Lab Members

donia@princeton.edu

 

Research Interests:  Small-molecule-mediated interactions in complex microbial communities

 

 

Postdoctoral Fellow

jl103@princeton.edu

 

Bio: I had my PhD in Microbiology at Rutgers University in studying the eco-physiology of organohalide respiring bacteria from marine environment. My broad research interests are the interaction of microorganisms with its environments/hosts. In Donia lab, I study the chemical sequestration and kleptoplasty in a complex tripartite marine symbiosis.

Postdoctoral Fellow

pestrada@princeton.edu

 

Bio: I obtained my B.S in Forensic Science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. I then went to Hunter College where I worked in the Kawamura lab isolating small molecules from soil bacteria. For my PhD I went to the University of Illinois (UIUC) and worked in the Nair lab on the biochemical and structural characterization of enzymes involved small molecule biosynthesis. In the Donia lab I will be investigating small molecules from the human microbiome.

Postdoctoral Fellow

elmassry@princeton.edu

 

Bio: I received my Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Egypt. Then, I obtained my Ph.D. in biology from Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas. In my dissertation, I focused on Pseudomonas aeruginosa pathogenesis during sepsis in trauma patients. In Donia lab, I study the contribution of the gut microbiota to the human metabolome (and health). I value collaborative research and teaching. I enjoy reading, humanities talks, Tai Chi, sports, and video games.

Mol Bio Graduate Student

jbalaich@princeton.edu

 

Bio:  I grew up in Colorado and received a B.S. from Brigham Young University in microbial genetics in 2013. In 2015 I received my M.S. degree from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health after researching a natural product that inhibited the transmission and development of the malaria parasite. In the Donia lab I am interested in researching human microbiota derived small molecules that impact human health. My hobbies include backpacking in the mountains, photography, videogames, playing sports, cheering on the Denver Broncos and losing to my wife in fantasy football every year

CBE Graduate Student

shuow@princeton.edu

 

Bio:  I received my B.S. in Chemical Engineering in 2016 from UC Berkeley, CA. I am interested in applying statistical models and machine learning methods to analyze biological data. In my free time, I enjoy exploring the cities, playing tennis, and playing video games.

Mol Bio Graduate Student

bjavdan@princeton.edu

 

Bio:  I received my BA in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania and did research at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC for a year before matriculating into Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Princeton University’s joint MD-PhD program. In the Donia lab, I am investigating the impact of the gut microbiome on the metabolism of oral drugs, which I hope will pave the way for better individualized therapy. In my free time, I enjoy reading, road trips, and exploring new cuisines.

QCB Graduate Student

jglopez@princeton.edu

 

Bio:  I received my BSE in chemical engineering from Arizona State University and was an undergraduate researcher at the Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology. I'm broadly interested in using mechanistic modeling to better understand the inner workings of microbial communities. Currently, my work focuses on the implications of trade-offs in microbial communities and the interplay between drugs and the human microbiome.

Graduate Student

yjl2@princeton.edu

 

Bio: I was born in Holmdel, NJ and grew up in Plano Texas. I received my Bachelors at Washington University in St. Louis and enrolled in the MPH program specializing in Global Health where I studied undernutrition, helminthic diseases, and community participatory approaches in international settings. I later received an MEng in Energy, Environment, and Chemical Engineering from WashU and worked to develop probiotics that regulate neurotransmitters. In the Donia Lab, I plan to study the bacterial secretome. Outside of lab, I am the co-founder of the graduate think tank club Innovative Approaches in Science, play for the Princeton club field hockey team, enjoy long walks on the beach, and cooking.

Graduate Student

cday@princeton.edu

 

Bio: I grew up in northern California and received my B.S. in Biology from the California Institute of Technology. In the Donia lab, I will be studying antibiotic resistance. Outside of research, I enjoy travelling, playing video games and doing puzzles.

 

Graduate Student

jongbeom@princeton.edu

 

Bio: I grew up in Daegu, South Korea and received my BA in Biology from Grinnell College. I am broadly interested in evolutionary biology and developmental biology. I currently plan to investigate the role of peptides in mammalian development. My hobbies include indoor rock climbing, driving, and eating.

 

Undergraduate

janiek@princeton.edu

 

Bio:  I am a native San Diegan and a member of the Class of 2021. In the Donia Lab, I am exploring the regulation of a defensive lipopeptide secreted by an algae-symbiont bacterium. Outside of the lab, I can be found with CONTACT of Mercer County, writing/reading, sculpting, and running in Princeton's forests.

Undergraduate

nishac@princeton.edu

 

Bio: I grew up in Stamford, CT and am a member of the Class of 2021. In the Donia lab, I am studying antibiotic resistance. Outside of the lab, I play on the club squash team, guide high schoolers through the college application process with Matriculate, and help out at Princeton Medical Center.

 

 

Lab Manager

chatsamp@princeton.edu

Faculty Assistant       

schmedel@princeton.edu