People
Principal Investigator
Soon Hon Cheong
Dr. Cheong received his DVM from University Putra Malaysia. He completed an Internship and a Residency in Ambulatory and Production Medicine before completing a second residency in Theriogenology all at Cornell University becoming board certified with the American College of Theriogenologist. He completed his Ph.D. at Cornell and stayed on as a faculty member.
Lab Manager
Lee Yoke Lee
Fall 2021-Present
Lee is the lab manager at Cheong Lab. She graduated with a Master in Natural Resources from Cornell University in May 2016. She was an environmental educator working on climate change mitigation and equitable access to learning opportunities in sustainability. Lee also has a background in conservation, where she helped communities in Langkawi and Kudat-Banggi protect their marine and coastal habitats through community-based and collaborative management approaches. She is the project lead of the Commons Biodiversity Project, which focuses on providing technical support to grassroots and research institutions in high biodiversity and resource-poor regions.
Graduate Student
Chia-Kuan Wu
Fall 2022-present
Chia-Kuan is a first-year Master’s student at Cornell University focusing on bovine SCNT efficiency, epigenetic alterations, and stem cells. He received his B.S. in Animal Science from National Taiwan University in 2017 and became a clinical embryologist in Dr. Wang’s Reproductive Fertility Center which attracts over 2000 couples annually for IVF treatments. He enjoys cooking, badminton, volleyball, and wildlife photography in his leisure time.
Undergraduates
Erik Bielski
Fall 2021-present
Erik is a Junior in CALS majoring in animal science on the pre-veterinary track. Outside of the lab, he is involved in the Cornell Pre-Veterinary Society and Herpetological Society. In his free time, Erik works as a veterinary nurse at a spay and neuter clinic where he especially enjoys participating in the Trap, Neuter, Release program for feral cat population control.
Aleksandria Dangeva
Fall 2021-present
Aleksa is a Junior in CALS majoring in Biology & Society with an Inequality Studies minor on the pre-medical track. Outside of the lab, Aleksa’s involved in the Pre-Professional Association Towards Careers in Health, Alpha Chi Omega sorority, and Rho Psi Eta pre-health sorority. In her free time, Aleksa enjoys reading, listening to music, baking, and traveling.
Claire Kim
Spring 2022-present
Claire is a sophomore at Cornell University in the College of Arts and Sciences, studying biological sciences with a minor in human development. Currently on the pre-med track, she has spent her past summers volunteering at her local hospital and receiving a Standard First Aid, CPR, and AED certification. On campus, she is involved in RCPRS, Smart is Strong Foundation, and KASA. Her other interests include going to the movies, trying new coffee drinks, and traveling.
Cassidy Beard
Fall 2022-present
Cassidy Beard is a sophomore in the School of Human Ecology majoring in Human Biology, Health, and Society, and minoring in Animal Science. She is hoping to attend graduate school after graduating from Cornell to conduct research in the field of embryology. Outside of the lab she plays field hockey, and is involved in Christain Union and FCA. In her free time, she enjoys being outside, spending time with friends and family, and cooking.