
Katherine Becker
Kayla Tiefenbach
Marcela Ceballos
Miah-Annelisa Zamora
Owen Moosman
Samantha Garcia
Valeria Barrera Verduzco
Vanessa Medel

2023 Researchers

Ainsley Smith
Amy Mcdaniel
April Knutson
Daniella Gershater
Hannah Wang
Joleen Chow
Liza Tsyvinsky
Mansi Khare
Nayeli Zozaya
Neha Nallan
Oscar Villa Cornejo
Priya Charagondla
Rachel Houlihan
Rosa Sanchez
Sasha Santilla
Sarah Khair
Soli Munoz
Tiffany Sparks
Zeltzin España

Summer 2022 researchers

Winter quarter 2022 researchers

2021 Researchers

Nia Russell  

Boi-san Nguyen

Boi-van Nguyen

Sanjana Paul