The Levinson Emerging Scholars Program supports promising UW students pursuing creative and advanced research projects in biosciences and related fields. Six chemistry and biochemistry students have received the 2024-2025 Levinson Emerging Scholar Award.
Lia Barrow is a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry with a minor in data science. She joined Assistant Professor Lauren Rajakovich's group in autumn 2022 to follow her passion for the gut microbiome. Her project explores the nuanced relationship between dietary changes, the gut microbiome, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The project's goal is to elucidate the microbial biosynthetic pathway for 4-EPS, a gut-derived metabolite associated with ASD. Lia plans to pursue a graduate degree in bioinformatics to further explore the connections between human health and the gut microbiome.
Pranathi Kesapragada is a graduating senior majoring in biochemistry and biomedical & health informatics. She began conducting research with Professor Lorenzo Giacani’s group in 2022, primarily investigating the causative agent of syphilis, Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum (T. pallidum). Her current project aims to determine if T. pallidum (Nichols strain) can develop resistance to doxycycline when exposed in an intermittent or continuous manner. This study will mimic how patients typically take doxycycline when exposed to syphilis, thus informing future drug development and treatment guidelines. After graduation, Pranathi plans to pursue an M.D., hoping to specialize in infectious diseases. She is deeply grateful to the Giacani Lab for their guidance and support over the past two years.
Lily Nguyen is a graduating senior double majoring in molecular, cellular and developmental biology and biochemistry. Her research focuses on investigating the pathogenesis of hydrocephalus, which is a condition that’s marked by an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. To do so, she will utilize embryonic stem cells and small molecule inhibitors to modulate signaling pathway activity and model defects in early brain development. In the future, she hopes that her research can inform new ways to screen for neurodevelopmental diseases and help develop targeted therapies. After graduating from UW, she intends to pursue a PhD in biochemistry. Outside of research, she likes to spend time with her friends, family and two cats, trying new restaurants, knitting and watching tv shows!
Daniel Park is a graduating senior majoring in biochemistry and minoring in chemistry. He works in the lab of Associate Professor Michael Ailion studying the regulation of the small GTPase RAB-2. Daniel plans on eventually pursuing graduate training in biochemistry. He is thankful to his mentors, Chau Vuong and Michael Ailion, and the rest of his lab.
Kamaya Ronning is a junior majoring in chemistry with a minor in applied mathematics. For the past two years she has been a part of Assistant Professor Dianne Xiao’s lab where she investigates catalysis in metal organic frameworks. Kamaya leverages the tunability of these frameworks to chemically install various functional groups into the pores of the framework as active sites, mimicking certain enzyme mechanics, to catalyze biomass upgrading reactions. As she has progressed through her undergraduate research, she has learned that she is passionate about working towards environmental cleanup through experimental lab work. Outside of the lab, Kamaya enjoys playing on the UW water polo team and spends extra free time running, cooking, and embroidering. She is extremely grateful for the support from all her mentors and especially appreciative to Dr. Dianne Xiao and Devin Rollins. She is honored to have received the Levinson Emerging Scholars Award and thanks the Levinson family for their generous contributions to undergraduate research.
Sahana Subramanian is a junior studying biochemistry and bioengineering. She joined the group of Associate Professor Ying Zheng the summer before her freshman year, where she focuses on endothelial cell (EC) response within a perfusable engineered heart tissue (EHT). 3D in vitro models, such as EHTs, have the potential to replicate human cardiac physiology, but often lack the critical element of vasculature. Vasculature networks are critical to heart function and homeostasis in vivo, and are thus key to include within in vitro models. Sahana is investigating the effects of various flow rates, and their corresponding shear stresses, on EC function within a perfusable EHT developed by the Zheng lab. With this research, she hopes to find key data regarding the function of ECs that can be used in future experiments with this perfusable EHT model. Outside of school, Sahana loves to run, read, crochet, and go eat food with her friends! Sahana would like to thank her incredible mentors, Dr. Ying Zheng and Ph.D. student Ariana Frey for their mentorship and support in this project and throughout her college career.
Congratulations to Lia, Pranathi, Lily, Daniel, Kamaya, and Sahana!
Read the original post from the Undergraduate Research Program.