Valerie Arboleda, MD PhD

I am a physician-scientist trained in human genetics, genomics and clinical pathology.

The overarching research goals in the lab is to integrate large-scale data sets to improve our biological understanding and clinical treatment of human disease. In no other time in human history do we have such rich biological and clinical data, the bioinformatics tools to explore these relationships on a large scale, and the molecular genetic tools to rapidly experimentally validate findings in model systems.

MEGHNA SINGH, PhD

Post-Doctoral Scholar

Meghna is originally from India and earned her PhD in Biological Sciences from CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology. The focus of her research was understanding the cardiac development and disease using the tiny, beautiful model zebrafish. After her PhD she worked as a Research Scientist at University of Washington,  maintaining a xenopus facility,  managing a lab and worked on developing an inducible CRISPR system to understand Spinal cord regeneration in Xenopus tropicalis. After a two-year maternity break ,  she returned to do post-doctoral research focused on understanding the role of chromatin modifier genes in neurodevelopment. In her free time she likes to try and cook new things, go on hikes, and enjoy time with her family.

NEERJA VASHIST

Post Doctoral Scholar

Neerja Vashist is from Houston, Texas, and earned her B.S. in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics from UCLA in 2017. She subsequently worked as a Research Technician for two years at the Children’s National Hospital in Washington D.C. with a focus on global health. She then went on to earn her Ph.D. in Genomics and Bioinformatics from the George Washington University in 2023. Her dissertation research focused on a poorly understood upper motor neuron disease called konzo. Konzo is prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, with malnutrition and heavy dietary reliance on cassava high in cyanogenic glucosides implicated in the development of the disease. Specifically, Neerja investigated the role of the gut microbiome in modulating the development of konzo. She is presently a Postdoctoral Scholar where her research builds on the foundational work done in the lab using a multi-omics pipeline to study the effect of genetic mutations in gene ASXL1 on the transcriptome and epigenome. She loves to travel, cook, and do random DIY projects.

LEROY BONDHUS

PhD Student, Genetics and Genomics

Leroy graduated from the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities, and moved to Los Angeles to study genetics and genomics. He is interested in understanding how different types and levels of biological information interact. In his free time when not studying, he visits art museums and tries to keep his plants alive.  

ISABELLA LIN

MD/PhD Student, Genetics and Genomics; MSTP Program

Isabella is originally from Brisbane, Australia, and graduated from UC Berkeley with a major in Molecular & Cell Biology. She is currently an MD/PhD student at UCLA with research interests in human genetics and rare disorders, and a clinical interest in pediatric hematology/oncology. Isabella loves baking, rock climbing, and traveling to new places.

AILEEN NAVA

PhD Student, Genetics and Genomics

Aileen grew up in a small beach town in Southern California where she first discovered her scientific prowess during a chance encounter with NASA astronaut, Barbara Morgan (read more here). Although Aileen currently has no plans of becoming an astronaut, this meeting was one of the events that inspired her to become a scientist. At UCLA, Aileen's goal is to identity disease-causing mechanics underlying neurodevelopmental disorders using stem cells, genetic engineering, and genomic analysis techniques. When she is not thinking about science, Aileen enjoys oil painting, visiting the ocean, reading, writing poetry, and learning to play the guitar and piano.

ANGELA WEI

PhD Student, Bioinformatics

I am a current UCLA Bioinformatics PhD student and have previously worked in Arboleda lab as an Staff Research Associate. My projects include analysis of lab-generated functional genomics data and also utilizing large public databases to study population-level genetics. In my free time, I enjoy trying new food spots and hiking.

SAMANTHA JENSEN

PhD Student, Genetics and Genomics

Sam is a fifth year Human Genetics PhD student. She is interested in the genetics of complex disease and is currently studying transcriptional adaptation in humans. She has also worked on gene expression differences in individuals with severe coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever). Originally from Utah, Sam received a Bachelor's degree in Bioinformatics and minor in Computer Science from Brigham Young University and loves using computational approaches to study biological processes, especially neuropsychiatric disease. She enjoys art and music and was once a part of a jazz band!

KENNY QIAN

Graduate Student, Genetics and Genomics, MSTP Program

Kenny grew up on the east coast in Boston, MA and went to Northwestern University where he graduated with majors in Biology and in Integrated Science. In keeping with the pattern of heading west he is currently an MD/PhD student at UCLA with an interest in uncovering genetic mechanisms of diseases and discovering targetable genes. Outside the lab he enjoys rock climbing, trying to cook new dishes, swimming, and playing the violin.

CAMERON ONG

Undergraduate Researcher

Cameron is currently a second-year Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics major. He is very interested in the factors that play a role in regulating molecular genetics and gene expression within cells in order to gain a better understanding of how cells behave. In his free time, he enjoys rock climbing, growing plants, doing anything Disney related, cooking and getting boba!

ANVI GAUR

Undergraudate Researcher

My name is Anvi and I am a third year computational biology major. I love working with analyzing data and dynamic modeling! If I’m not working, you can catch me reading a good romcom or going for a run!

SYDNEY NGUYEN

Undergraduate Researcher

Sydney is a second-year Psychobiology major. She is interested in understanding disease pathology through genomic and proteomic-related research, and learning more about developing potential treatments in rare diseases. In her free time, she enjoys going to the gym, hiking in the LA area, and spending time with her family and her cat.

BETHANY CHOW

Undergraduate Researcher

Bethany is a second-year Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology major. She is interested in the form and function of chromatin modifiers, as well as their role in rare disease. In her free time, Bethany enjoys swimming, reading, and spending time with her family.

SAMANTHA SCOTT

Undergraduate Researcher

Samantha is a second-year Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics major hoping to minor in Public Health. She is interested in exploring gene function, mutations in genetic diseases, and biological mechanisms at the micro-level. She hopes to eventually contribute to the development of new therapeutic treatments to aid in the improvement of public health. In her free time, Samantha enjoys trying new restaurants, going to concerts, hanging out with her family and friends, and thrift shopping!

DAHLIA KEO

Undergraduate Researcher

Dahlia is a fourth-year Biochemistry major. She is interested in learning more about genomics and its role in investigating rare diseases. In her free time, she enjoys going to concerts, baking, and going for walks.

DEVON SHAO

Undergraduate Researcher

Devon Shao is a third year computational and systems biology major. He is interested in applying computational techniques to better understand human biology and health. In his free time he enjoys reading, rock climbing, and hanging out with friends.

SAWYER FINDLEY

Undergraduate Researcher

Sawyer is a third year Computational & Systems Biology major with a concentration in Bioinformatics. He is interested in the fields of computational medicine and genetic engineering, hoping to apply both computational and therapeutic methods in a clinical setting. Outside of the lab, he enjoys playing volleyball, laying out in the sun, and spending time with friends.