MCB Students

Ama Amoakoma Agyei
Hometown: Amoanda, Ghana
Undergradaute: University of Ghana 
Graduate: University of Ghana 
Research Interests: Microbiology, Virology, Inflammation and IMmunity
Project: Rotation

Brieann Brown
Hometown: Grayling, Michigan
Undergraduate: University of Michigan, B.S. in Biology, Health, and Society; B.S. in Psychology
Research Interests: Early stage drug development, Chronic pain, Immunology
Project: in design phase

Cassandra Poole
Hometown: Virginia Beach, VA
Undergraduate: Longwood University (B.S. in Biological Science, James Madison Univeristy (B.S. in Mathematics)
Graduate: Boston University (M.A. in Teaching Mathematics)
Research Interests: Cell Signaling and Cancer, Inflammation and Immunity
Project: Investigating the immunogenic effects of High-Frequency Irreversible Electroporation (H-FIRE) in the treatment of breast cancer

Chelsea Buhler
Hometown: Dobbs Ferry, New York
Undergraduate: Virginia Tech, B.S. in Neuroscience
Research Interests: Neuroscience, Neuroendocrinology, Neurobiology in behavioral contexts
Project: Characterizing exercise-induced alterations to hippocampal oscillatory dynamics for their role in encoding the motivation for physical activity

Evan Littleton
Hometown: Chantilly, Virginia
Undergraduate: Virginia Tech, B.S. in Biological Sciences
Research Interests: Molecular Biology, Genetics
Project: Regulation of the molecular circadian clock in mammals

Foster Agyei
Hometown: Berekum, Ghana
B.S. and M.S. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Ghana
Research Interests: Microbiology, Molecular Biology
Project: Bacterial chemotaxis and motility 

Ghazal Soleymani
Hometown: Tehran, Iran
Undergraduate: Islamic Azad University - Tehran Medican Branch, Iran
Research Interests: Microbiology and Virology
Project: Antivirulence against Type IV Pilus Assembly ATPase PilB: Structure-Activity Relationship of Benserazide as a PilB inhibitor; Neisseria gonorrhea as a model of study: The T4P inhibitory assays

Grace Atkinson
Hometown: Rock Hill, SC
Undergraduate: University of South Carolina (B.S. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
Research Interests: Cell Signaling, Immunology
Project: Investigating mechanisms that maintain low-grade inflammation and innate immune memory in monocytes

Hailey Bullard
Hometown: Troutman, North Carolina
Undergraduate: Appalachian State University, B.S. in Cellular and Molecular Biology
Research Interests: Cancer work, Virology, Neurology
Project: Rotation 

Himadri Sunam
Hometown: Kalimpong, West Bengal, India 
Undergraduate: North Bengal University, Bachelor of science.                                                                                                                                    Graduate: Sikkim Manipal University, Master's in Human Anatomy
Research Interests: Cancer biology, Developmental Biology, Genetics
Project: Rotation 

Ian Taylor
Hometown: Hampstead, NC
Undergraduate: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (B.A. Biological Sciences)
Research Interests: Microbiology and Virology
Project: Development of Semliki Forest virus as an oncolytic virus treatment for glioblastoma, both through directed evolution and by introducing anticancer protein sequences into the viral genome

Isabella Foriska
Hometown: Girard, Pennsylvania
Undergraduate: MercyHurst University, Biology B.S. with a minor in chemistry 
Research Interests: Molecular mechanisms underlying microbial processes and microbial genomics
Project: Rotation

Kaylee Petraccione
Hometown: Schenectady, N.Y.
Undergraduate: Coastal Carolina University, B.S. in Biology
Research Interests: Virology, Immunology, Infectious Diseases, Molecular Biology
Project: Identification of broad-spectrum host therapeutic targets for hemorrhagic fever virus infections

Livia Osbun
Hometown: Lansing, Michigan
Undergraduate: Rollins College, BA in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology                                                                                                              Research Interests: Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Genetics
Project: Rotation

Marija Corluka
Hometown: Split, Croatia
Undergraduate: St. Olaf College, B.A. in Chemistry
Research Interests: Microbiology and Virology, Immunology and Inflammation
Project: Rotation

Rita Makhlouf
Hometown: Baakafra, Lebanon
B.S. and M.S. in Biological Sciences from Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
Research Interests: Microbiology, Virology, Gut microbiome
Project: in design phase

Ngoc Thang Tran 
Hometown: Long Hai, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Undergraduate: B. Sc in Biotechnology, International University, Vietnam National University HCMC.                                                      Graduate: M Sc. in Microbiology and Immunology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan. 
Research Interests: Viral Genetics and host interactions
Project: Rotation

Samir Chethan
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Undergraduate: Penn State University, B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Research Interests: Cell cycle control, Molecular biology, Microscopy, Cancer
Project: Expression dynamics of cyclin B

Sehasree Mohanta
Hometown: Raiganj, India
Undergraduate: Indian Association for Cultivation of Science, India; Intergrated Bachelor's- Master's (BS-MS) in science (Major Biological Sciences) 
Research Interests: Cell and Molecular Biology, Cancer Biology, Biochemistry and Genetics
Project: Rotation

Shreya Choudhary
Hometown: Kolkata, India
Undergraduate: R.V. College of Engineering, B.Tech. in Biotechnology
Research Interests: Microbiology, Genetics, Biochemistry
Project: Evolutionary covariation analysis of germination specific proteins to predict possible interacting region

Taylor Nolen
Hometown: Swedesboro, NJ
Undergraduate: Rowan University (B.S. Biologial Sciences)
Research Interests: Microbiology and Virology
Project: Investigating the mechanisms of Zika virus sexual transmission

AnnaLin Woo
Hometown: Alexandria, Virginia
Undergraduate: Virginia Tech, B.S. in Neuroscience
Research Interests: Neurobiology, Cell Signaling and Cancer, Inflammation and Immunity
Project: Roles of astrocytes and perineuronal nets in excitotoxicity and epilepsy
New position: Graduate student at the University of Virginia (moving with the Sontheimer lab)

Beatriz Pinkston
Ph.D. 2024
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Undergraduate: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, B.S. Psychology and Neuroscience
Research Interests: Neuroscience, Cell Signaling, Cancer, Immunology
New position: Breaking into the role of Medical Science Liaison

Becca Salgado
M.S. 2021
Hometown: Lake Forest, California
Undergraduate: Point Loma Nazarene University, B.S. in Biology
Research Interests: Infectious disease, immunology, virology, and public health
New position: Virology research associate at the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center

Earl Gilbert
Ph.D. 2024
Hometown: Alexandria, Virginia
Undergraduate: Virginia Tech, B.S. Neuroscience and Biology
Research Interests: Neuroscience, Molecular Biology, Genetics
New position: Postdoctoral fellow (with English lab)

Elizabeth Shupe
Ph.D. 2023
Hometown: Leonardtown, Maryland
Undergraduate: St. Mary's College, B.S. in Biology and Biochemistry
Research Interests: Neurobiology, Inflammation and Immunity, Cell Signaling and Cancer 
New Position: Patent examiner at U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Erik Akbar
Hometown: Chesterfield, Virginia
Undergraduate: Virginia Tech, B.S. in Nanoscience and Neuroscience
Research Interests: Neuroscience, Spatial Memory, Plasticity
Currently: Re-assessing personal priorities; reading, skill development, and having fun outside a lab

Jessie Rogers
M.S. 2021
Hometown: Appomattox, VA
Undergraduate: Liberty University, B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology
Research Interests: Cell biology, cell growth and division
New position: High school teacher and science mentor

Jing Ju
PhD 2024                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Hometown: Nanjng, China
Undergraduate: Nanjing Medical University, B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Graduate: Drexel University, M.S. in Cancer Biology
Research Interests: Neuroscience, Regeneration Medicine, Cell Signaling, Immunology
Project: Mechanisms of cerebrovascular remodeling, neurogenesis and innate immunity in neural injury and dysfunction following permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion

Kaiser Arndt
Ph.D. 2024
Hometown: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Undergraduate: Iowa State University, B.S. in Microbiology
Research Interests: Neuroscience, Cellular Aging
New position: Postdoctoral fellow at University of Michigan

Lata Chaunsali
M.S. 2021
Hometown: Almora, India
Graduate: M.Sc., Kumaun University, Nainital, India
Graduate: M.Phil., National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India
Research Interests: Developmental Neuroscience, Immunology, Cell Signaling
New position: Graduate student at the University of Virginia (moving with the Sontheimer lab)

Yeeun Bae
PhD 2025                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Hometown: Busan, South Korea                                                                                                                                                              Undergraduate: Gordon College, B.S. in Biological Sciences                                                                                                                                      Research Interests: Neuroscience, Behavior research                                                                                                                                    Project: Deciphering neural circuit mechanism underlying stress-induced altered pain sensation

Zach Baker                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           PhD 2025                                                                                                                                                                                                          Hometown: Hackettstown, New Jersey                                                                                                                                                              Undergraduate: Virginia Tech, B.S. in Microbiology                                                                                                                                                      Research Interests: Microbiology, Virology, Genetics                                                                                                                                Project: Bacteriophage impact on the gut microbiome 

Aaron Brock
M.S. 2023
Hometown: Palmyra, Virginia
Undergraduate: Virginia Tech, B.S. Microbiology
Research Interests: Microbiology, Cellular and Molecular Biology
Fralin Life Sciences Institute student spotlight on Aaron