CURRENT MEMBERS

Postdoctoral Researchers

Veeresh Toragall

Biomaterial, Nanobiology, PhD, CFTRI, 2022Department of Brain Health, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine
veeresh.toragall@unlv.edu

PhD Students

Ivy Pham

Molecular, Cell, Developmental Biology, BS, UCLA, 2017
Department of Brain Health, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine
Ivy.pham@unlv.edu

Saba Majidi

Biology, BS, UNLV, 2023
Department of Brain Health, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine
Saba.majidi@unlv.edu

Tumpa Mahanty

Chemistry, MSc, IIT RPR, 2024Department of Brain Health, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine tumpa.mahanty@unlv.edu

Sunjeet Saha

Co-mentored by Dr. Seungman Park
BS, Bengal Institute of Technology India, 2020
MSC, Nanotechnology and Nanoscience, Pondicherry University India, 2022
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UNLV
sahas1@unlv.nevada.edu

Philipp Penalber

B.S. Neuroscience, Mathematics Minor , University of Nevada, Reno, 2023
Department of Brain Health, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine
penalber@unlv.nevada.edu

Master Students

Sharlene Kim

Biology BS, Neuroscience Minor, UNLV, 2026
Department of Brain Health, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine
kims177@unlv.nevada.edu

Research Associates

Manas Yogendra Agrawal

BA in pharmacy, Poona college of Pharmacy, India, 2017(Co-mentored by Dr. Janice Pluth, PhD)
manas.agrawal@unlv.edu

MS, Health Medical Physics, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, 2018
(Co-mentored by Dr. Janice Pluth, PhD)
ghazal.darfarin@unlv.edu

Med/Pre-Med Students

Sierra McCarty

BA, Biochemistry, Bowdoin College, 20224th year MD Candidate, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine(Co-mentored by Dr. Bertille Mavegam Tango Assoumou, MD, PhD)
mccars7@unlv.nevada.edu

William Chan

BA, Biology, Psychology, 2022, Cornell University
4th year MD Candidate, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine(Co-mentored by Dr. Bertille Mavegam Tango Assoumou, MD, PhD)
chanw12@unlv.nevada.edu

Amy Oganesyan

Biology, BS, UNLV, 2025
Department of Brain Health, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine
amy.oganesyan@unlv.edu

Elizabeth Tohme

Biology BS, Neuroscience Minor, UNLV, 2024
Department of Brain Health, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine
elizabeth.tohme@unlv.edu

High School Students

Caelyn Jiang

Victoria Baruk

Hamzah Salman

ALUMNI

Sasha-Cai Perez-Lesher, Ph.D
Matthew Mapua
Fritz N. Cayabyab
Harvey Perez
Alondra Pena
John Teng

Mariana Navarro
Gabriela Nager
Naira Margarian
Junghoon Park
Christine Xie
Arrane Jung

Flora Yi
Michelle Nikmehr
Audrey Munro
Sydney Chung
Vanya Agrawal
Maximilian Guadagnoli

Vesper Evereux
Mara Kebret
Ali Safieddine
Michaela Parent
Lateef Omidiji Jr.

Lina R. Nih, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine
University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)
lina.nih@unlv.edu