Rasheed moved to the U.S. from Africa to study science at the University of Maryland Eastern Shores. He enjoys traveling.
Gabriela Rivera, BS
Gabriela Rivera is currently a second year graduate student in MCIP. In her free time she loves to bake, camp, and spend time with her family.
Research Assistant:
Emily Gartrell, BS
Emily (she/her) graduated from UCLA with a BA in Psychology in 2021 and is finishing her medical school pre-requisite courses to apply for medical school in 2023. In her free time, she enjoys working out, snowboarding, and reading.
Undergraduate Researchers:
Nicole Lonsway
Nicky is currently a double major in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior and Political Science. She is also minoring in Psychology and Human Rights. During her free time, Nicky enjoys doing yoga, meditating, and going to the gym. Nicky is passionate about raising mental health awareness and hopes to pursue a medical career striving to provide equitable, holistic care
Emily Barson
I am an incoming junior majoring in cellular biology at UC Davis. I am originally from the Bay Area and moved to Davis for college about two years ago. I am a very curious person who love learning, but when outside of school or lab I enjoy hiking, cooking, going to the gym, and most importantly spending time with friends and family.
Yue “Cynthia” Yu
Cynthia is a Fourth-year NPB and philosophy major. She enjoys reading (classics are somewhat more interesting for her), cooking, and playing video games during her free time.
Jacob Tuazon
Jacob (he/him) is a Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior major at UC Davis with aspirations to join the medical field. In his free time, he enjoys working out, people-watching, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.
Christina Vyvoda
Christina is a third year Global Disease Biology major at UC Davis. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, listening to music, and skiing!
Gaia Soldano
Gaia (she/her) is from San Jose, majoring in Systems and Synthetic Biology. She hopes to work towards a PhD and ultimately pursue a career in research to advance discoveries in cancer treatment. She loves ceramics, crocheting, traveling, and spending quality time with friends!
Ahmad Ikram
Ahmad graduated from UC Davis in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, achieving the distinction of Summa Cum Laude. He is now keen to further his expertise by gaining valuable research experience in the Gomes Lab before pursuing medical school. As a former student in Dr. Gomes's NPB101 course, Ahmad excelled and developed a deep appreciation for the subject matter. Outside of his academic pursuits, he is dedicated to staying active through working out, swimming, and enjoys playing Forza Horizon 5.
Omnia Ali
Omnia Ali is a senior majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She aspires to pursue a medicine, specifically cardiology. Outside the academic realm, Omnia spends her time doing photography, drawing, and longboarding.
Louisa Pham
I'm from Vietnam, home to the most diverse food in the world. I'm currently a Fourth-Year Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major at UC Davis. I'm very excited to be part of the Gomes Lab, where I’m not just building research experience but also sharpening my skills as I prepare for medical school. I’m looking forward to connecting with new friends who share the same passion and goals, so we can inspire each other along the way. Outside of academics, I love going to gym, playing with my Pomeranians, and taking road trips with my besties."
Vijayashree Ramamurthy Gayathri
Vijayashree Ramamurthy Gayathri (she/her) is from Cupertino and is currently a second year majoring in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior with a minor in Public Health Sciences. She hopes to one day specialize in Obstetrics and Gynecology as a physician. She has a younger brother with whom she loves spending time with! She also loves photography, volunteering, walking her dog, hanging out with her friends and watching a lot of shows/movies!
Alireza Taeb
I'm a fourth year psychology student, I was born in Tehran, Iran. And grew up in Ventura, California. In my freetime I enjoy surfing, backpacking, and hiking. Pretty much anything that has to do with nature and the outdoors.
Timothy Gutierrez
Timothy (he/him) is a Global Disease Biology major and a MARC Scholar who is pursuing a career as a physician-scientist. He is from Stockton, CA and in his free time enjoys playing the piano, going camping, and watching the SF Giants!
Massie Gardizi
Massie is a Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior major who is pursuing a career as a Doctor of Sports Medicine. He is a very competitive and athletics-oriented person who loves to engage in anything that brings out that nature in him; specifically activities like futbol, chess, and video games.
Celeste Do
Celeste is a second year Biomedical Engineering major from Sacramento, CA, and is an aspiring pediatrician. She is also a former YSP Gomes lab student. In her free time, she enjoys playing the piano, reading mystery books, and baking!
Tanishq Vaidya
Tanishq Vaidya (he/him/his) is currently a third year NPB major with a minor in psychology. I am passionate about cell physiology, particularly relating to cardiovascular systems and spend countless hours reading papers and articles on the subject. After graduating, I plan on attending medical school in hopes of becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon while also continuing to conduct research. Outside of academics I enjoy playing golf, reading and cooking various dishes from around the world. A fun fact about me is that I have travelled to over 20 countries.
Maria Azmat
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Maria is a first-generation immigrant who would like to be the first in my family to attend graduate school and earn a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences. She wants to improve the quality of health care and medical services by researching and eventually teaching undergraduates. She likes to sketch and paint in her free time. She also collects Funko pops. She is working on modifying her car and also have two kittens that help me relieve stress after hectic days at school.
Adyasha Padhi
Adyasha (she/her) is a Biochemistry & Molecular Biology major who aspires to be a physician-scientist. In her free time, she enjoys doing puzzles, reading and playing video games!
Igor Bejenari
Igor (he/him) is a senior majoring in Human Biology; his research interests are linked to the cardiac and endocrine systems. He is originally from Eastern Europe, born and raised in Moldova. His ultimate goal is to pursue a medical career; he plans to use his interest in health and science to optimize and prologue patients' chances for a happy and productive life. Igor loves snowboarding, hiking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.