Heather completed her undergraduate training at the University of Southern California. She was a lab aide in Dr. Lorraine Turcotte’s lab, and fell in love with research the first time she developed a Western blot (even though it did not show anything useful). Heather moved to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center for her graduate and postdoctoral training. She obtained her PhD in Molecular and Developmental Biology in the lab of Dr. Geraldine Guasch. For her postdoc, Heather joined the lab of Dr. Jim Wells, where she developed her interest in enteroendocrine cells as the center of intestinal physiology and metabolism. She chose to study the gut and metabolism because of her love of food. Heather_McCauley@med.unc.edu
Anne Marie completed her undergraduate degree in Biology with minors in Chemistry and Forensics at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. After getting her scientific start by volunteering at a pig breeding center, she knew that biology was the path for her. During her sophomore year at Xavier, she began working in Jim Wells’ lab as a lab aide at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital with Heather as her mentor. From her years at the lab, she has developed an interest in enteroendocrine cells and broader intestinal research. Anne Marie moved to North Carolina and is the Lab Manager for the McCauley Lab. Anne_Riedman@med.unc.edu
Zachary is an undergraduate student completing his degree in Biomedical Engineering. He’s previously participated in research that evaluated synovial fluid from ACL reconstruction patients after PRP injections using a co-culture system. He’s now joined the McCauley lab to further his interests in regenerative medicine, and get a better understanding of how enteroendocrine cells can be used in tissue engineering and intestinal research. azevedoz@email.unc.edu
Jennifer is third year PhD student in the Cell Biology and Physiology department at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (UNC-CH). She completed her undergraduate training at Wellesley College where she took a developmental biology class as a junior and immediately knew she needed to do research. She was an undergraduate researcher in Adam Martin’s lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) studying embryonic shape change and morphogenesis in Drosophila and completed an honors thesis. She was a research technician at MIT and Boston College before starting her PhD at UNC-CH. Her thesis research in the McCauley lab studies how enteroendocrine cells regulate intestinal functions within organoid and mouse models. In her free time, she is a passionate advocate and volunteer for scientific outreach to minority communities. She is interested in a career in translational science and has been a research intern at companies such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute. jnwako@unc.edu
Taevon is an aspiring physician studying Nutrition, Health, and Society in Public Health at UNC-Chapel Hill with a minor in Spanish. He strives to make an impact on society by using his knowledge and experience to enact change and help those who need it the most. tjoroach@unc.edu
Meghan is a first year PhD student aiming to join the Cell Biology and Physiology curriculum. She completed her undergraduate degree in Biology at Nothern Michigan University and spent her post-grad years as a postbaccalaureate cancer research fellow at the NIH and a research assistant at Georgetown University. She went on to earn her master’s degree in Molecular & Integrative Physiology from the University of Michigan, later spending time there as a research assistant studying how intestinal villi develop and can be recapitulated in human intestinal organoids, which led her to the McCauley Lab upon entering UNC-CH. Outside of lab, she loves escaping the stress of graduate school through reading sci-fi/fantasy novels and exploring the food scene around North Carolina. manderma@email.unc.edu
Yunan is a first-year PhD student from BBSP and has her rotation in the McCauley Lab. She completed her bachelor’s degree in food science in China and her master’s degree in nutrition at UNC-CH. Her previous research was mainly based on bioinformatics methods for analyzing the mechanisms by which nutrients and probiotics modulate the gut microbiota providing a health benefit to the host. Her rotation project in the McCauley Lab focuses on organoids derived from patients with Cystic Fibrosis. Outside of the lab, she loves drawing and painting; she is also a player on the Chinese Women’s Basketball Team. yunan@ad.unc.edu
Shubhi is an undergraduate student studying Biology and Spanish with a minor in Chemistry. She aspires to become a pediatric anesthesiologist and loves anything that will get her asking good questions. She joined the McCauley Lab to become a better scientist and pursue her interests in nutrient metabolism and stem cell pathways. Her passions include live music and driving with the windows down. shubhi@unc.edu
Samara is an undergraduate student majoring in biology and an aspiring physician hoping to one day inspire more minority students to pursue STEM. She joined the McCauley lab to improve her critical thinking skills, become familiar with various lab techniques, and learn more about the implications enteroendocrine cells can have on human health. Outside the lab, she enjoys traveling, reading mystery novels, and attending sporting events. sgwill@unc.edu
Lab Alumni
Hailey Dodson, undergraduate research assistant, 2023