ScM Students
The Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Department is an inclusive community of pioneers, which includes our accomplished faculty, ambitious students, dedicated staff, and an extensive alumni network spanning the globe. From scientists to researchers to professors, we invite you to connect with them.
Second Year ScM Students
Mahnoor Abdullah
From Islamabad, Pakistan
Malaria
Explored bacteriophage role in poultry disease prevention at NUST. Co-founder of Vax Scene, promoting vaccine awareness. Passionate about science communication and education, inspiring curiosity and enthusiasm for science in young learners.
Diana Appiagyei
From Columbus, Ohio
Entervirus D-68
Diana graduated from The Ohio State University in 2023 with a degree in Microbiology. During her undergraduate studies, she had the privilege of working alongside Dr. Rosa Lapalombella in her laboratory. Her research primarily focused on Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and the pivotal roles of TP53 and TET2 in its development. Transitioning into the field of Virology, she is currently part of Dr. Andrew Pekosz's Lab, where her main focus revolves around Enterovirus D-68 (EVD-68) and the characterization of the 2022 isolate. Beyond her academic pursuits, she finds joy in playing tennis and embarking on new adventures and experiences.
Rowan Bates
From Nyack, New York
Vaccine Immunology
Markham Laboratory
Rowan graduated from North Carolina State University with a B.S. in Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology in 2023. She is now part of the Markham Lab and is researching sex differences in the immunological response for a DNA based tuberculosis vaccine. Outside of lab work, Rowan enjoys music, cooking, scary movies, and hiking.
Jessica Garvin
From Sandusky, Ohio
Manipulating thymic selection of T lymphocytes within transplantation, to alter immune responses and enhance tolerance induction
Jess graduated from the University of Dayton in 2023 with a BS in Human Biology. Currently, she's conducting research under Dr. Georgio Raimondi in the vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) lab within the SOM. Her project focuses on manipulating thymic selection of T lymphocytes with hind limb transplants, aiming to alter immune responses and enhance tolerance induction. Investigations assess the impact on recipient mice's anti-donor reactivity, potentially changing transplantation tolerance strategies. Outside of academics, Jess is an avid equestrian, winning national championships with her horse “Corndog” in 2018 and 2019. She also enjoys exploring new places and spending time outdoors.
Erin Kennedy
From Leonardtown, Maryland
Mosaic Variant Surface Glycoproteins of T. brucei
Erin received her B.S. in Microbiology from Clemson University in 2023, where she became interested in tropical diseases. She is currently working on her thesis in the Mugnier lab researching mosaic variant surface glycoproteins in Trypanosoma brucei. Outside of school and lab, she enjoys reading, watching football, and hiking.
Kimmy Kuhn
From Michigan
Host-pathogen interactions, Mycology
Kimmy graduated from Michigan State University with a B.S. for a double major in Genomics & Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, and a minor in Science, Technology, Environment, and Public Policy. She worked in the biotech industry for two years before coming to the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. She joined the Hardwick Lab and studies death-resistance mechanisms in clinical isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans. Beyond the lab, she enjoys alpine skiing, hiking, and trying new foods/drinks.
Shruthi Mahaganapathy
From Singapore, born in India
Neuronal regulation of airway allergy
Shruthi graduated with a degree in Biomedical Engineering from the National University of Singapore. In the Lajoie lab, she studies how allergic reactions influence the crosstalk between neurons and the lung in the context of Type 2 Immunity. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, playing sports and traveling.
Sneha Mahesh
From Chattanooga, TN
Sex Differences associated with Mycobacterium avium infection in mice
I completed my BS in Biology with a minor in Health and Human Values at Davidson College. After graduating, I worked as a technician in Dr. Maria Blasi’s lab at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute, studying the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 and HIV infection in the kidney and developing lentiviral vector vaccines against infectious diseases. In the Klein lab, I am interested in looking at sex differences in vaccine induced immunity. Outside of lab, I enjoy baking, board games, and playing tennis.
Justin Malogan
From Tracy, California
Gut Microbiome Research with an emphasis on how various drugs can impact the microbiome and how those alterations in the microbiome can influence metabolic and neurocognitive health of the host.
I graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2022 with a Bachelors of Science in Neuroscience. Before joining JHU's MMI Department, I was a research assistant exploring a novel mechanism to regulate gastric emptying as well as how spinal cord injury influenced overactive bladders. Outside of academia, I enjoying playing Dungeons and Dragons, cooking, baking, painting, and decorating for the holidays.
Lauren McDonnell
From Menlo Park, CA
I am passionate about international health and infectious diseases. My research interests focus on leveraging computational methods to derive insights from data.
I have a Bachelor's from UCLA in International Economics and a Master’s from Dartmouth in Biomedical Data Science. I am passionate about global health and previously volunteered for Engineers Without Borders on various clean water initiatives. Before attending the MMI program I worked as a data scientist and software engineer.
In my free time I like to swim, hike, run, travel, and explore the local food scene in Baltimore.
Elizabeth (Liz) Murray
From Alabama
Asthma & Allergies
Bachelors in Immunology from UAB
Undergrad Lab Work: Dr. Carlos Orihuela studying reactivation of AMs in aged lungs
Hobbies: video games and embroidery
emurra21@gmail.com
Isaac Owusu-Frimpong
From Ghana
My research focuses on the role of Anopheles mosquito in the transmission of malaria. In addition, I study the sporozoite stage of Plasmodium sp. to understand the molecular interactions between sporozoites and their mosquito and mammalian hosts.
Dimopoulos Laboratory and Sinnis Laboratory
Isaac holds an MPhil in Clinical Microbiology from KNUST and also graduated from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana with a B.Sc. He worked for a decade with the Biomedical and Public Health Research Unit of the CSIR-Water Research Institute, researching on human parasites and the role of vectors in disease transmission. Isaac employed molecular and parasitological techniques in areas such as molecular xenomonitoring, molecular diagnostics, and insecticide resistance studies. Currently, he is pursuing a second master's in molecular microbiology and immunology to research malaria control strategies.
Tianshu Qu
From China
Molecular Biology, Cancer
Hamacher-Brady Laboratory
Undergraduate Education: China Pharmaceutical University, University of Strathclyde
Yunyi Ru
From Suzhou, China
Virology
Yunyi Ru is a first year ScM student in the MMI department at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. She is interested in virology, respiratory infectious diseases, and science communication.
She earned her BS degree in Cell & Molecular Biology at Duke Kunshan University in 2023. Her previous work includes an environmental microbiology project where she monitored bacterial antibiotic resistomes in Yangcheng Lake.
Outside of the lab, Yunyi enjoys digital painting and playing guitar.
Matthew Seibel
From Maryland
Antimicrobial Resistance
Born and raised in MD, Matt graduated from UMD with a BS in Microbiology and a BA in Japanese before heading to Boston to work as a clinical microbiologist at Brigham and Women's for a year. Afterwards, Matt worked at Harvard Medical School in the Lab of Thomas Bernhardt, studying Pseudomonas aeruginosa cell wall biogenesis. Now Matt has taken what he learned in the clinic and as a tech and incorporates them into antimicrobial resistance research in the Lamichhane Lab.
In their spare time, Matt likes to play video games, go swimming and biking, and play with their dogs. They also work on basic Japanese translation work and tutoring for fun on the side.
Ao Shen
ashen15@jh.edu
Jayalaxmi Suresh Babu
From Bahrain
Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy
Jaya grew up in Bahrain and moved to the U.S. for her undergrad. She graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry from University of Wisconsin-Madison where she developed a strong interest in immunology. Now, she is in the WJH lab where she studies the feasibility of targeting PTPN22 to enhance anticancer immune responses. Outside of lab, she enjoys cooking, exploring new restaurants and spending time with her friends.
Alannah Taylor
From Williamstown, New Jersey
Tuberculosis
Markham Laboratory
Alannah obtained her BS in Health Science from Spelman College. While doing an internship at CZ Biohub (Stanford), she realized her passion for microbiology and immunology. After obtaining her ScM, she plans to apply to MD/PhD programs in order to combine her love for medicine and research. Alannah is a huge Eagles fan and enjoys spending her free time with her puppy Buttercup.
Juliet Trautman
From Brooklyn, New York
Host-Pathogen Interactions
Juliet got her BS and MS in Bioengineering at Northeastern University where she researched anti-cancer compound production by medicinal plant Catharanthus roseus. In her free time she enjoys hiking, baking, and reading.
David Villafuerte
From Charlotte, NC
Viral Genomics
Mostafa Laboratory
Hi all! My name is David Villafuerte and I am a first year ScM student looking to enter the medical field.
Zuxuan Wang
From China
Cell Death
Nanjing->Glasgow->JHU
19'QingZhou| 23' CPU/Strathclyde| 25' JHU MMI
Self-pinning for immortality.
Tianle Zhang
From China
Characterize SARS-CoV-2 variants
Tianle graduated from the Pennsylvania State University in May 2023 with bachelor’s degree in Immunology and Infectious Disease and a minor in Biology. He is interested in virology and immune response elicited by viral infections. In the Pekosz Lab, Tianle is currently working on SARS-CoV-2 infectious clones. Outside of the lab, Tianle enjoys playing basketball, listening to music, and watching animations and sports games.
Xiyuan Zhang
From China
Role of genes involved in Trypanosoma brucei pathogenesis
Xiyuan is a master's student in the Molecular Microbiology and Immunology program. She received her Bachelor's degree in Biology from Virginia Tech where she became interested in immunology and genetics. Outside the lab, she likes to play guitar, visit museums, swim, and paint.
Jean Zheng
From Canada
Vaccine Immunology
Markham Laboratory
Jean is an ScM student in the Markham lab. She completed her undergrad at the University of British Columbia in Canada, where she majored in Biotechnology. An undergrad project on SARS-CoV-2 vaccine immunology sparked interested in vaccine work, eventually leading her to BSPH. Outside the lab, she enjoys snowboarding and playing video games.
Xindi Zou
From China
Exploration of B cell Receptor Signaling in B-1 and B-2 Cells
Baumgarth Laboratory
Research interest: Immunology and virology; personal interest: Photography, Diving (PADI OW Diver), Surfing
First Year ScM Students
Revie Atkinson
From Minnesota
Hi my name is Revie and I use he/they pronouns! I have a background in behavioral neuroscience and have developed curriculum for HSTEM, being human in science at Sewanee, the University of the South (2023). I enjoy spending time with my dog, Smuckers, and going to local punk shows here in Baltimore! Outside of school you can find me at local farmers markets and queer spaces.
Haotian Bai
From China
I’m Haotian Bai, currently pursuing my Master's in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at Johns Hopkins University. I completed my B.S. in Molecular Bioscience from Duke Kunshan University, where I developed a strong interest in cancer immunotherapy and tumor microenvironments. I’ve worked on several tumor models, exploring how oncolytic viruses and PD-L1 therapies can be used to treat cancer.
Ruiyang Cheng
From China
I did my undergrad at UCSB in Microbiology, I'm interested in immunology and cancer biology. I'm looking for a job after I graduate.
Jane Dawson
From Brooklyn, New York
Jane graduated from Smith College with a B.A. in biochemistry and geosciences in 2024. Her work in undergraduate focused on neglected tropical diseases, specifically working on transcription factor-based drug design in Brugia malayi and genetically modifying Aedes albopictus immune systems to decrease disease transmission.
Outside of the lab, she likes to read sci-fi, play D&D, cook, bake, and study cool rocks and fossils.
Yuze Du
From China
Graduated from Monash University Bachelor of biomedical science, and University of Queensland Bachelor of science Honors
Haley Heine
From Saint Paul, MN
Haley graduated in 2023 from Macalester College with a degree in biology and a minor in geology. Her previous research involved delimiting a cryptic species complex of tiny New Zealand Arachnids. She is interested in viral evolution and disease ecology. In her free time she enjoys watching movies, looking for bugs, and collecting fossils.
Jyotsna Jayaram
From Baltimore, Maryland
Jyotsna earned her BS in Physiology and Neurobiology with a minor in Writing from the University of Maryland. Following graduation, she worked as a technician in the Retrovirus Lab at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine under Dr. Joseph Mankowski, investigating the mechanisms underlying HIV-induced nervous system diseases and the influence of host genetics on HIV-associated cognitive disorders. Her research interests center on the neuropathogenesis of infectious diseases and the neuroimmune interactions that arise in response. In her spare time, Jyotsna enjoys baking, writing, and playing the piano.
Kellia Gihozo Karambizi
From Rwanda
Kellia holds a Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from Wheaton College, MA. She began her career as a Research Assistant at Akttyva Therapeutics, where she led a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project focused on customer discovery to support the company’s market analysis efforts. In addition, Kellia contributed to key biochemical assays integral to Akttyva's drug discovery program targeting vascular leakage disorders, including Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).
Outside of work, she enjoys playing basketball and spending time with friends.
Zannat Kawser
From Bangladesh
Zannat completed her Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from Mymensingh Medical College, University of Dhaka and pursued M. Phil in Medical Microbiology from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). She has a 5-years working experience in a research laboratory, the institute for developing Science and Health initiatives (ideSHi) in Bangladesh where her research focused on the molecular characteritistics, landscape of AMR of and immune response against Klebsiella pneumoniae and SARS-CoV-2 variant screening in Bangladesh. She led her fellowship study at ideSHi on the evaluation of alternative methods for detection of SARS-CoV-2 and comparison with standard RT-PCR, genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 as well as immune response against it. Apart from these, she was involved in coordination and conduction of clinical trials for an antiviral, anti-rheumatic drug and an intraocular injection. She authored several research articles which were published in distinguished peer reviewed journals. She presented her works on AMR and SARS-CoV-2 at national and international conferences. She is inspired to advance her career in the field of microbiology, immunology and vaccinology.
Jay Khandelwal
From Mumbai, India
Graduated from the Drew University (Madison, NJ) with a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology & a minor in Business studies. At Drew, In the Research Institute of Scientists Emeriti (RISE) at Perkins lab, I worked on developing and improving strains of B. subtilis that would over produce riboflavin (vitamin B2) with the help of fermentation and classical mutagenesis techniques. Apart from the lab, I enjoy listening to music, watching movies and exploring places. I am also an athlete (Foil Fencing), and enjoy spending time playing different sports and working out.
Ava R. Mandel
From Annapolis, MD
Ava graduated from the University of Rochester with a B.A. in English Literature with an honors thesis and research in cognitive development, specifically investigating children’s conceptions of virology, illness, the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lifestyle adjustments. After graduation, Ava worked as an IRTA at the NIH, where she engineered nucleic acid constructs and performed restriction enzyme digests as well as bacterial cloning. While at the MMI, Ava intends to conduct research in neuroimmunopathology. Outside of scholarly pursuits, Ava enjoys painting, writing non-fiction and being outside.
Haritha Manoj
From India
Undergrad: India, BSC biotechnology
Research interest: cancer immunology
Personal interest: dancing, reading, working out
Rishi Pandey
From Lancaster, PA
Rishi received his B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Maryland, College Park where he conducted Virtual Reality research and aided in a clinical pathology lab. Upon graduation, he worked as a vaccine scientist at Pfizer for 2 years in NY before joining MMI. Outside of the lab, he enjoys playing tennis, lifting, sleeping, and eating.
Hailey Patel
From Boston, Massachusetts
I attended MCPHS University for my Undergraduate Studies in Medical and Molecular Biology. Post graduation I worked in an Immunology lab at Massachusetts General Hospital. The lab focused on the role of liver immune cells in various liver diseases such as viral hepatitis and fatty liver, with or without HIV infection within translational cohorts.
Shweta Pillai
From Dubai, UAE
Shweta graduated from the University at Buffalo in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences. As a pre-med student, she gained valuable research experience in the labs of Dr. Kedar Aras and Dr. David Lacy, where her exposure to medical research sparked an interest in immunology. She will soon begin her first research rotation in Dr. Isabelle Coppens' lab.
Matthew Pinsley
From Long Island, New York
I received a BS in Medical Microbiology and Immunology from Quinnipiac University in 2024. During my undergraduate studies, I researched Coxiella burnetii and its associated effector proteins. Outside the laboratory, I enjoy listening to and playing music, playing the trading card game Magic: The Gathering, and video games.
Xinyi (Bella) Qiu
From Suzhou, China
Bella graduated from UC Berkeley with degrees in Molecular and Cell Biology (Immunology and Molecular Medicine emphasis) and Integrative Biology (Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology emphasis). In her undergrad journey, she has explored multiple fields, including field ecology, genomics, and microbiology, before falling love with the idea of One Health and biological research in the context of public health and medicine. Bella was also an academic peer advisor, a STEM tutor, and a community builder for the Chinese queer community. In her free time, Bella is often seen birding, visiting zoos and natural history museums, and binge watching comedy shows.
Manyun Sun
From China
I studied Immunology and Molecular Genetics as an undergrad at the University of Toronto. I have three lab experiences during my undergraduate studies, and I have a great interest in human immune response.
Olivia Tea
From Sacramento, California
I graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a BS in Microbiology and Immunology. In my undergrad, I worked with S. maltophilia in the Whiteson Lab and T. gondii in the Morrissette Lab. I like to crochet, binge shows and play games in my free time!
Cassidy Upshaw
From Baltimore, Maryland
Cassidy graduated from Salisbury University in 2022 with a B.S. in Medical Laboratory Science, with biology and chemistry minors. For the past two years, she has worked in a clinical microbiology lab, identifying pathogenic bacteria and fungi in a patient population. She’s hoping to expand her knowledge and gain more research experience in the ScM program.
Emily Watters
From Canton, Ohio
Emily earned a BS in Microbiology from the Ohio State University in 2024. At Ohio State, she developed a strong interest in immunology and virology. As a result, she joined the Zhu Lab and researched HIV regulation and cure strategies. Outside of the classroom and lab, Emily enjoys hiking, cooking, and exploring Baltimore.
ewatter5@jh.edu
Rosa Zhang
From Weifang, Shandong province, China
Graduated from the University of Washington with a major in physiology and a minor in education, learning, and society. Worked intensively with prostate cancer and now shifting my interest to molecular biology and immunology- that's why I join MMI. Love practicing drums for confidence recharge and just for fun!
Meixian (Maddy) Zhao
From Guangzhou, China
Education: BS in Biology and Psychology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2024
Research interest: Immunology, neuroscience, disease research