Onyinye I. Iweala, M.D., Ph.D. is an allergist and immunologist certified by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology and an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology Allergy, and Immunology at the University of North Carolina (UNC)-Chapel Hill.  As part of the UNC Food Allergy Initiative, she studies the immunologic mechanisms behind alpha-gal mammalian meat allergy.  She has presented her work at several national meetings.

Dr. Iweala received her Ph.D. in Experimental Pathology from Harvard University and her medical degree from Harvard Medical School. She completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and a clinical and research fellowship in Allergy and Immunology at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Dr. Iweala is married with three children. Her hobbies include singing, especially a capella music, running, high-intensity interval training, and dance.

Dr. Wang joined the Iweala Lab as a Postdoctorate Research Fellow. She received her Medical Degree from Tianjin Medical University (China, 2013), and her Master’s Degree in Immunology from Guilin Medical University (China, 2018), where she studied the dual role of innate immune response on the pathogenesis of metabolic disease. During the past five years, her research was focused on the field of cancer immunotherapy, such as CAR-T, CAR-NK-based pre-clinical/clinical studies, as well as investigation on Treg-mediated immune escape.

Eva is a rising senior at UNC Chapel Hill, double majoring in Biology and Economics. After graduation, she hopes to explore her fascination with the various facets of immune dysfunction by pursuing a PhD in Immunology. When she's not in the lab, assisting students as a supplemental instructor for a cellular biology course or serving as the director of academic advancement for the Carolina Biotechnology Society, she enjoys reading, cooking, strength training, hiking, skiing, and anything involving the great outdoors! 

Julie John received her B.S. in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2019 and completed an M.S. in Physiology at North Carolina State University. In the Iweala Lab, she was interested in optimizing an in vitro rat basophilic leukemia (RBL)-based assay to assess glycolipid-mediated allergic effector cell activation. Since then, she has continued working in research, with a focus on incorporating AI into healthcare to improve patient care. She is currently a Healthcare Data Analyst Intern at Teladoc Health.

Sosa Evbuomwan was a Research Assistant in the Iweala Lab and received her B.S. in Psychology from UNC Chapel Hill in 2021. She intends to attend medical school and pursue a career as a surgeon, immunologist, or women’s fertility specialist. In addition to her work in the lab, she served as a two-time Speaker Pro Tempore of the Undergraduate Senate, three-time Undergraduate Senator, UNC Admissions Ambassador, MacDonald Scholar, and 2021 Senior Class Marshal. In the lab, she assisted with organizing lab notes, supporting lab staff, and served as the web designer for the Iweala Lab. Her passions include medicine, women’s health, music, and dance. She is now a GMP Manufacturing Technician at Duke University School of Medicine.

Cissy received her B.S. in Nursing and has been a Registered Nurse since 2008. She brings over a decade of patient-centered care to the team, including Labor & Delivery and managing high-risk Home Health Care patients. Cissy joined our department in early 2018 managing Dr. Scott Commins’ Alpha-gal Syndrome clinical research projects in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control, and continues to contribute to ongoing Alpha-gal Syndrome studies, but now manages Mast Cell Activation Syndrome projects given her intimate knowledge of this disease. Cissy is passionate about advancing clinical and translational research efforts in the field of Allergy and Immunology aimed at bringing efficacious treatment options to patients suffering from this debilitating condition. She now works in clinical research at the Moffitt Cancer Center

Audrey Carson received her B.S. in Biology from Case Western Reserve University. Outside the lab, she enjoys volunteering in the emergency room at University Hospital in Cleveland, reading about public health and medical anthropology, crafting, and spending time outdoors. Audrey is now a PhD graduate student at Washington University in St. Louis, where she works in Dr. Diamond’s lab.

Christa Dudley completed the Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) at UNC-Chapel Hill. Before joining the program, she received a bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Spanish from Fayetteville State University. During her time in the Iweala Lab, she developed an interest in microbiology and infectious diseases and planned to pursue a Ph.D. in the field. Since leaving the Iweala Lab, Christa is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at Emory University. Outside of the lab, she enjoys cooking, listening to music, and spending time with friends.

Onyinyechukwu Mazi graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in Medical Anthropology and minors in Health and Society and Chemistry. She was interested in learning more about alpha-gal syndrome and pursuing a career in either immunology or epidemiology. Outside of the lab, Onyinyechukwu served as co-president of the OneAfrica Club and enjoyed volunteering at local elementary schools and learning about historical disasters and societal shifts.

Daaniya Rana graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with degrees in Biology and Global Health and a minor in Arabic. She hopes to pursue a career in healthcare, particularly in the fields of food allergy and health in the Middle East. Outside of the lab, Daaniya served as President of the Refugee Support Center at Carolina, volunteered with UNC Hospitals and Hospice, tutored at the Learning Center, and served as a jury member in the Undergraduate Honor Court. In her free time, she enjoys trying new baking recipes, crocheting, and watching David Attenborough documentaries.