STAR-5 (2024-2025) Course Participants
![Nilufar Ali, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/01-nilufarali.png?w=4096&format=png)
Nilufar Ali, Ph.D.
Principal Research Scholar, Boise State University.
Decoding Neurodegenerative Diseases: Mitochondrial Mechanisms, Multiomics Insights, and Drug Discovery.
![Jamel Ali, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/02-jamelali.png?w=4096&format=png)
Jamel Ali, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering.
FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.
Micro/nanobiorobotics, Microbial dynamics, Cancer mechanobiology, Biomaterials for bio/biomedical applications.
![Chiara Arrigoni, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/03-chiaraarrigoni.png?w=4096&format=png)
Chiara Arrigoni, Ph.D.
Research Associate, Regenerative Medicine Technologies Laboratory, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona (Switzerland).
Microfluidics, biofabrication, 3D in vitro models of skeletal tissues.
![Richard P. Bonocora, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/04-richardbonocora.png?w=4096&format=png)
Richard P. Bonocora, Ph.D.
Senior Lecturer, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Genome plasticity and gene regulation.
![Javier Buceta, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/05-javierbuceta.png?w=4096&format=png)
Javier Buceta, Ph.D.
Research Group Leader, Deputy Director, Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), CSIC-UV, Valencia, Spain.
Microbiology, Tissue Mechanics, Biophysics, Stochastic Processes.
![Manohar Chakrabarti, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/06-manoharchakrabarti.png?w=4096&format=png)
Manohar Chakrabarti, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Plant Molecular Biology, Genomics, and Biotechnology.
![Stephanie Dudzinski M.D., Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/07-stephaniedudzinski.png?w=4096&format=png)
Stephanie Dudzinski M.D., Ph.D.
Resident Physician in Radiation Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Immune System, Radioprotectants.
![Randa Eshaq, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/08-randaeshaq.png?w=4096&format=png)
Randa Eshaq, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow, Louisiana State University Health Shreveport.
Retinal microvascular remodeling under pathophysiological conditions.
![Luke Fountain, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/09-lukefountain.png?w=4096&format=png)
Luke Fountain, Ph.D.
NASA Postdoctoral Fellow, NASA Kennedy Space Center.
Space crop production, plant nitrogen uptake, plant responses to elevated CO2.
![Katelyn Jarvis Griffith, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/10-katelynjarvisgriffith.png?w=4096&format=png)
Katelyn Jarvis Griffith, Ph.D.
Research Scientist, NASA Ames Research Center.
Prognostics and Health Management; Mathematical Biology.
![Kelly Haston, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/11-kellyhaston.png?w=4096&format=png)
Kelly Haston, Ph.D.
Principal Research Scientist and NASA Analog Astronaut.
Modeling human development and disease with induced pluripotent stem cells.
![Colwyn Headley, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/12-colwynheadley.png?w=4096&format=png)
Colwyn Headley, Ph.D.
Post-Doctoral Fellow, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Cardiovascular Institute.
Immune and Cardiovascular aging, mitochondrial dysfunction.
![Matthias Hebisch, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/13-matthiashebisch.png?w=4096&format=png)
Matthias Hebisch, Ph.D.
Research Fellow, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
Human models of neurodegeneration and dementia.
![Yamini Jangir, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/14-yaminijangir.png?w=4096&format=png)
Yamini Jangir, Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Technology (Kanpur), India.
Microbial electrochemistry, Extreme environments, Astrobiology.
![Nouha Klai, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/15-nouhaklai.png?w=4096&format=png)
Nouha Klai, Ph.D.
Associate Director of Process Development, Galenvs Sciences.
Nanotechnologies for bio-purification and diagnostics.
![Marina López-Pozo, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/16-marinalขpez-pozo.png?w=4096&format=png)
Marina López-Pozo, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Colorado, Boulder.
Plant Physiological Ecology.
![Catherine Maggiori, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/17-catherinemaggiori.png?w=4096&format=png)
Catherine Maggiori, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher, Georgetown University.
Agnostic biosignatures.
![Karen Ong, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/18-karenong.png?w=4096&format=png)
Karen Ong, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H.
Flight Surgeon, Virgin Galactic.
Computational Biology.
![Patrick Opdensteinen, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/19-patrickopdensteinen.png?w=4096&format=png)
Patrick Opdensteinen, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California San Diego.
Plant Molecular Farming and Biotechnology.
![Sunghee (Estelle) Park, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/20-sungheeestellepark.png?w=4096&format=png)
Sunghee (Estelle) Park, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Purdue University, Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering.
Stem cells and organoids on a chip.
![Camila Maistro Patreze, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/21-camilamaistropatreze.png?w=4096&format=png)
Camila Maistro Patreze, Ph.D.
Associate Professor at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro State, Department of Botany.
Molecular plant and fungal biology.
![Katarzyna Piekarz, Ph.D. Portrait photo of a young woman wearing glasses and a black lab coat; a laboratory interior is visible in the background.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/22-katarzynapiekarz.png?w=4096&format=png)
Katarzyna Piekarz, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow, Washington University in St. Louis.
Spinal cord development and aging, neural simulations.
![Brandon Roberts, Ph.D., M.B.A.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/23-brandonroberts.png?w=4096&format=png)
Brandon Roberts, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Research Physiologist, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine.
Musculoskeletal physiology, obesity, extreme environments.
![Manuela Schmidt, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/24-manuelaschmidt.png?w=4096&format=png)
Manuela Schmidt, Ph.D.
Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Vienna, Austria.
Vertebrate nociception and pain.
![Jasmine Shirazi, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/25-jasmineshirazi.png?w=4096&format=png)
Jasmine Shirazi, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow, Children’s Research Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Mechanical loading, hematopoiesis, and bone maintenance.
![Tarjani Shukla, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/26-tarjanishukla.png?w=4096&format=png)
Tarjani Shukla, Ph.D.
Diagnostics and Therapeutics Research Scientist, 59th Medical Wing, Defense Health Agency.
Bioinformatics and Neurobiology.
![Fulvia Verde, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/27-fulviaverde.png?w=4096&format=png)
Fulvia Verde, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami.
Control of cell morphogenesis and chronological aging during stress response.
![Rich Whittle, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/28-richwhittle.png?w=4096&format=png)
Rich Whittle, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Davis.
Bioastronautics.
![Katherine Wozniak, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/29-katherinewozniak.png?w=4096&format=png)
Katherine Wozniak, Ph.D.
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX. TRISH Postdoctoral Fellow.
Radiation biology of the human gut microbiome and intestinal epithelium..
![Cristal Zuniga, Ph.D.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/30-cristalzuniga.png?w=4096&format=png)
Cristal Zuniga, Ph.D.
San Diego State University, Assistant Professor.
Computational biology.