Lab Members

My background is in Environmental Toxicology and Environmental Justice. My undergraduate research included analyzing the sedimentation rates and toxicity of silver nanoparticles in different freshwater mediums and analyzing seaweed contaminants along the Puget Sound. I work to ensure that my science is accessible to all, in hopes that I help bridge the gap between scientific understanding and the public. When I am not at the lab, you can find me at the dance studio, biking around town or reading a historical fiction novel. 

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I was born in L.A. and raised in Taiwan. I came back to the U.S. when I was fifteen years old. My interest has always been in the diversity of survival strategies and the evolution of interspecies interaction, so I went for a bachelor’s degree in Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution. I focused my studies and coursework on bioinformatics and biostatistics during my master’s to enrich my understanding and skills for data analysis. My previous work had mostly focused on the evolutionary history of insects. For my undergraduate research, I worked on the phylogeny of Nearctic shield-back katydids in the California Floristic Province and their relationship to the Nedubini katydids worldwide. For my master’s thesis, I utilized high-throughput sequencing of ultraconserved elements to deduce the unique geographic distribution and evolutionary history of California Channel Islands endemic ant species Aphaenogaster patruelis relative to related mainland kin. Currently, I am working on understanding the spatial distribution of bacterial in the human gut microbiome.

Giovanni Vega (he/him)

Ph.D. Student

B.S. - University of California, Santa Cruz - Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology 

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gvega6 at ucsc.edu

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Fatima Rizvi 

Ph.D. Student

B.S. - San Jose State University- Biological Sciences with a concentration in Physiology

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fzrizvi at ucsc.edu

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I was born and raised in Pakistan and later my family moved to Dubai where I completed middle and high school. Then, I came to California as an international student and completed my bachelors in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Physiology at San Jose State University. In my undergraduate research lab, I studied how bacterial cholesterol dependent cytolysins (aka pore-forming toxins) such as pneumolysin of Streptococcus pneumoniae lead to the development of bacteremia in the human host. I found that cholesterol dependent cytolysins compromise lung integrity by destroying intercellular junctions in the lung epithelial monolayer, causing it to have gaps which the bacteria can use to leave the lungs and enter the bloodstream. Now, I am studying how gut bacteria interact with immune cells. 

Alexander Newman (he/him)

Undergraduate

B.S. (in progress) - University of California, Santa Cruz - Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology 

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aynewman at ucsc.edu

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I am currently a third-year undergraduate studying Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology. I am originally from the South Bay Area.  When not at the lab or studying, you’ll find me shredding trails with my mountain biking or gaming at night with my friends. If not, I’m probably traveling internationally to sightsee in other countries.

Nikita Deshpande (she/her)
Undergraduate

B.S. (in progress) - University of California, Santa Cruz - Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology

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nsdeshpa at ucsc.edu

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I grew up in the Bay Area, and have lived in California all my life. I'm majoring in MCD Biology and beginning my third year at UCSC. My favorite things include trying new boba places, reading, and spending time with my friends and family!      

Sarah Dunwoody (she/her)
Undergraduate

B.S. (in progress) - University of California, Santa Cruz - Biology and Environmental Science

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sdunwood at ucsc.edu

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I am a third-year undergraduate majoring in Biology and Environmental Sciences. I am from the Bay Area and enjoy cooking, spending time with my friends and family, reading, and enjoying the outdoors in my free time.