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.

Dominique Denbow joined the Iweala lab as a Research Assistant and is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) candidate at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNECOM).She earned her BA in Neuroscience with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies from Smith College in 2016 and completed a Certificate in Premedical Studies at the University of Connecticut in 2021. Dominique is a current ACR Project LEAD cohort member and a former Vice President of UNECOM’s SNMA chapter. Her previous research spans psychiatry, immunology, and neurodegeneration. She is particularly interested in exploring how immune dysregulation, including mast cell activation, may be interconnected with both systemic illness and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Outside of medicine, she enjoys watching baking shows, painting, playing The Sims, and sending snail mail.

Julie John received her B.S. in Biology from University of North Carolina 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 AI incorporation in healthcare to improve patient care.

Sosa Evbuomwan was a Research Assistant in the Iweala Lab and has recently received her Psychology (BS) from UNC Chapel hill in 2021. She intends on attending medical school and becoming a surgeon, immunologist, or women’s fertility specialist. In addition to the lab, she has served as a 2x Speaker Pro Tempore of the Undergraduate Senate, 3x Undergraduate Senator, UNC Admissions Ambassador, is a MacDonald Scholar, and a 2021 Senior Class Marshall. In the lab she assisted with organizing lab notes, assisting the lab staff, and served as the web designer for the Iweala Lab. Her passions include medicine, women’s health, music, and dance.

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.

Audrey Carson received her B.S. in Biology at 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 being outdoors. Audrey is now working with the NIH pursuing a career related to infectious disease.

Christa Dudley completed her Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) student at UNC-Chapel Hill. Her plan is to get into a Ph.D. program to study microbiology and infectious diseases. Before becoming a PREP student, she received a bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Spanish at Fayetteville State University. Outside of the lab, she enjoys cooking, listening to music, and hanging out with friends. Since leaving the Iweala Lab, Christa is now a PhD candidate in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at Emory University.

Onyinyechukwu Mazi graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a degree in Medical Anthropology degree as well as a Health and Society and Chemistry double minor. She is hoping to learn more about alpha-gal syndrome and pursue a career in either immunology or epidemiology. Outside of the lab, Onyinyechukwu served as the co-president of the OneAfrica club, and loves volunteering at local elementary schools and learning about random historical disasters and societal shifts.

Daaniya Rana is a third-year undergraduate majoring in Biology and Global Health and minoring in Arabic. She hopes to pursue a career in healthcare after graduating, particularly in the fields of food allergy and health in the Middle East. Outside of the lab, Daaniya serves as President of the Refugee Support Center at Carolina, volunteers with UNC Hospitals and Hospice, tutors at the Learning Center, and participates 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!