The Team
Meet our fabulous lab members!
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Post-Doc
Adit Alreja
Having obtained his Ph.D. in the Nelson Group at the Institute for Bioscience & Biotechnology Research (IBBR), his work has focused on uncovering the molecular mechanisms of endolysins. His research has led to the discovery and characterization of a novel endolysin targeting Streptococcus pneumoniae displaying biofilm eradication ability, a patent for which is being filed by the University of Maryland. He is currently serving as a Post-Doc and eventually hopes to seek scientist positions in the Biotechnology/Pharmaceutical industry.
Full-time Research Assistant/Lab Manager
Isha Vashee
Isha is a recent graduate with a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Maryland, College Park. Isha has experience in developing an endolysin to attack Gardnerella, the bacterium that causes Bacterial Vaginosis, as well as researched the effect of severe COVID-19 infection on the hamster lung and heart proteome. She is currently taking a gap year while applying to both MD and MD-PhD programs, with the hopes of becoming a future physician-scientist.
Part-time Research Assistant
Maeve Engelbride
Maeve is a recent graduate from the University of Maryland, College Park with a BS in Biological Sciences. Throughout her undergraduate experience at the University of Maryland, she did research on Pseudomonas aeruginosa's ability to form biofilms on the inner lumen of catheters in chronic Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections under the guidance of Dr Cherisse Hall. Maeve is currently applying to PhD programs along the east coast with the hopes of becoming a professor in a life sciences program.
Graduate Student
Nakia Fallen
Nakia graduated from Virginia Tech in 2022 with a B.S. in Experimental Neuroscience. After graduating, she worked at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine as a research assistant/lab manager in an NMDA receptor pharmacology laboratory. She worked ob projects studying the effects of a novel NMDAR subunit-selective potentiator in GRIN mutations, nociception, and Anti-NDMAR encephalitis, as well as the effects of mechanical stimulation on lymphatic flow in the brain using rat models of Alzheimer's Disease. She is currently a graduate student in the BISI program pursuing a PhD aligning with her research interests of microbial genetics, inflammation, and the gut-microbiome. After (hopefully) obtaining her PhD, she would like to continue her scientific career working on biotherapeutic means of treatments for inflammatory diseases in government or industry!
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Graduate Student
Cody Conrad
Cody earned his B.A. in Spanish and Biology from the University of Florida and commenced his research career in shark ecology. He then pursued aquatic animal infectious disease research at the University of Florida and earned an M.S. in Veterinary Medical Science. Upon graduation he conducted research at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, studying the evolution of the papillomavirus replication proteins. During his PhD, he is interested in developing novel therapeutics for cancer at the intersection of oncology, virology, immunology, and synthetic biology.
Undergraduate Student
Aryaan Duggal
Aryaan is an undergraduate student at the University of Maryland, College Park working towards a B.S. in Cell Biology and Genetics. Aryaan has previously worked on researching potential cancer therapeutics using viral particles and also worked with clinical patient data during a summer at Children's National Hospital. He is also currently planning on applying to both MD and MD-PhD programs for a future of research and patient care as a hopeful physician-scientist.
Undergraduate Student