Medical Student
University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Medicine
Lillian van Biljon, BS, is a third-year medical student at the University of Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC) School of Medicine. She earned her undergraduate degree from Missouri State University, majoring in Cell and Molecular Biology with minors in Chemistry and Mathematics. Lillian has conducted and published research on ovarian cancer and chemoresistance, and her academic interests continue to center on her medical education, cancer research, women’s health, and surgical innovation. She currently contributes to UMKC’s Surgical Innovation Lab and is involved in multidisciplinary collaborations with the Department of Human Factors & Behavioral Neurobiology at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Her current work explores psychological safety in the operating room and human factors that impact surgical team performance.