Postdocs & Research Associates
Dr. Sergei Butenko
Postdoctoral Researcher
Biomedical Engineering
Ph.D. Human Biology
University of Haifa
Project: Biomaterials & Apoptotic Neutrophils for Wound Healing
Li-Mor David
Assistant Specialist
M.S. Human Biology
University of Haifa
Graduate Researchers
Thuy-Khanh Tran Dao
Ph.D. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering
ttrandao@uci.edu
B.S. Biomolecular Engineering, UC Santa Cruz
Project: Modulating Neuroinflammation with CD200
Daanish Kulkarni
Ph.D. Candidate, Pharmaceutical Sciences Neuroimmunology T32 Fellow dkulkarn@uci.edu
M.S. Biochemistry, CSU Long Beach
B.S. Biopsychology, UC Santa Barbara
Project: Investigating the role of Piezo1 mechanotransduction on microglia function in alzheimer’s disease.
Outside of lab i enjoy collecting rare teas, traveling, judo, boxing, and playing trumpet.
Daniela Enriquez Ochoa
Ph.D. Student, Biomedical Engineering National Science & Technology Council of Mexico Fellow enriqud2@uci.edu
M.S. Biotechnology, Tecnológico de Monterrey
B.S. Biotechnology Engineering, Tecnológico de Monterrey
Project: Role of Piezo1 on macrophage fusion during the foreign body response.
I’m an avid coffee enthusiast and in my spare time I enjoy playing sims and ‘love bombing’ my cat oreo.
Yuchun Wang
Ph.D. Candidate, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
yuchunw2@uci.edu
M.S. Chemical Engineering
Johns Hopkins University
B.S. Chemical Engineering
Tianjin University
Project: Transcriptional regulation of macrophage activity from biophysical cues
In my spare time i enjoy playing video games and spending quality time with friends.
Undergraduates
Tamara Kyaw
UROP Interdisciplinary Research Teams Fellow
CADMIM START Summer Intern
Psychology & Public Health (2025)
Olivia Yoshii
UROP Interdisciplinary Research Teams Fellow
Clinical Neurosciences Undergraduate Scholar
Human Biology (2025)
Ronald Nguyen
UROP Research Experience Fellow
CADMIM REM Intern
Biomedical Engineering & Biological Sciences (2026)
Gianna Tan
UROP Interdisciplinary Research Teams Fellow
Biomedical Engineering (2026)
Matthew Morales
UROP Interdisciplinary Research Teams Fellow
Chemistry & Biological Sciences (2025)
Wendy Pham
UROP Interdisciplinary Research Teams Fellow
Philip S. Hiestand Engineering Awardee
Biomedical Engineering (2025)
Allison Lee
UROP Interdisciplinary Research Teams Fellow
Biological Sciences & Asian American Studies (2026)
Yoav Weber
UROP Interdisciplinary Research Teams Fellow
Mathematics & Biological Sciences (2026)
Kylee Davis
UROP Interdisciplinary Research Teams Fellow
Biomedical Engineering (2027)
Brandon Dao
CADMIM START Summer Intern
Biomedical Engineering (2026)
Houston Nguyen
CADMIM START Summer intern
Biomedical Engineering (2026)
Alumni
Former Doctoral Students | Tenure | Current Position |
Praveen Veerasubramanian | 2017 – 2022 | Pfizer |
Hamza Atcha | 2017 – 2021 | UCSD |
Ssu-Chieh Joseph Hsu | 2015 – 2021 | |
Raji Nagalla | 2015 – 2020 | UCI Medical Student |
Esther Yu-Tin Chen | 2016 – 2019 | CSL Behring |
Jessica Hsieh | 2011 – 2018 | UCLA Law School |
Tim D. Smith | 2011 – 2017 | AbCellera |
Thuy Luu | 2011 – 2018 | Allakos Inc. |
Frances McWhorter | 2010 – 2015 | FDA |
Yoon Kyung Kim | 2007 – 2013 | Xencor |
Former Postdoctoral Researchers | Tenure | Current Position |
Hamza Atcha, Ph.D. | 2021 – 2022 | UCSD |
Vijaykumar Meli, Ph.D. | 2016 – 2022 | FUJIFILM |
Yoon Kyung Kim | 2016 – 2017 | Xencor |
Tingting Wang, Ph.D. | 2010 – 2013 | Alcon Labs |
Former Master’s Students | Tenure | Current Position |
Annie Dinh | 2021 – 2023 | Ph.D. Student (UCI) |
Ashley Niu | 2019 – 2021 | Harvard Eye Associates |
Jiangfeng Chen | 2018 – 2020 | |
Esther Yu-tin Chen | 2014 – 2016 | CSL Behring |
Chase Davis | 2013 – 2014 | NuVasive |
Jessica Schlosser | 2012 – 2014 | San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control |
Seunghyun Ha | 2011 – 2013 | Ph.D. Student (UCLA) |
Eric Somogyi | 2010 – 2012 | Abbott |
Former Undergraduates | Graduation Year |
Man Yi (Ashley) Lee | 2024 (BioSci/Chem) |
Melissa Nunes | 2024 (BioSci) |
Athena Niu | 2024 (BME) |
Amal Tabban | 2023 (BME) |
Leilany Lim | 2023 (BME) |
Hailey Matyac | 2023 (BME) |
Jonard Ingal | 2023 (BioSci) |
Tzuling Lin | 2026 (BME) |
Ananya Rai | 2026 (BME) |
Hannah Hooper | 2021 (BME) |
Nancy Morales | 2021 (BME) |
Kevin Jiang | 2020 (BME) |
Jessica Chin | 2020 (BME) |