Melissa Barlow

Senior Research Associate

Melissa is a UCSB Zoology graduate with over 15 years of laboratory research experience in pharmacology at UCSD. Prior to joining the Mendiola Lab, Melissa studied mechanisms of cardiac cell regulation and their physiological roles in heart disease. Beyond the lab, Melissa channels her creativity into crafting delectable sweets with her family.

Dane Ford-Roshon

Ph.D student (Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program); Joint student with Rich Daneman

Caitlin Ribeiro

Staff Research Associate

Caitlin is a Research Associate within the lab. Previously, she investigated cardiorespiratory diseases at George Washington University, built a fruit fly connectome at Janelia Research Campus, and explored urban ecology as an undergrad at Arizona State University. She spends her free time hiking, reading, and paddleboarding.

Alexander Silva

Ph.D student (Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program)

Alexander received their BS/MS in Biomedical Engineering from Cal Poly SLO. Currently, Alexander is a Ph.D. student within the lab. Previously, they explored potential cell and gene therapy approaches for neurodegenerative diseases at UCSD. In their free time, Alexander enjoys dancing and performing in the local San Diego community.

Nyssa Williams

Ph.D student (Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program)

Nyssa is pursuing her PhD in Biomedical Sciences at UC San Diego. She obtained a B.S. in Biopsychology from UC Santa Barbara, where she studied the role of glutamatergic signaling in drug addiction. After graduation, she researched microglial transcriptomic states in Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease and developed therapeutic antisense oligonucleotides in Dr. Jerold Chun’s lab. As a San Diego native, she enjoys spending her free time outdoors, going to concerts, and rooting for the Padres.

Grace McAuley

MD/Ph.D Student (Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program)

Grace is a current M.D. Ph.D. student in the Biomedical Sciences Program and Medical Scientist Training Program at UCSD and is co-advised by Dr. Gene Yeo. After receiving a B.S. in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology from UCLA in 2020, she worked in the lab of Dr. Donald Kohn where she developed a novel base editing gene therapy for CD3d severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). In her free time, Grace enjoys running and trying new restaurants.

Yaya Han

Undergraduate Student

Yaya Han is an undergraduate student at UC San Diego majoring in General Biology. She is interested in neuroimmunology and fascinated by anatomy—she even enjoys watching dissection videos in her free time. Outside the lab, she loves animals, reading, and exploring the intersections of science and global health.  

Juliette Yoon

Summer Research Intern

Juliette Yoon is a rising senior at Canyon Crest Academy and will be learning about brain immune responses in the Mendiola Lab. Outside the lab, she is a clarinetist in the San Diego Youth Symphony, a Science Olympiad Disease Detectives coach, and explores the intersection of philosophy and mental health. She also enjoys time with her family and her corgi, Bobo.

Nami Rajaei

Undergraduate Student

Nami Rajaei is an undergraduate Neurobiology student at UC San Diego with a strong interest in the mechanisms and treatment of multiple sclerosis. Previously, he contributed to research at Scripps examining how withdrawal-related learning engages brain engrams that encode negative reinforcement and drive compulsive alcohol-seeking behavior. Outside the lab he's into mental health advocacy, spending time with loved ones, and having fun with cars.

Angelica Duong

Undergraduate Student

Angelica Duong is an undergraduate Pharmacological Chemistry student at UC San Diego, and a transfer student from San Diego Mesa College. She is interested in studying Alzheimer's disease and would like to work in the pharmaceutical industry after graduation to help develop new therapeutic treatments. Outside of the lab, she likes reading detective novels and playing badminton.

Hannah Cho

Summer Research Undergrad

Hannah Cho is an undergraduate student visiting from UCLA with a major in Human Biology and Society. She is interested in studying neuroimmune pathways and mechanisms of repair in the CNS. In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach, baking, and spending time with her friends and family.

Domnica Reutov

Summer Research Undergrad

Domnica is an undergraduate at Portland State University majoring in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. She joined the Mendiola lab through the MSTP SURF program at UC San Diego. Domnica is interested in exploring the field of neuroimmunology, particularly how targeted treatments are developed and how underlying immune-related pathways are uncovered to inform therapeutic strategies. In her home state of Oregon, she is a member of Dr. Zimmers’ lab at Oregon Health & Science University, investigating mitochondrial dysfunction in pancreatic cancer cachexia. In her free time, she enjoys trying new restaurants, baking, and spending time with her cat.