The Protein Acetylation Team
Liya Popova
Graduate Student
(popova62@students.rowan.edu)
Liya joined the Carabetta lab as a PhD Candidate in Translational Biomedical Sciences. She graduated with an M.D. from the Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, and completed a residency program and clinical research in infectious diseases. Outside of the lab, she likes traveling and short weekend getaways to explore new cities.
Favorite quote:
“Every antibiotic we count on now will be destroyed or significantly impaired by resistance.” - Kevin Outterson, BS, JD, LLM, Executive Director of CARB-X at Boston University.
Precious Newman
Master's Student
(newman52@students.rowan.edu)
Precious is a graduate student in Pharmaceutical Sciences at Rowan University. She is from Ghana and obtained her bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from the University for Development Studies. She hopes to continue research into infectious diseases. In her free times she enjoys listening to music, reading and spending time with family and friends.
Maxwell Akantibila
Graduate student
(akanti18@students.rowan.edu)
​Maxwell is from the Northern part of Ghana He graduated from the University for Development Studies with a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry. He joined the Carabetta lab as a master’s student in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Outside of the lab, he loves to play soccer and computer games. Fun Fact: He admires tall buildings a lot, especially the buildings at Philadelphia.
Mohamed Halawa
Postdoctoral fellow
(halawa@rowan.edu)
Mohamed obtained his Ph.D. in structural biology from the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom. Prior to this, he earned a master’s degree in biotechnology from Northumbria University, United Kingdom and a bachelor's degree in pharmaceutical sciences from Cairo University, Egypt. This is his third postdoctoral position, following positions at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas, and the University of Colorado. When not in lab, Mohamed enjoys soccer and video games.
Lama Jadalla
M4 Medical Student, Rowan SOM
(jdall75@rowan.edu)
Lama Jadalla is a 4th-year medical student at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine. She is interested in becoming a pediatric physician. She went to undergraduate school at Rutgers University Camden. She enjoys traveling to new countries and learning about the different cultures, especially exploring fashion trends and the food. Fun fact about her is that she cooked for and bathed an elephant in Thailand!
Kamayel Jaludi
M4 Medical Student, Rowan SOM
(jaludi53@rowan.edu)
Kamayel is a fourth-year medical student at Rowan SOM. She is interested in internal medicine as well as ob/gyn. She went to Montclair State for her bachelor's and later obtained a Master’s degree from Georgetown University. She’s originally from Jordan but was born and raised in NJ. Aside from being a medical student, She recently became a new mom to baby Elena!
Briana Reid
Rowan Undergrad
(reidbr18@students.rowan.edu)
Briana is a third-year biological sciences major at Rowan University. She is interested in becoming a pediatric orthopedic physician. Outside of the lab, she enjoys watching movies and traveling. Fun fact: Her favorite Disney movie is Ratatouille!
Persia Vahidi
Rowan Undergrad
(vahidi96@students.rowan.edu)
Persia is an undergraduate student at Rowan University, majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology. She currently works as an ophthalmic technician and aspires to become an optometrist in the future. She spent her early childhood in Iran and enjoys immersing herself in different cultures through travel. In her free time, she loves reading and solving puzzles.
Jennifer Nguyen
M4 Medical Student
Rowan SOM
(nguyen149@rowan.edu)
Jennifer is a fourth year medical student at Rowan- Virtua SOM. She graduated from Rutgers with a degree in biology and did research in neuroscience. She is interested in pathology and rheumatology. Her hobbies are art and craft, board games, and cooking.
The Acinetobacter Team
Rebecca Fliorent
M4 Medical Student, Rowan SOM
(fliore92@rowan.edu)
From undergrad in Florida to medical school in New Jersey, Rebecca is continuing to pursue her passion of science and medicine at Dr. Carabetta’s lab. When she’s not in classes or determining antibiotic resistance she loves traveling, hiking and reading.
Justin Halim
M4 Medical Student
(halimj77@rowan.edu)
Justin grew up in Asbury Park, New Jersey and attended New York University where he studied biology and public health. Currently, he is a second-year medical student at Cooper Medical School and hopes to specialize in infectious diseases afterwards. He loves research and previously worked in a plant genomics laboratory. Justin enjoys running and playing piano in his spare time!
Elena Sierra
M3 Medical Student
(sierrae9@rowan.edu)
Elena is interested in research focusing on antibiotic resistance, immigrant health and social determinants of health. She loves to travel and spend time with her family. For fun, she loves to take care of her plants!
Ben Feng
M4 Medical Student
(fengbe24@rowan.edu)
Benjamin is a second-year medical student at CMSRU. At Rutgers, he graduated summa cum laude with a major in Biotechnology and a minor in Biochemistry. He has a strong interest and focus on surgical research and research exploring the impact of infectious disease on outcomes in surgery and critical care. In his spare time, he likes to collect and raise ornamental woodlice!
Tabitha Jaison
M2 Medical Student
(jaison98@rowan.edu)
Tabitha Jaison recently completed the CMSRU Post-Baccalaureate program in 2021-2022. She is from Fairfield, NJ and I graduated from Ramapo College of NJ in 2020 with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Gerontology. Fun facts about Tabitha are that she is a cat person, enjoys going to the gym and doing yoga, and she used to practice classical Indian dancing competitively for 10 years.
April Pivonka
M3 Medical Student
(pivonk79@rowan.edu)
April is a first-year medical student at CMSRU. She is originally from Camp Hill, Pennsylvania and completed her undergraduate studies at Saint Joseph’s University with a major in Biology and minors in Chemistry and Philosophy. At SJU, she conducted microbiology research investigating E. albertii, a newly-discovered attaching and effacing pathogen. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends, family, and most importantly, her cat named Buddy.
Ian Millstein
M3 Medical Student
(millst89@rowan.edu)
Ian is a first-year medical student at CMSRU. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. Ian is interested in surgery and has experience researching mechanisms of metastasis in pancreatic cancer in the Stanger lab at Perelman School of Medicine. Additional interests include travel, tennis, chess, and rooting for the Eagles and Sixers.
Keertana Jonnalgadda
M3 Medical Student
Rowan SOM
(jonnal56@rowan.edu)
Keertana is a first-year medical student at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine. She is interested in the field of emergency medicine. She graduated from Rowan University with a bachelor’s in biology. Apart from doing research in Dr. Carabetta’s lab, she enjoys going to the gym, taking road trips, and hiking. Fun fact: Her favorite show is Schitt’s Creek!
Jessica Chicola
M2 Medical Student
(chicol47@rowan.edu)
Jessica grew up in Westfield, NJ then attended the University of Vermont. She graduated in 2022 with a BS in microbiology and a minor in molecular genetics. While at UVM, she performed a meta-analysis on bromodomain genes and their association with Tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer. She spent a year working on the R&D team at OPS diagnostics before beginning at CMSRU. For fun, she loves spending time with her boyfriend and their dog, Roco. She is also learning to crochet and enjoys reading.
Andrew Keane
M2 Medical Student
(keanea44@rowan.edu)
Although originally from Rockland County, NY, Andrew has spent most of his life in Mount Laurel, NJ. He graduated from Penn State University in 2021 with a B.S. in Immunology and Infectious Disease, along with minors in Microbiology, Political Science, and Global Health. Andrew’s medical interests include sleep disorders, cardiovascular disease, and of course, antibiotic resistance. In his free time, he enjoys watching sports, reading medical literature, and working on cars. A fun fact about Andrew is that he used to be a competitive chess player!
Tope Aderibigbe
Master's student
aderib67@students.rowan.edu
Tope is from the south western part of Nigeria, he has Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry. In his free time, I enjoy playing video games (soccer precisely).
Fun fact- Cooking isn't just a hobby; It's where he unleashes his creativity, lets go of stress, and spread joy with every dish he makes.
Maftuna Kurbonnazarova
M3 Medical Student
Rowan SOM
(kurbon64@rowan.edu)
Maftuna originally grew up in Uzbekistan and went to CUNY Hunter College to major in Biochemistry and minor in Psychology. Currently, she is a first-year medical student at Rowan SOM. She loves research and formerly worked with E. coli for 4 years. During her free time, she enjoys traveling, taking pictures and nowadays exercising.
Jeanette Bouzo
M2 Medical Student
Rowan SOM
(bouzo78@rowan.edu)
Jeanette is from Miami, Florida. She graduated with a B.S. in Biology from Florida International University. Currently, she is a medical student at Rowan SOM with a primary interest in women's health. Prior to moving to New Jersey, she worked as a research assistant studying the long-term effects of substance use on adolescent brain and cognitive development. A fun fact is that she is a very avid reader, with a goal this year to read 50 books!
Jason Tran
M1 Medical Student
Rowan SOM
(tranja46@rowan.edu)
Jason is an incoming first-year medical student at Rowan-Virtua SOM and recently graduated with a Biochemistry B.S. from Rowan University (3+4 BS/DO program). Following medical school, he is aiming for surgery. His hometown is Magnolia, NJ, and his free time, he enjoys traveling (he has been to 15+ countries so far), going to the gym, and ice skating!
Katie Nolan
M3 Medical Student
(nolank33@rowan.edu)
Katie, is a third year medical student and graduated with her BS in Biology at Stockton University in Galloway, NJ. A fun fact is that she has been to over 20 Wawas!
Archna Mahendru
M1 Medical Student
Rowan SOM
(mahend53@rowan.edu)
Archna Mahendru is a 1st year Rowan SOM student. She attended Rutgers University for undergrad and majored in Biochemistry. During her time at Rutgers, she researched the effects of Liver Fatty Acid Binding Proteins (LFABP) and Intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Proteins (IFABP) in knockout mice. A fun fact is that she has a pet bird that looks like Pikachu.
Priyal Gajera
M1 Medical Student
Rowan SOM
(gajer64@rowan.edu)
Priyal is a first year medical student at Rowan SOM. She is interested in Internal Medicine, and is from Bloomfield, NJ. Priyal graduated from New York Institute of Technology in 2024 with a bachelors in Biology, where she was part of the SEA-PHAGES program, which piqued her interest in antibiotic resistance research. She plans to continue this work by joining the amazing Carabetta Lab team. Outside of school, she enjoys cooking, hanging out with friends, and trying new hobbies.
Zainab Mubasher
M1 Medical Student
Rowan SOM
(mbuash57@rowan.edu)
​Zainab is a first-year medical student at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine. She grew up in North Jersey and graduated from the New York Institute of Technology in 2023 with a B.S. in Biology. She is passionate about studying the evolution of antibiotic resistance and its implications for modern medicine. Outside of her academic interests, Zainab enjoys traveling and exploring new places, embracing opportunities to experience different cultures and perspectives.
Daniel Ammerman
M1 Medical Student
ammerm16@rowan.edu
Daniel is an outdoor enthusiast with a passion for hiking and rock climbing, always seeking new challenges in nature. He also loves music, playing both acoustic, electric guitar, and singing. A lifelong learner, Daniel enjoys teaching and sharing knowledge with others. He appreciates a good cup of coffee and takes an interest in the craft of brewing it. Beyond these pursuits, he is committed to humanitarian work, aspiring to provide medical care in refugee camps across the Middle East, Africa, or Southeast Asia.
Serena Yoo
M1 Medical Student
(yooser47@rowan.edu)
Serena was raised in the southern San Francisco Bay Area and graduated in 2022 with a B.S. in Microbiology from the University of California, Berkeley, where she conducted research at the Portnoy Lab on Listeria monocytogenes. Currently, Serena is a medical student at CMSRU with a strong interest in surgery (perhaps acute critical care/trauma) and global health. She has a twin sister who is also attending medical school in Rhode Island. She drinks iced americanos throughout all seasons, and dusk is her favorite time of the day.
Zahra Wallizadeh
M1 Medical Student
Rowan SOM
walliz15@rowan.edu
Coming soon!
The Biofilm Team
Muskan Kaur
M3 Medical Student
Rowan SOM
(kaurmu89@rowan.edu)
​Muskan grew up in Voorhees, New Jersey and graduated last year from The College of New Jersey with a Biology major and a Psychology minor. A fun fact about her is that her name means smile and the last time she had an actual haircut greater than 3 inches was in the 1st grade. Her favorite show right now is Firefly Lane. :)
Aashna Jonnalagadda
M1 Medical Student
Rowan SOM
jonnal82@rowan.edu
Aashna is a first-year medical student at Rowan-Virtua SOM. She graduated from Rowan University with a degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology. At Rowan, she participated in research involving protein purification and assessing protein stability with ionic liquids and detergents. Aashna is from Edison, NJ, and she enjoys playing tennis and embroidering in her free time!
Carabetta lab alumni
Jordan Luetke (RISER student, Summer 2024) Moorestown High School, Class of 2025
Olivia Schreiber (capstone student, 2021-2024) Internal Medicine resident at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
Nicholas Libraro (capstone student, 2021-2024)
Gilbert Fleischer (capstone student, 2021-2024) Internal Medicine resident at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA
Holly Giovinco (capstone student, 2021-2024) OB/GYN resident at Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, NJ
Aleem Mohamed (capstone student, 2021-2024) General Surgery resident at Virginia Tech Carilion Clinic, Roanoke, VG
Connor Mott (medical student, 2021-2024) Psychiatrics resident at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, Atlantic City, NJ
Michael Curry medical student, 2021-2024) Orthopeodic Surgery resident at Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ
Rachel Carr (research technician, 2021-2023)
Trichina Tucker (volunteer researcher, 2021-2023) Research associate at Hikma Pharmaceutical
Hritisha Pandey (volunteer researcher, 2020-2023) Profound Medical, San Francisco, CA.
Anish Korrapati (RISER student, Summer 2023) Case Western Reserve University, Class of 2028
Nishant Bhatt (RISER student, Summer 2023) The College of NJ (TCNJ), Class of 2028
Dennise Cortes (capstone student, 2020-2023) Pediatrics resident at Wright Patterson Airforce base, Dayton, OH
Damian Alpheus (capstone student, 2020-2023) Internal Medicine resident at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NC
Olaitan Akintunde (postdoctoral fellow, 2021-2023) Research Scientist at BiomEdit
Lauren Phan (volunteer, Summer 2022) North Eastern University '24
Vidhi Patel (RISER student, Summer 2022)
Melanie Betchen (CUH resident, 2019-2022), Infectious Diseases Fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
Sean Roh (capstone student, 2020-2022), Family Medicine Resident at Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center, Fontana, CA
Manas Deolankar (capstone student, 2018-2022), Emergency Medicine Resident at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL
Jackson Luu (research technician, 2020-2021)
Kiyoshi Woods (volunteer, 2019-2020), Rutgers University (Camden) '23
Luke Stockl (volunteer, 2019-2020), Rowan University, Mechanical Engineering '23
Celeste Keating (volunteer, summer 2019), Rutgers Nursing School (Camden) '23