Our Fellows

Christopher Anderson, PhD

UC President's Postdoctoral Fellow

Laboratory of Dr. Andrew McCulloch
Department of Bioengineering 

Due to the lack of endogenous regenerative capacity of the post neonatal heart, this organ usually responds to mechanical injury by cellular and matrix remodeling events. While at first beneficial, these compensatory remodeling events eventually lead to decompensation of heart function for unknown reasons. My research leverages stem-cell, tissue engineering and computational modeling approaches to better understand how communication between key immune and stromal cells interact with cardiomyocytes to control the transition from compensation to decompensatory remodeling of the heart.

Cindy Barba, PhD

Laboratories of Dr. Mana Parast and Dr. Kathleen Fisch 
Department of Pathology, Department of Ob/Gyn & Reproductive Sciences

TGFβ dysregulation has been observed during preeclampsia, a serious medical condition that can occur during pregnancy. I am investigating how certain mutations found in proteins from the TGFβ latent complex alter TGFβ activity in mesenchymal stem cells from individuals with preeclampsia. 

Christian Cazares, PhD

UC San Diego Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellow

Laboratory of Dr. Bradley Voytek
Department of Cognitive Science

Throughout the animal kingdom, social species establish social hierarchies and use social rank to guide the appropriate expression of dominance behaviors that are critical for survival. My research uses mouse models to characterize how orbitofrontal cortex neurons process social ranking information and evaluate how their interactions with serotonergic systems influence the expression of social dominance behaviors. Developing a better understanding of the neuronal mechanisms governing the appropriate expression of social behaviors will provide great value to clinicians and translational researchers wanting to treat impairments in control of social behaviors that are found in psychiatric disease.

Sedelia Dominguez, PhD

Laboratory of Dr. Fabian Rivera-Chavez
Department of Pediatrics

My research focuses on understanding the interactions that contribute to the survival of Vibrio cholerae, which is a bacteria that causes the severe diarrheal disease known as cholera. I am specifically investigating how the bacteria evades intestinal immunity to promote its survival. By investigating these mechanisms, we will gain insight into how to develop cost-effective therapeutics to treat intestinal bacterial infections.

Hailey Edwards, PhD

Laboratory of Dr. Deborah Yelon
Division of Biological Sciences

My research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms that specify the identity of different cardiac populations during embryonic development. My project specifically focuses on the molecular pathways involved in the specification of cardiac pacemaker cells, a small population of specialized cardiomyocytes that are essential for maintaining a normal cardiac rhythm.​​​​

Matthew Ellis, PhD

Laboratories of Dr. Farah Sheikh and Dr. Andrew McCulloch
Department of Medicine

My research focuses on cardiac conduction and physiology, with an emphasis on understanding the basis for arrhythmogenic disease. By increasing our knowledge of irregular heart patterns, we can better devise treatments and interventions for patients.

Anneliese Gest, PhD

Laboratory of Dr. Jin Zheng
Department of Pharmacology 

My research involves the development of novel fluorescent tools to study protein kinase activity. New tools will enable us to understand how kinases function in a broader variety of living systems. I am particularly interested in applying these tools to study kinase activity in the context of mitochondrial dysfunction.

Alexandria Hoffman, PhD

Laboratory of Dr. Victor Nizet
Department of Pediatrics

Sepsis is responsible for one third of hospital deaths in the United States. My research applies novel bio-mimicking nanotechnology to the treatment of immune dysfunction during sepsis with the goal of improving survival and quality of life after sepsis diagnosis.

Debbie Ledezma, PhD

UC San Diego Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellow

Laboratory of Dr. Nicole Steinmetz
Department of Nanoengineering

My research focuses on the immune response and antitumor effects of cancer vaccines based on plant viral nanoparticles. A better understanding how cancer vaccines modulate tissue immunity, in both the tissue and the lung, will help identify novel potential targets to prevent tumor and disease progression through vaccination.

Francisco Méndez Díaz, PhD

Laboratory of Dr. Kevin Corbett
Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine

My research determines how sister homologs are stabilized and maintained, particularly by chromosomal axis core proteins, to promote genome stability throughout the meiotic process. Specifically, I am utilizing yeast genetics, biochemistry, and structural biology to determine how the axis core protein Red1 and the meiotic cohesin complex interact together to take part of chromosome axis assembly. My research will contribute to the field of meiosis by providing new insights into chromosome axis assembly, a requirement for driving meiosis.

Caitlin Miller, PhD

UC San Diego Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellow

Laboratories of Dr. Dhananjay Bambah-Mukku and Dr. Eran Mukamel
Department of Psychology, Department of Cognitive Science

Pregnancy has been characterized as a period of profound neuroplasticity, which is likely critical for adapting to the physiological, social, and cognitive demands of pregnancy and parenthood. My research investigates the cellular-level molecular changes initiated in the brain during pregnancy, and how genetic remapping of neural circuits transforms maternal physiology and behavior. Specifically, I focus on a hypothalamic brain region in laboratory mice that mediates maternal behaviors and undergoes molecular plasticity during pregnancy.

Alexia Perryman, PhD

Laboratory of Dr. Laura Crotty Alexander
Department of Medicine

There are several new and emerging public health issues impacting respiratory health such as vaping. My research examines the mechanisms underlying respiratory and systemic effects of e-cigarette use.

Julio Pimentel, PhD

Alexis Reyes, PhD

Laboratory of Dr. Randy Hampton
Division of Biological Sciences

I investigate membrane protein structure and function. My project aims to determine the structural changes that regulate 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarylcoenzyme A reductase, which is the rate limiting enzyme in the mevalonate biosynthetic pathway.

Alyssa Rodriguez, PhD

Laboratory of Dr. Kevin Corbett
Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine

Issues in meiosis can lead to miscarriages, cancer, and chromosomal abnormalities in humans. To ensure the successful transfer of genetic information from one generation to the next, DNA recombination must coordinate programmed double stranded DNA breaks via chromatin interacting proteins. I investigate the chromatin binding region of metazoan HORMA domain (HORMAD) containing protein Hop1 and how it interacts with chromatin structurally and functionally, utilizing structural biology and biochemical techniques.​

Priscila Rodriguez, PhD

Laboratories of Dr. Ben Croker and Dr. Hal Hoffman 
Department of Pediatrics

My research focuses on Cocccidioides, a dimorphic fungus that grows in the soil and affects the lungs of animals. More specifically, it examines the relationship between bone-marrow derived macrophages and Coccidioides and the pattern-recognition receptors involved in the recognition of Coccidioides. This research will help us better understand the innate immune response to Coccidioides.

Lamar Thomas, PhD

UC President's Postdoctoral Fellow

Laboratory of Dr. Victor Nizet
Department of Pediatrics

My research focuses heavily on microbiology and immunology. My current project aims to develop and assess vaccine candidates for group A and group B streptococcal infections in women and young children.

DaNae Woodard, PhD

Laboratory of Dr. Radha Ayyagari
Department of Ophthalmology

My research focuses on understanding the molecular and genetic causes of vision threatening diseases. Using a combination of molecular genetics and cell biology approaches, we aim to identify the genetic basis of disease in human and animal models with retinal dystrophies and understand the pathways that lead to degeneration, with the ultimate goal of developing therapies that prevent blindness.​