University of Colorado Cancer Center
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

Every month the CU Cancer Center DEI Committee recognizes a Cancer Center faculty, staff, or adjunct member for their efforts in support of the DEI mission of the CU Cancer Center.

This month we would like to highlight Katia Niño.

Katia started her higher education journey in a community college with little knowledge about biomedical research careers. She learned to use her limited resources to lift herself up and is now a PhD student in Dr. Eric Pietras’ lab.  She understands first-hand that community college students, many from groups historically under-represented (HUR) in the biomedical workforce, are a largely unrecognized pool of talent.

Since joining the Anschutz Medical Campus community, Katia has worked on "paying it forward." She is a board member of the Anschutz Medical Campus student chapter of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native American Scientists (SACNAS), which does community outreach work, including creating opportunities for local community college students to learn about biomedical research careers. In 2022, with support from the CU Cancer Center’s Cancer Research and Training Education Coordination office (CRTEC), Katia led an effort to secure funds and create a summer research experience program specifically for students from HUR groups from local community colleges, the Community College to STEM (CC2STEM) program. This summer (June 2023), Katia’s efforts bore fruit when the CU Cancer Center and the Anschutz Medical Campus welcomed the inaugural CC2STEM class to campus. Katia deserves the CU Cancer Center DEI Highlight for her tireless commitment to the diversification of the biomedical workforce.

Katia Niño