Team

Nicole Simone, MD
Vice Chair, Research and Faculty Development
Margaret Q. Landenberger Professor, Departments of Radiation Oncology; and Integrative Medicine and Nutrition Sciences - Sidney Kimmel Medical College (SKMC)

Dr. Nicole Simone is the Margaret Q. Landenberger Professor and Vice Chair for Research and Faculty Development in the Department of Radiation Oncology, Associate Director for Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Jefferson Health, and radiation lead for the Jefferson Breast Care Center. She received her MD from Rutgers – New Jersey Medical School and did her radiation oncology training at the National Cancer Institute. She stayed on as staff at the National Cancer Institute where she investigated the long term toxicity caused by cancer treatment. Since that time, she has been a Physician-Scientist at Thomas Jefferson University. She incorporates the knowledge gained in the laboratory directly to patients and currently has 5 open investigator initiated clinical trials using diet for breast cancer, prostate cancer and endometrial cancer. She has authored over 70 research publications, sits on many national grant review committees, as well as national breast cancer clinical trial committees. In her role as Leader of the Cancer Risk and Control program, she has placed significant effort into community outreach and research programs to understand health disparities in the elderly, African American, LGBTQ and Asian American communities and plans to study molecular differences in the laboratory to develop new interventions to improve health equity. Her long term goal is to find creative ways to ensure each cancer patient has access to nutritional counseling.

Noelle Francois
Simone Laboratory Manager
Department of Radiation Oncology, SKMC

Noelle graduated with her bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Drexel University. After her research in the radiation sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, Noelle graduated from Thomas Jefferson University with a master’s degree in biomedical sciences. Her research interests include understanding how health disparities influences cancer rates and treatments. Her long-term goal is to become a physician.

Jenna Jacoby
Lab Technician

Jenna received her bachelor’s degree in biology from Widener University. She then went on to complete her master’s degree in reproductive science and medicine at Northwestern University. During her time at Northwestern, she worked in a lab studying PROTACs and ovarian cancer where she became interested in clinical trial studies and oncology research.

Adeseye Adekeye , MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Surgery, SKMC

Dr. Adekeye is a breast oncology surgeon. She obtained her medical degree from SUNY Upstate Medical University and completed her residency in general surgery at the University of North Dakota. At the University of Pennsylvania, she completed a fellowship in breast oncology. Dr. Adekeye helps to identify patients that will fit the criteria for current breast oncology studies. She works in the lab to identify and understand how social determinants of health affect the risk of developing breast cancer.

Ali Calderon Aparicio, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Radiation Oncology, SKMC

Ali works as a post-doctorate research fellow in the lab. Ali obtained his PhD in biochemistry from the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research. After obtaining his doctorate, Ali moved to the United States and worked at multiple universities and hospitals before working at Jefferson. Currently, Ali helps to conduct multiple research projects in the lab. His research interests include studying the role of different proteins in tumor promotion.  

Shan Xu, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Shan Xu is an accomplished cancer researcher and radiation oncologist, specializing in tumor biology, immunology, and novel drug delivery systems. He earned his Ph.D. with honors (Magna cum laude) from the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, where he focused on optimizing radiation therapy to enhance tumor response and reduce normal tissue toxicity. Dr. Xu has extensive expertise in DNA damage repair, tumor microenvironment interactions, and advanced radiotherapy techniques, including 3D-CRT, IMRT, and proton therapy. His groundbreaking research on nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems has shown promising improvements in radiation efficacy and safety in preclinical cancer models.

Throughout his career, Dr. Xu has contributed to over 20 peer-reviewed publications and collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to advance therapeutic strategies in radiation oncology. He is skilled in a wide array of laboratory techniques, including gene editing, cell culture, immunofluorescence, and bioinformatics. His knowledge of software such as R, Stata, SPSS, and various clinical data analysis tools further supports his work in oncology research. Dr. Xu’s experience spans academic research and clinical applications, bridging lab innovations with patient-centered treatment improvements.

Sara Burke, MPH
Program Manager
SKCC

After graduating from Dickinson College, Sara obtained her MPH in epidemiology from Temple University. Her interests include chronic disease epidemiology and data analysis. In the lab, she works as a clinical research coordinator and helps to manage and organize ongoing projects and is performing her own research. For SKCC, she helps coordinate the Cancer Risk and Control Program.

Sriya Sadhu
Medical School Student Researcher

Sriya is a medical student who is part of Jefferson’s BS/MD program. After finishing her undergraduate studies at Penn State, she is continuing in Jefferson at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College. Prior to starting at Jefferson, she worked at another lab focused on cancer pathophysiology and social determinants of health. She has also worked as an ophthalmic technician. Her research interests include investigating public health frameworks and utilizing preventive healthcare in medicine.

Katherine Gerber
Medical Student

Katie is a 2022 Franklin & Marshall College graduate who is currently a 3rd-year medical student at Thomas Jefferson University's Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Class of 2026. Prior to attending Jefferson, she has done research on pancreatic and colorectal cancer. Her research interests include clinical trials, patient experience improvement, and LGBTQ+ healthcare in cancer.

Jenna Rocchetti
Medical Student

Jenna received her undergraduate degree at Rutgers University and she is currently a medical student at Rowan University. Prior to starting at Rowan, she worked as a medical assistant at another cancer center. Her research interests include understanding how metabolic dysfunction affects cancer outcomes and radiation toxicities.

Tolulope Ilori
Medical Student

A second-year medical student at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU). Tolu earned her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences, with a minor in Bioinformatics, from the University of the Sciences. After graduation, she took a gap year as a Breast Oncology Clinical Research Coordinator at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, where she gained extensive experience managing clinical trials and advancing her interest in oncology. Outside school, she enjoys watching Sci-fi and spending time with friends and family.