Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program at UC Davis

Brandon joined PRE@UCD as an Undergraduate Affiliate. He worked with Celina Juliano through the MARC program, with a research focus on understanding how Hydra vulgaris can build its nervous system after injury.

Julia joined PREP@UCD as an undergraduate affiliate. During her tenure at UC Davis, she did research in Janine LaSalle's lab, where she studied the epigenetics of neurodevelopmental disorders. Specifically, Julia worked on the genetic analysis of a transgenic mouse model for Dup15q, a neurodevelopmental disorder that results in autism.

Kaitlyn Abe graduated from UC Davis in December 2021 with a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a minor in Computer Science. As an undergraduate, she conducted research on the structure and function of plant mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes in the lab of Dr. James Letts. As a PREP@UCD affiliate, she will continue her structural research on plant respiratory chain complexes in the Letts Lab. 

José W. Torres Ayende earned two bachelor’s degrees in science with concentration Technology in Industrial Chemical Processes (TEQU) and Clinical Microbiology (MICRO) at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo in 2020. As an undergraduate, he conducted research as a PR-LSAMP Scholar in the lab of Dr. Maiella Ramos, where he studied the presence and abundance of anthropogenic heavy metals in superficial water bodies, sediment samples, and flora in natural limestone caves and underground waterways. As a PREP Scholar at UC Davis, he is working at Dr. Manuel Navedo's laboratory to determine the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating arterial smooth muscle excitability and vascular reactivity. 

Brayan Vilanova-Cuevas earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Microbiology, Summa Cum Laude, from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, in 2020. He also completed a professional certificate in Data Science from the University of Puerto Rico and used his knowledge of both biology and data science throughout his undergraduate research at Dr. Filipa Godoy's lab. As a PREP scholar at UC Davis, he is working with Dr. Melanie Gareau to explore the gut-brain axis in a mouse model by studying the microbial and metabolic environment of the gut, and characterizing gene expression and physiology.

Natasha Mariano received her BS in Genetics and Genomics from the University of California, Davis. Her interest in genomics and previous experiences as an undergraduate researcher in the Whitehead lab, library prep technician for a sequencing core, and bioinformatics intern at the Korf lab solidified her interest in genomic research. As part of PREP, Natasha will be joining the Dennis lab at UCD to study human-specific genes and other genetic variants that may contribute to neurological traits and diseases.

Carla Campos graduated from CSU, Sacramento with a BS in Biology and minor in Psychology. As a RISE scholar she conducted research in Dr. Clint Collins' lab focusing on lizard tail morphology and regeneration. This year, as a PREP@UCD scholar, she will be working with Dr. Celina Juliano on regenerative biology of Hydra stem cells. Carla is interested in evolutionary development, functional morphology, and equitable STEM education.