Meet the Iron Team
Meet the Iron Team
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Manuel A. Fierro Calisto, PhD (PI)
Manuel A. Fierro Calisto, PhD (PI)
Dr. Fierro was born in Quito, Ecuador and moved to the US when he was young. He grew up in Georgia and attended the University of Georgia for both his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Cell Biology. He continued his postdoctoral studies at Iowa State University and is now Assistant Professor at Clemson University at the Department of Genetics and Biochemistry and a member of the Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC).
He is married to his beautiful wife Sarah and has 4 amazing children. In his spare time, he likes listening to music, biking, and spending time with his family.
Graduate Students
Graduate Students
Antonia Blank, BS - Doctoral Student
Antonia Blank, BS - Doctoral Student
Antonia is a Biochemistry PhD student in Dr. Fierro's lab. During her undergraduate studies in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena in Germany, she moved to the U.S. to complete her thesis on developing genetic engineering tools for the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri. After gaining experience as a laboratory technician at Clemson, she officially joined the PhD program under Dr. Fierro's mentorship in 2024, maintaining her focus on eukaryotic pathogens.
In her free time, Antonia enjoys getting coffee and hanging out with her friends, practicing pottery and yoga, and spending quality time with her cat, Pesto.
Solomon Ngwira, BS - Master Student
Solomon Ngwira, BS - Master Student
Solomon is a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Master’s student in Dr. Fierro’s lab at Clemson University. Originally from Malawi, South-east Africa, Solomon earned a BSc in Medical Microbiology from the Malawi University of Science and Technology in 2022. He then joined Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme as Pre-master’s fellow where he worked on biomarkers for diagnosing malaria; and conducting Pfhrp2 gene deletion surveillance. In 2025, he moved to the United States as a Fulbright Scholar to pursue graduate studies under Dr. Fierro’s mentorship. His project involves developing a system for measuring protein export in a high throughput manner during the blood state of the malaria. In his free time, Solomon enjoys spending time with family and friends and ridding his scooter.
Staff
Staff
Jonathan Stortz, MS - Lab Technician
Jonathan Stortz, MS - Lab Technician
Riddhi Patel, MS - Lab Technician
Riddhi Patel, MS - Lab Technician
Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate Students
Elli Baker - Undergraduate (Biochemistry)
Elli Baker - Undergraduate (Biochemistry)
Ellie is a senior biochemistry major from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After graduation, Ellie plans to remain at Clemson to pursue a master's degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She hopes for a career in pharmaceutical development research. Outside of school, she enjoys spending time at the lake and travelling.
Somto Okoye - Undergraduate (Health Sciences)
Somto Okoye - Undergraduate (Health Sciences)
Somto is a senior Spanish & International Health major from Columbia, SC. He was originally born in Nigeria, but moved to the U.S at a young age. He aspires to become a physician, integrating clinical practice with research to improve patient care. His project involves ERD2 gene expression to further characterize the role of ERD2 in Plasmodium falciparum. He has been in the lab since January 2025.
In his free time, Somto enjoys going to the gym, watching movies, and playing piano.
Kensley Parker - Undergraduate (Biochemistry)
Kensley Parker - Undergraduate (Biochemistry)
Kensley is a senior Biochemistry major from Gaffney, SC. Her work in the lab focuses on ERP1 gene expression to further understand ERP1’s function in Plasmodium falciparum. She aspires to become a physician, integrating her enthusiasm for science with a dedication to serving patients and advancing healthcare. She has been apart of the lab since January 2025.
In her free time she enjoys baking, hiking, and spending time with her family and friends.
Emma Varn - Undergraduate (Biochemistry)
Emma Varn - Undergraduate (Biochemistry)
Emma Varn is a senior biochemistry and genetics double major from Charleston, SC, in Dr. Fierro’s lab. Through her coursework and research experiences, she developed a strong interest in molecular biology and the mechanisms underlying human disease. Her long-term goal is to pursue an MD–Ph.D. and build a career that combines scientific research with patient care. She joined the lab in March 2025.
In her free time, she enjoys gaming, catching up over coffee and hanging out with her cat, Jughead.
Come be part of the Team!
Come be part of the Team!
Lab Alumni:
Lab Alumni:
Kassandra Roemer, MS (Lab Technician) - now in the lab of Dr. Mathieu Brochet at the University of Geneva
Kassandra Roemer, MS (Lab Technician) - now in the lab of Dr. Mathieu Brochet at the University of Geneva
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