Meet Our Students

Hello everyone! My name is Abyan Ahmed and I just completed my first year at the University of Minnesota and majoring in Human Physiology. I've had the exciting opportunity to work on a computational imaging research project that bridges the fields of medicine and computer science. The first portion of the research process included building a computer to support further research and use tools like 3D Slicer to annotate and trace brain scans of hematomas. In addition to image annotation, I use R to conduct data analysis, helping to quantify and interpret imaging data.

Studies show that although AI has advanced a lot in recent years, there are limitations in the medical field. By creating detailed annotations and analyzing trends in the data, we contribute to the development of AI tools that can one day support radiologists and other medical professionals in clinical decision-making.

Outside of the lab, I volunteer at hospitals and other organizations in the Twin Cities. I also am a dancer and love to travel!

Lab: Sham

My name is Brooklyn Danke and I am a rising sophomore pursuing a human physiology degree, with a minor in developmental psychology. I plan on attending medical school in the future to become a pediatrician. I am originally from Greenville, Wisconsin where my summer job is at a daycare. I am currently working in the Liu lab where we study mouse models, particularly looking at mitochondria in cardiac tissue. A major focus is the MCU transporter (mitochondrial calcium uniporter), involving calcium entering the mitochondrial matrix. Aside from my interest in biology and physiology, I love attending concerts, reading, shopping and lifting weights.

Lab: Julia Liu

Hi! My name is Khalil Edais, and I am a third-year student at the University of Minnesota majoring in Human Physiology and Psychology with a minor in Japanese. I have the privilege of working in Dr. Xavier Revelo’s lab, where I study the role of Perilipin-2 (PLIN2) in macrophage inflammatory activation. My research uses a conditional knockout mouse model to explore how PLIN2 influences macrophage responses to metabolic and immune stressors, utilizing CyTOF (mass cytometry) to analyze cytokine expression and stress signaling pathways. I am especially interested in how these pathways contribute to metabolic diseases and hope to extend my research into heart failure and cardiovascular physiology. In the future, I plan to pursue an MD/PhD with the goal of combining translational research with clinical practice in cardiothoracic surgery. Outside of academics, I enjoy playing soccer, exploring new coffee shops, and spending time with my family and friends.    

Lab: Revelo

Hi Everyone! My name is Omer Mitha, and I’m a Freshman majoring in Human Physiology and a minor in Medical Spanish. I have the incredible opportunity to work in a lab focused on understanding the role of macrophages in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. Our research explores how these immune cells infiltrate arterial walls, differentiate into various subtypes (including foamy macrophages), and interact with endothelial cells during different stages of disease. We’re particularly interested in how this cellular behavior contributes to inflammation, plaque formation, and overall cardiovascular risk. I’m passionate about translational research that connects molecular mechanisms to real-world health outcomes. Outside of the lab, I love volunteering, working out, spending time outdoors playing spikeball or tennis, and learning new things, especially when it comes to medicine and the human body!

Lab: Williams

Hello everyone! My name is Saanvi Nadgouda, and I am a sophomore majoring in Human Physiology. I had the wonderful opportunity of working with Dr. Alessandro Bartolomucci and his fantastic team on a project exploring how chronic social stress affects health and aging using a mouse model. While the overall research involves in vivo experiments in mice, my role has been focused entirely in vitro, working with cultured cells in the lab. I also contributed to research exploring how nerve signals influence fat tissue function, helping uncover how different chemical messengers work together to regulate fat breakdown, energy use, and potential treatments for obesity and diabetes. Outside of the lab, my interests include reading, exploring local farmers markets, and going to pilates! 

Lab: Bartolomucci

Hi! My name is Ziham Nur and I'm a junior at the University of Minnesota studying Human Physiology. I am interested in how the body deals with metabolic stress and keeps its energy balance during periods of fasting. My research project focused on how brown adipose tissue (BAT) breaks down ketones through Dr. Ruan's lab. I explored how ketone oxidation and lipogenesis affect thermogenesis during intermittent fasting by using genetically modified mice models. This experience made me even more interested in how the body works. It has also made me want to work in research and healthcare even more. Outside of research, I like to bake, paint, and spend time with my friends and family.

Lab: Ruan

Hi everyone! My name is Sofiri Tam-George or Sofi for short. I am an upcoming junior majoring in Human Physiology. I have the opportunity to work with Dr. Eric Batchelor and everyone in this lab, specifically Ingrid R. Argon, on a project examining MCF10A and MCF7 cells, focusing on p53 in senescence. The data collected will then be used to determine the stage of the cell cycle at which most cells are when they enter senescence. I am so glad I got to have this opportunity as I am really interested in Cancer Biology! Outside the lab, I love to hang out with friends, practice makeup or braiding hair, read and take walks!

Lab: Batchelor

Hi Everyone! My name is Anaya Garg, and I am a freshman majoring in Human Physiology with a minor in Pharmacology. I have the amazing opportunity to work with Dr. Caroline Rowe and Dr. Yuk Sham on a project on the analysis of Bone Cortical Surface Modifications. This project encompasses the profiling of various human bones that will have various methods of trauma inflicted on them, such as cutmarks, and the topography of these changes would then be profiled. The data collected will be quantitatively analyzed to determine any trends and patterns. In addition to my interests in Forensic Pathology, some of my research interests also lie in Cardiology and Cancer Biology. Outside of the lab, I enjoy playing ping pong, working out, dancing, and baking.

Lab: Yuk Sham and Caroline Rowe

Hi there! My name is Rachel Lin, I am a freshman majoring in Human Physiology at the University of Minnesota with a minor in Spanish Studies. Since the winter of 2023, I have been given an opportunity to work in Dr. Metzger’s lab. The focus of my research is on cardiac myocytes differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells (IPS cells). In our lab, the IPS cells have been edited to express and remove certain characteristics that can be measured with systems such as ionoptix, muscle motion, and fluorescence plate reader. The purpose of the cardiac myocytes is to replicate the real human heart tissue to study diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy–the focus of Metzger's lab. Outside the lab, I powerlift at the rec center and enjoy competing in USAPL competitions.

Lab: Metzger

Hello everyone! My name is Ibby Miyanoorwala, and I am a sophomore majoring in Human Physiology. I am currently working in Dr. Sham’s lab, and the focus of my project is to better understand the molecular mechanism of ligand recognition, activation, and signaling bias of the C3aR receptor. After I graduate, I hope to pursue a career in medicine. Outside of the lab, I enjoy playing basketball, video games, and watching the Minnesota Timberwolves and Vikings!

Lab: Yuk Sham

Tarun Balaji is a human physiology major from Vellore, Tamil Nadu in India. Since Fall 2023, Tarun has been involved in studying the biomechanical aspects of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at the Metzger Lab. Tarun’s other research interests include Retinopathy of Prematurity (RoP) and fetal/neonatal anemia. When he is not in the lab, Tarun is probably reading about new advances in sociolinguistics and second language acquisition.

Lab: Metzger

Hi! My name is Luxi Tian. I am a freshman majoring in Chemical Engineering at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities with aspirations to pursue pharmacy school upon graduation. I am studying at the O'Connell Lab starting from Fall 2023. We focus on G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling in heart failure and investigate the function of GPCRs in models ranging from molecular signaling in primary cultures of cardiac myocytes to whole animal physiology. Beyond my academic pursuits, I have many hobbies which include birdwatching, music, fishing, movies, biking, and the library.

Lab: O'Connell

My name is Ayana Benti, I am a junior studying kinesiology. A couple of my research interests include studying biomolecules, the muscular system and the workings of the intricate human body. This past spring (2023) I began to take a deeper look at the mdx mouse model in Professor Townsend’s lab, taking a deeper look at Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Research Interest: Skeletal muscle
Lab: Townsend

Research Interest: Inflammation and disease
Lab: Revelo

My name is Ifrah Aden, and I am an incoming Junior majoring in Human Physiology at the University of Minnesota, with aspirations of attending medical school post-graduation. Currently, I've had the honor of working at the Ruan lab, where I explore how aging impacts adipose tissue ketone metabolism. As we age, brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity decreases and white adipose tissue (WAT) fibrosis increases, contributing to cardiometabolic challenges. Investigating these changes might unveil strategies for better cardiometabolic health by harnessing liver-generated ketone bodies that encourage BAT thermogenesis and deter WAT fibrosis. In my free time, I enjoy going on long walks, baking, and traveling.

Research Interest: Adipose biology
Lab: Ruan

Research Interest: Neurophysiology
Lab: Batchelor

Research Interest: Inflammation and disease
Lab: Williams

My name is Melissa Daniel and I am entering my junior year at the University of Minnesota, majoring in Human Physiology on a pre-PA track. My research interests include disorders of movement and skeletal muscle, which I have had the opportunity to learn more about in Dr. Metzger's lab, focusing on things like Duchenne muscular dystrophy and cancer cachexia. Outside of the lab, I enjoy shopping, weightlifting, and playing pool!

Research Interest: Skeletal muscle
Lab: Metzger