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Undergraduate Students
Kirill Afonin
Principal Investigator
I was born in Leningrad, U.S.S.R. but grew up in Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation. I graduated from Saint Petersburg State University with an M.S. in Chemistry, followed by a Ph.D. in Photochemistry earned from Bowling Green State University, Ohio. In addition to my doctoral degree, received in 2008, I also obtained a Graduate Certificate in Bioinformatics, Proteomics/Genomics from a joint program between Bowling Green State University, Medical University of Ohio, and University of Toledo, Ohio. In the following three years, I completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Chemistry and Biochemistry in Luc Jaeger’s lab at the University of California Santa Barbara. In 2011, I was invited as a Research Fellow to join the group of Bruce Shapiro at the National Cancer Institute, NIH where I established and managed an experimental branch within the Computational RNA Structure Group. I started my tenure-track appointment as an Assistant Professor at UNC Charlotte in 2015 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2019 and to Professor in 2021.
Starting with my doctoral research, under the supervision of Neocles Leontis, I focused my efforts on studying RNA biology and nanotechnology with potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications to biomedicine. My interdisciplinary research experience includes extensive use of both computational and experimental techniques for modeling, prediction, engineering, and characterization in vitro and in vivo of natural and artificial nucleic acid-based structures.
Undergraduate Students
Administrative Staff
Lisa Carlin
Lab Administrator
Undergraduate Students
Doctoral Researchers
Dr. Martin Panigaj
Visiting Scientist from P. J. Safarik University Institute of Biology and Ecology
Postdoctoral ORISE Fellow | U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Ph.D., Molecular and Cellular Biology | Charles University (Prague, Czech Republic)
M.S., Molecular Biology and Genetics | P.J. Safarik University (Kosice, Slovak Republic)
Undergraduate Students
Dr. Caryn D. Striplin
Lecturer and Lab Coordinator
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Molecular Pharmacology | UNC Chapel Hill
Ph.D., Neuroscience | Washington State University
B.S., Biology and Chemical Science | California State University, Chico
Undergraduate Students
Graduate Students
Damian Beasock
Nanoscale Science Ph.D. Student
I’m Damian Beasock from Syracuse, New York. At Syracuse University I earned a BS in Bio-Med Physics. I was a part of the Forstner biophysics research group studying active matter. I’m currently working on my PhD in Nanoscale Science here at UNC Charlotte.
Undergraduate Students
Yelixza I. Avila
Nanoscale Science Ph.D. Student
Hello, my name is Yelixza. I am from the El Paso, TX area and graduated from Sul Ross State University where I double majored in Biology and Chemistry. Currently, I am a Nanoscale Science Ph.D. Student investigating the delivery of nucleic acid nanotechnologies.
Undergraduate Students
Alex Lewis Rolband
Nanoscale Science Ph.D. Student
I am Lewis Rolband, though I go by Alex in most company. I took the scenic route to my B.S. Chemistry with Biochemistry from UNC-Charlotte. While working towards my undergraduate degree, I served in the NC Army National Guard (NCARNG) as an artillery observer and a Bradley Fighting Vehicle commander. After eight years in the NCARNG, I decided to end my service and pursue a PhD at UNC-Charlotte in order to further my scientific career.
Undergraduate Students
Jessica McMillan
Biology Masters Student
Hello! I am from Creedmoor, NC. In 2018, I graduated from UNC Charlotte with a B.S. in Psychology and minors in Biology and Chemistry. Before attending medical school, I'll be enhancing my knowledge on the inter-workings of human physiology and optimal drug delivery by studying RNA nanotechnology. My goal is to one day use nanodesign to diagnose patients experiencing chemical and psychological deviances and alleviate the symptoms with minimal drug side effects.
Undergraduate Students
Yasmine Radwan
Nanoscale Science Ph.D. Student
I am Yasmine Radwan. I’m from Cairo, Egypt where I received my B.S. in Biomedical Sciences, with a concentration in Drug Design and Development, and a minor in Nanomedicine, from Zewail City for Science and Technology. I am currently a Nanoscale Science Ph.D. Student at UNC Charlotte, studying nucleic acid nanotechnology and drug delivery.
Undergraduate Students
Leyla Danai-noldner
Nanoscale Science Ph.D. Student
Hello! My name is Leyla and I have my B.S. in Biology with a minor in political science. Originally from Germany, I have lived most of my life in Raleigh, NC. I began my undergraduate experience here at UNCC in 2017. I am currently researching nucleic acid nanotechnology involving silver nanoclusters.
Undergraduate Students
Sabina Fardous
Nanoscale Science Ph.D. Student
Hello, I am Sabina Fardous. I earned a BS and a Masters degree major in Pharmaceutical Science from Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh. Then I was positioned as a quality control (QC) officer in a pharmaceutical company for around three years before coming to the USA. Now, I have started my Ph.D. in Dr. Afonin's lab here at UNC Charlotte.
Undergraduate Students
Sandra Arroyo-Becker
Nanoscale Science Ph.D. Student
Hey there! My name is Sandra Arroyo-Becker and I grew up in Miami, FL. I initially began my undergraduate career at the University of South Carolina and transferred to UNC Charlotte in order to pursue a B.S. in Biology as well as a B.A. in Chemistry and French. While working on my undergraduate degrees, I had the opportunity to conduct research at institutions both abroad (Institut Pasteur, Paris, France) and local (UNC Charlotte, Charlotte, NC). Throughout my experiences, I have ameliorated my capabilities as a researcher and have acquired newfound interests (i.e. RNA nanotechnology). I am currently a Ph.D. student in the Nanoscale Science Program.
Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate Researchers
Doaha Awad
Undergraduate Biology Major
My name is Doaha Awad. I am a junior majoring in Biology (B.S.) and minoring in Chemistry and Psychology and I aspire to attend medical school in the future. I am originally from the Bronx, NY, but moved to Charlotte, NC, a couple of years ago. I joined Dr. Afonin’s lab because I was interested in research, specifically in the field of Biochemistry, but also because his work with RNA nanotechnology was very fascinating and I wanted to learn more. Through my experience in Dr. Afonin’s lab, I have developed more of an interest and appreciation in research and am excited to continue research in the lab.
Undergraduate Students
Alora Dunnavant
Undergraduate Chemistry Major
My name is Alora Dunnavant. I am originally from Virginia but chose to attend UNC Charlotte because of the multitude of research opportunities and innovative atmosphere in the city of Charlotte. I am majoring in Chemistry with a concentration in Biochemistry and a minor in Bioinformatics in hopes of conducting oncology/nanomedicine research. I joined Dr.Afonin’s lab because of the connection that it offers between my future career path and my academic focus. There are so many different types of research taking place here and I look forward to being able to take part in something so fascinating.
Undergraduate Students
Lane Tolley
Undergraduate Chemistry Major
Lane is a current Junior at UNC Charlotte majoring in Chemistry with a Concentration in Biochemistry and a minor in Biology. Lane is also a pre-medical student and aspires to attend Wake Forest School of Medicine. Lane is also an avid guitarist, cook, and connoisseur of fine buffalo wings.
