Lab Members
Principal Investigator:
Robert A. Nichols, Ph.D.
email: robert.nichols[at]hawaii.edu
Professor (Retired) of Cell & Molecular Biology
Senior Advisor, INBRE V
(Former Principal Investigator and Director, INBRE III and IV)
Ph.D. 1982 Stanford University
Postdoctoral Fellow 1982-1987 at Yale University and Rockefeller University
Research Associate 1988-1990 at Rockefeller University
Ruth Shontell
Ph.D. in Cell & Molecular Biology - Neuroscience
M.S. in Cell & Molecular Biology - Neuroscience
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa)
B.S. in Biochemistry (University of Hawai'i at Manoa)
Donovan Delgado
Lab Manager
M.S. in Cell & Molecular Biology - Neuroscience
B.S. (Honors) in Molecular Cell Biology and Psychology (University of Hawai'i at Manoa)
David Araki
M.S. in Cell & Molecular Biology - Neuroscience
B.S. in Biology (Creighton University)
Sarah Lewandowski
Student Intern
M.Sc. student in Biochemistry (Freie Universitat Berlin)
B.Sc. in Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy (Goethe Universitat at Frankfurt am Main)
Lab Alumni:
Megan J. Lantz, Ph.D.
Cell & Molecular Biology - Neuroscience
MS. in Chemistry (University of Utah)
working with Dr. Bethany Buck-Koehntop to study the methyl CpG binding zinc finger protein family
BS. in Biochemistry (Texas Christian University)
working with Dr. Onofrio Annunziata to study polymer-porphyrin supramolecular structures
Kendra Ormsbee
M.S. in Cell & Molecular Biology - Neuroscience
Former Lab Manager
B.S. in Biotechnology (Elizabethtown College)
Recent position: Senior Research Associate
Cell Line Discovery, Wildtype
Alyssa Roberts
Medical Student at JABSOM
B.S. (Honors) in Molecular Cell Biology
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa)
James Lawrence, Ph.D.
Cell & Molecular Biology - Neuroscience
Current position: Associate Professor,
Hawaii Pacific University
Komal Arora, Ph.D.
Cell & Molecular Biology - Neuroscience
Postdoctoral Fellow
Current position: Research Associate
Georgia State University
Kelly Forest, Ph.D.
Cell & Molecular Biology - Neuroscience
Recent position: Postdoctoral Fellow,
Dartmouth College
Naghum Alfulaij, Ph.D.
Cell & Molecular Biology - Neuroscience
Current position: Postdoctoral Fellow,
John A. Burns School of Medicine
Gene Yoshikawa, M.D.
UH UROP Biology Graduate
Graduate of John A. Burns School of Medicine
Current position: Chief Medical Resident in Internal Medicine, Honolulu
Justin Cheng, M.D.
UH Biology Graduate
Graduate of John A. Burns School of Medicine
Current position: Resident Research Fellow in Plastic Surgery, UCSF
Nash Witten, M.D.
UH Biology Graduate
Graduate of John A. Burns School of Medicine
Current position:
Family Physician at Queen's Health Care Centers at Hale'iwa and Wai'anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center
Assistant Clinical Professor in Family Medicine and Community Health, JABSOM
Imandra Kempe
Visiting M.S. Student in Neuroscience, Currrently Ph.D. Student
University of Bremen
Anna Nilsson
Rotation Ph.D student in Cell & Molecular Biology
B.S. in Physiology and Neuroscience
(University of California, San Diego)
Audrey Bearden
UH Honors Molecular Cell Biology Graduate
(Current position: Research Technician, Washington University St. Louis)
Anne Kaya Minezaki, M.D.
UH Honors Biology Graduate
Sackler School of Medicine
(Current position: Resident in Emergency Medicine)
Lorraine Coffinet, M.D.
UH Biology Graduate
Ross University, School of Medicine
(Current position: Intern in General Surgery)
Joy Yamazaki
UH Postgraduate
M.S. Oregon Health & Science University
(Current position: Student)
Khauan Bainha
UH Biology student
Quinton Muronaga
Undergraduate at UH Manoa
(Current position: Graduate Certificate in Tropical Medicine Program)
Maria Cashdollar
Undergraduate at UH Manoa
Mei Tong, Ph.D.
Pharmacology & Physiology PhD Student
Drexel University College of Medicine
Visiting graduate student, Cell & Molecular Biology, University of Hawaii
(Current position: Principal Investigator, Pharmacology, Beijing Hotgen Biotech Co., Ltd.)
Michelle Jhun, M.S., D.O.
MBBE Masters student, University of Hawaii
School of Medicine, A.T. Still University
(Current position: Family Medicine Physician, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles)
Ghous M. Khan, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow, Pharmacology & Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine
(Current position: Assistant Professor of Pharmacology, Appalachian College of Pharmacy, VA)
Jianlin Wu, M.D., Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow, Pharmacology & Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine
(Current position: Internist, Brooklyn, NY)
John Dougherty
Research Assistant
(Current position: Aston, PA Township Commissioner)
Tejal Mehta, J.D.
Research Assistant
Law School, Villanova University
(Current position: Attorney, Philadelphia, PA)
Catherine Choi, M.D., Ph.D.
Drexel Pharmacology & Physiology PhD student
(Current position: Dermatologist, NJ)
Matthew Krey
Visiting Biological Basis of Behavior student, University of Pennsylvania
(Current position: CEO, Remo Health, Jackson, WY)
Brett Brown
Research Assistant
(Current position: Research Specialist, Gene Therapy Program, University of Pennsylvania)
Amanda Negro
Drexel Pharmacology & Physiology PhD student
(Last position: Technician at Pennoni Associates)
Vijay Iver, Ph.D.
Drexel Pharmacology & Physiology PhD student
(Current position: Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine and Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine, SUNY at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine)
Michelle Guerin
Undergraduate in CCP-Drexel Program
(Current position: Cognitive Consultant, DefiAble Design, Seattle, WA)
Adam Klotz
Visiting undergraduate in Neurobiology, Stanford University
MBA program, Stanford University Graduate School of Business
(Current position: 18 West Capital Partners, Seattle, WA)
Brad Bates, V.M.D.
Masters Student, Drexel University College of Medicine
School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
(Current position: Veterinarian, PA)
Conair Guilliames, M.D.
Masters Student, Drexel University College of Medicine
Medical Student, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
(Current position: Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Social Medicine, AECoM; Family Physician, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY)
Emily Nakagawa, D.O.
Masters Student, Drexel University College of Medicine
Medical Student, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University
(Current position: Neurologist, AK)
Marisa (Bashkin) Gefen, M.D.
Masters Student, Drexel University College of Medicine
Medical Student, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University
(Current position: Regional Medical Director, Oak Street Health, Philadelphia, PA)
Brian T. Paul, M.D.
Masters Student, Drexel University College of Medicine
Medical Student, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth
(Current position: Psychiatrist, Concord, NH)
Ibukun Agbede
Visiting undergraduate, University of Maryland
Masters, Family Practice Nursing, Marymount University
(Current position: Family Nurse Practitioner at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital)
Sanjay Nayak, Ph.D.
Pharmacology & Physiology PhD student, Drexel University College of Medicine
(Current position: Pharma consultant, PA)
Philippe Ronde, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow, Pharmacology, Medical College of Pennsylvania
(Current position: Directeur de Recherche, Université de Strasbourg, France)
Steven Golemme
Research Assistant, Medical College of Pennsylvania
Jackie Brown
Research Assistant, Medical College of Pennsylvania
Greg Suplick
Research Assistant, Medical College of Pennsylvania
(Current position: President, Pendulum Clinical Development Consultants, LLC. )