Lab Members
I was born in Kansas City, Kansas and raised in San Jose, California. I got my undergraduate degree here at UC Santa Cruz where I got my Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. My undergraduate research primarily focused on understanding how mutations of the protein inhibitor p16 affect its role in cell cycle regulation and how that plays a larger role in glioma formation. In the future I hope to work towards becoming a PhD candidate. In my free time I enjoy reading, crocheting, and swimming.
Myrka Carmona (she/her)
Specialist
B.S.
University of California, Santa Cruz Biochemistry
mmcarmon at ucsc.edu
I am a third year undergraduate student majoring in MCD Biology. I was born in Ohio and raised in Santa Cruz, California. In my free time, I enjoy reading, crocheting, listening to music, and exploring all of the beaches and state parks that Santa Cruz has to offer.
Natalie Cellucci (she/her)
Undergraduate
B.S. (in progress)
University of California, Santa Cruz
Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Koret Research Scholar
ncellucc at ucsc.edu
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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.
Bo Huey (Charles) Chiang (he/him)
Ph.D. Student
B.S.
University of California, San Diego
Ecology, Behavior and Evolution
M.S.
University of California, San Diego
Biology
bcchiang at ucsc.edu
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.
Sarah Dunwoody (she/her)
Undergraduate
B.S. (in progress)
University of California, Santa Cruz
Biology and Environmental Science
Undergraduate Research In Science & Technology (URST) Awardee
sdunwood at ucsc.edu
I was born in Colorado and raised in Wisconsin. I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison with a Bachelors of Science while majoring in Microbiology. My research there mainly focused on the production of Aflatoxins from specific molds that grow in agriculture and how to reduce the toxicity in order to reduce food waste in the US. I continued my food research in Silicon Valley where I gained more insight into food safety and quality. I decided to segway into a more entrepreneurial based role to gain experience in creating and managing a team, before deciding to combine those skills with my research skills and interests in how the diet impacts the human gut microbiome. Thus, I joined the Patnode Lab at UCSC in 2022. When I am not in the lab, you can find me either surfing, running or walking my dog Millie.
Meghan Graham (she/her)
Specialist
B.S.
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Microbiology
mgraham1 at ucsc.edu
Michael grew up in the Seattle area, and completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Washington. He moved to University of California, San Francisco for graduate training in the lab of Dr. Steven Rosen where he focused on immunology and glycobiology. He carried out post-doctoral work with Dr. Jeffrey Gordon at Washington University in St. Louis, exploring how host diet shapes gut microbial communities, before joining the faculty in the METX Department in November 2020.
Michael Patnode (he/him)
Assistant Professor
B.S.
University of Washington
Biochemistry
Ph.D.
University of California, San Francisco
Biomedical Sciences
Postdoctoral Fellowship
Washington University in St. Louis
PatnodeLab at ucsc.edu
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 Systems 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 destroy the lung epithelium and cause bacteremia in the human host. Now, I am studying how the food that we eat interacts with the gut immune system.
Fatima Rizvi (she/her)
Ph.D. Student
B.S.
San Jose State University
Biological Sciences
with a concentration in Physiology
fzrizvi at ucsc.edu
Samridhi Semwal (she/her)
Undergraduate
B.S. (in progress)
University of California, Santa Cruz
Human Biology
ssemwal at ucsc.edu
I was born and raised in San Diego and then moved to Santa Cruz for my bachelor’s degree at UC Santa Cruz. My undergraduate research focused on Wolbachia, a vertically transmitted bacteria that manipulate its host’s reproductive system via different mechanisms to maximize their spread. One mechanism is called cytoplasmic incompatibility, which is what I focused on. Now I’m studying the interactions between microbes and antibodies in our gut and how different factors influence these antibodies’ production.
Giovanni Vega (he/him)
Ph.D. Student
B.S.
University of California, Santa Cruz
Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
gvega6 at ucsc.edu
Lab Alumni
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!
Nikita Deshpande (she/her)
Specialist
(2022-2023)
B.S. - University of California, Santa Cruz - Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
Undergraduate Research In Science & Technology (URST) Awardee
Current pursuits: Master's in Public Health
I was born and raised in the Bay Area. I will be transferring from Hartnell college to CSUMB where I will be majoring in molecular biology. In my free time I enjoy fishing, spending time outdoors, and being with friends and family.
Loreli Gonzalez (she/her)
Undergraduate
(2023; ACCESS Student)
B.S. (in progress) - California State University, Monterey Bay - Molecular Biology
lgonz124 at ucsc.edu
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.
Nicolette Hernandez-Kaempf (she/her)
Specialist
(2021-2023)
B.S. - Western Washington University - Environmental Toxicology
Minor - Environmental Justice
Current Pursuits: Cabrillo College (Pre-nursing)
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.
Alexander Newman (he/him)
Undergraduate
(2021-2023)
B.S. - University of California, Santa Cruz - Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
Undergraduate Research In Science & Technology (URST) Awardee
Current Pursuits: UC Riverside (PhD Program)
Ph.D. Rotation Students
2020-2021
2021-2022
2023-2024
Giovanni Vega
Bo Huey Chiang
Domenique Banta
Stephanie Bazarini
Fatima Rizvi
Christian Montiel
Khurshid Iranpur
Available Positions
Post-doctoral Fellows: We have open positions for post-doctoral fellows who want to apply concepts and techniques from nutrition, bacteriology, and/or immunology to better understand host-microbe mutualism. Please send us your CV and a cover letter summarizing your scientific interests. (PatnodeLab at ucsc.edu)
Graduate Students: The lab is accepting current PBSE students for rotations. Prospective graduate students interested in the lab should apply to the PBSE or the METX Doctoral or Masters programs.
Undergraduate Students: We are accepting students seeking research experiences in microbiology, immunology, and biochemistry. Please send your CV, unofficial transcript, and a paragraph describing your scientific interests to PatnodeLab at ucsc.edu.