Group Members

Désirée joined the Avalon Lab after earning her PhD in the von Reuss Lab at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. During her PhD she worked on the isolation, characterization, and total synthesis of secondary metabolites from nematodes and explored nematode ecology, thereby focusing on the interface of chemical signaling, secondary metabolism, natural product chemistry, and total synthesis. Prior to that, she earned a BSc in Chemistry and a MSc in Life Sciences in Chemistry from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences in Wädenswil, Switzerland. Her Master thesis focused on the synthesis of pseudouridimycine analogues as potential antibacterial agents in the Riedl Lab.

Riley joined the Avalon Lab after earning his B.S. in Chemical Biology from UC Berkeley’s College of Chemistry. As an undergraduate researcher in Professor Jay Keasling’s lab, he worked at the intersection of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering, developing microbial platforms in both bacterial and yeast hosts for the production of complex natural products. His prior research includes microbial pathway engineering to produce steroidal alkaloid precursors toward the biosynthesis of the anticancer natural product cyclopamine, as well as bacterial production of high-energy polycyclopropanated fatty acids for sustainable biofuel applications. In the Avalon Lab, Riley aims to accelerate the discovery of novel marine natural products with promising therapeutic bioactivities through genome-mining approaches.

Jeremiah joins the Avalon Lab after spending five years as a scientist at Neurocrine Biosciences and PassPort Technologies. During his time in industry, he contributed to the development of several early- and late-stage clinical drug candidates targeting CNS and neurological indications and is the co-inventor on two patents. Prior to that, he earned a B.S. in Biology-Chemistry from Point Loma Nazarene University, where he conducted research under the mentorship of Prof. Katherine Maloney. His work focused on the isolation and structure elucidation of natural products from an endophytic fungi. Jeremiah's research interests lie at the intersection of marine natural product isolation/structure elucidation and neurotherapeutic drug discovery. 

Layla joined the Avalon Lab after earning dual B.S. degrees in Chemistry and Marine Biology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. As an undergraduate researcher, she worked on coral restoration at the Hawaiʻi Coral Restoration Nursery and later investigated the formation of toxic disinfection byproducts in drinking water systems through the Hawaiʻi Water Resources Research Center. She also spent a summer at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography under the mentorship of Dr. William Gerwick and Dr. Byeol Ryu, where she helped isolate and structurally elucidate a novel bioactive cyclopeptide from a filamentous cyanobacteria. In the Avalon Lab, her research interests lie at the intersection of marine invertebrate host-microbial interactions and natural product drug discovery.

Christiana joined the Avalon Lab after earning her B.S. in Neuroscience and Marine Biology from UC Los Angeles. During her time at UC Los Angeles, she obtained her AAUS Scientific Diver certification, which she utilized to investigate the effects of intraspecific competition, herbivory, and water motion on the functional traits of invasive marine macroalgal species Padina boryana and Sargassum pacificum under the mentorship of Dr. Peggy Fong and Tonya Kane. After graduating, Christiana worked for 2.5 years as a technician in UCI’s Model Organism Development and Evaluation for Late-onset Alzheimer’s Disease (MODEL-AD) Consortium under the mentorship of Drs. Giedre Milinkeviciute and Kim Green, where she characterized the spatiotemporal spread of Aβ pathology in their novel humanized late-onset Alzheimer’s Disease mouse models. In the Avalon Lab, Christiana aims to explore how novel marine natural products can be utilized in therapeutic discovery efforts.

Sam joined the Avalon Lab as a rotating student after obtaining his M.S. in Pharmacology from the University of Michigan and his B.S. in Pharmacology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. During his time as a M.S. student, Sam received mentorship from Dr. Jorge Ruas, where he studied the transcriptional regulation of the RNA binding protein ZNF697. After graduating, Sam worked as a research associate for Dr. Ruas, where he utilized Mice Models to study the roles of an E3 ubiquitin ligase in brown adipose tissues. In the Avalon Lab, Sam hopes to learn more about the biology of cyanobacteria, as well as how marine natural products are isolated and identified.

Julian Masloub is a Biological Sciences major planning to pursue an MD/PhD. Julian is most interested in the chemistry underlying biological processes and thus is excited to research and uncover bioactive molecules with Dr. Avalon. Outside of the lab, Julian is involved with the BioSci Student Council and the UCI Club Rowing Team.

Nayoung Chung is an undergraduate Pharmaceutical Sciences major at UC Irvine. Her research interests lie in the use of marine compounds in drug discovery. In her free time, Nayoung enjoys watching horror movies and gardening.

Mia Mizutani is a Biological Sciences major interested in biotechnology and biopharmaceutical drug discovery. She is drawn to the research behind translating molecular discoveries into therapeutic treatments. Outside the lab, she enjoys swimming and exploring new hiking trails.

Joann Pham is a Biological Sciences major who recently joined the Avalon Lab as a transfer student from the Summer Projects Advancing Research & Knowledge (SPARK) program at Irvine Valley College. The SPARK program is a summer immersion initiative designed to bridge gaps in STEM education through hands-on, culturally relevant research experiences, technical skill-building, and mentorship. She is interested in the intersection of chemistry and biology, with a focus on how chemical principles drive biological systems and aid discoveries in drug development. Outside the lab, she enjoys cooking with her family and trying new coffee shops around campus.

Kaylee is an undergraduate Biological Sciences major interested in pursuing a career in medicine and research. She is interested in the biological aspects of cyanobacterial natural product discovery, including techniques for isolating and characterizing novel strains of tropical organisms. Outside of the lab, Kaylee loves spending time with her dogs, reading, and volunteering at her local hospital and church.