Shanae is a PhD student in the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine program at the University of Pittsburgh, Department of Bioengineering. Her research focuses on the use of biomaterials to mitigate dysregulated healing processes in skin and muscle wound healing. In her free time, Shanae enjoys baking, drawing, dancing and taking care of her plants.
shanae.butler@fourthriver.org
Emam is a Ph.D. candidate in the Molecular Pharmacology program at Pitt, specializing in unraveling the complexities of calcium signaling pathways. Outside the laboratory, Ahmed is Venturesome, epicure, experimenting with culinary creations, and a coffee snob. Who is Fervent of all things musical.
ahmed.abdelnaby@fourthriver.org
Kassandra is a PhD trainee in Infectious Diseases and Microbiology at University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health and the Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute. Her aim is to employ a multidisciplinary training approach, collaborating with diverse mentors to explore novel immune cell repair mechanisms and develop broadly applicable cellular therapeutics for tissue regeneration after injury. Her interest in regenerative and reparative medicine stems from her focus on immunosuppressive regulatory T cells (Tregs). Outside of her research, she enjoys staying active with sports, cooking, and spending time with friends/family.
kassandra.baron@fourthriver.org
Alison is a PhD student in the Molecular Genetics and Developmental Biology Program at Pitt. Her research focuses on understanding early developmental signaling pathways by using zebrafish embryos. Outside of lab, Alison spends most of her time taking care of her geriatric, sock-eating dog, cooking, and knitting.
alison.guyer@fourthriver.org
Abdalla is a PhD candidate in the Molecular Pharmacology Graduate Program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. His research, conducted in the Lee-Oesterrich Lab, focuses on uncovering the transcriptional and molecular alterations unique to lobular breast cancer. He holds a Master’s degree in Pharmacology and a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, complemented by professional experience in clinical pharmacy and academic teaching. In his free time, Abdalla enjoys weightlifting, hiking, and spending quality time with family and friends.
abdalla.wedn@fourthriver.org
Avleen is a fifth year PhD candidate in the Department of Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University. Her research focuses on novel functions of circular RNA in the context of neurodegeneration and cell metabolism. In her free time, Avleen enjoys dancing, fostering cats and exploring new restaurants in the city.
avleen.kaur@fourthriver.org
Keerthana is a PhD candidate in the bioengineering program at the university of Pittsburgh. Her research focuses on understanding the neurobiology of resting state networks responsible for sensation and movement. She joined 4RS in March 2023, and became the EEM in August 2024. Outside of research, she likes to curl up with a good book, paints, and always on a hunt for a good brunch spot.
keerthana.manikandan@fourthriver.org
Alex is a PhD student in the Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh. His research interests center on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of brain aging and neurodegeneration. Specifically, he is conducting transcriptomic studies to analyze gene expression changes in Alzheimer’s disease. During his downtime, Alex enjoys producing music, biking, and trying new restaurants.
alex.kunisky@fourthriver.org