Meet Our Fellows
Maurice Wade - Cohort 1
Maurice Wade graduated with a B.S. in Biology and minors in Psychology and Chemistry and is a Fellow with Dr. Magdalena Misiak and Dr. Evaristus Nwulia on a joint initiative to establish libraries of tissues and cultured human primary neural progenitor cells derived non-invasively from participants’ olfactory mucosa. Maurice’s role focuses on developing a data analysis framework that combines transcriptomics and proteomics to identify protective factors in the presence of the risk factor for Alzheimer’s APOE. He also applies advanced deep learning algorithms to link circadian and longitudinal neurophysiological variations with neuropsychiatric conditions.
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"My time as a fellow allowed me to bridge clinical care and research by working directly with underrepresented populations in both patient interactions and translational research. This experience deepened my commitment to addressing healthcare disparities and reinforced my aspiration to become a physician-scientist."
Essiet-Ette Adidiong - Cohort 1
Essiet-Adidiong Ette received her B.S in Biology in three years. She is a Fellow in Dr. William Tu’s molecular imaging laboratory, working on projects to develop a composite deep learning system for cell detection, segmentation, and classification of neuroglia. Specializing in computational neuroscience, her objective is to create a user-friendly web application for assisting human curators in their annotation of microglia activation levels. The further implication of this application will provide a comprehensive database of cell morphology and phenotypes annotated for model training and testing.
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“This fellowship has provided me with a great foundation for computational neuroscience and equipped me with the necessary experience and expertise to enter my desired field. It has allowed me to foster my existing research skills by taking on greater responsibilities and becoming an integral part of my lab.”
Jodi-Ann Richards - Cohort 1
Jodi-Ann Richards obtained a B.S. in Biology and minors in Computer Science and Chemistry. She currently works as a computational biologist fellow in Jenny Jiang’s Bioengineering laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania. With a primary focus on systems immunology, Dr. Jiang’s lab uses high-throughput sequencing and single-cell analysis in order to investigate the immune system and develop cutting edge systems immunological tools for future therapeutic methods. Jodi-Ann focuses on using single-cell analysis as well as computational research in the context of neurodegenerative diseases.
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"I’ve had such an enlightening time -- when I first began my time in the program, I used to be extremely nervous about conducting research alone. With the translational skills I have procured...I feel so much more comfortable in the lab and look forward to continuing my academic career after the program.”
Brhan Gebremedhin - Cohort 1
Brhan Gebremedhin is a Fellow in the lab of Dr. Phatnani at the New York Genome Center. He earned his bachelor's degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. He works on projects aimed at understanding the molecular mechanisms underpinning Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Together with the team, he analyzes data from spatially resolved RNA-sequencing approaches and computational tools to to gain deeper insights into the mechanisms responsible for the onset and progression of this disease.
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"During my time as a fellow...I've had the privilege to gain valuable experience in both computational and experimental biology. Along with this, I have grown tremendously as a scientist and thinker, something for which I am very grateful!"
Jheannelle Johnson - Cohort 1
Jheannelle Johnson is a Fellow in Inma Cobos' Lab at Stanford Medicine, where she is utilizing spatial multiomics to identify transcriptomic and proteomic changes in amyloid beta plaques and other vulnerable cell types within human brain tissue affected by Alzheimer's Disease.
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"My time in the NDCF program has been nothing short of transformative as I have been provided with invaluable professional development experiences and support that has been pivotal in shaping my abilities and expanding my professional network as an early career scientist. The program's individualized approach fostered my growth into a well-connected, multidisciplinary researcher with a diverse skill set adaptable to various environments."
Julia Sutton - Cohort 2
Julia Sutton is a new Fellow and graduated with her B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Howard University in three years. She has conducted research in natural products, microbiology, and analytical chemistry, with a focus on drug discovery and the development of precision therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases. Her work centered on identifying bioactive compounds from marine microbes, fueling her passion for bridging environmental biologics and medicine. In addition, her experience in therapeutic biomaterials and organismal biomechanics has deepened her interdisciplinary perspective on the intersection of biology, engineering, and translational science. Now, Julia aims to build on her foundation in disease modeling and systems biology by honing in on the computational dimension of biomedical research through the Neurodegeneration Computational Fellows Training Program. She looks forward to gaining advanced skills in high-throughput data analysis and integrative computational tools to explore the mechanisms underlying complex neurological diseases. Her goal is to apply data-driven approaches in neuroscience that translate molecular insights into real-world therapeutic outcomes, ultimately contributing to more inclusive, effective, and innovative solutions in neurodegenerative research.
Kiana-Angela Macharia - Cohort 2
Kiana Anglea Macharia is a 2024 graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology with a minor in Writing. She has conducted neuroimaging research in the Ances Lab at the Washington University School of Medicine, focusing on Alzheimer’s disease and presenting her work at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in both 2023 and 2024 . Her academic interests span computational neuroscience, psychopharmacology, and the social determinants of health, with a particular emphasis on how diverse populations are represented in scientific research. Beyond the lab, she has applied her skills as a patient care technician in the pediatric ICU at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, an experience that shaped her understanding of the connections between research and clinical practice. Kiana is also deeply committed to advocacy and community engagement, serving as Director of Advocacy & Representation for her campus Emergency Support Team and as Co-founder of Oakland Mills United, a nonprofit focused on educational equity. She is passionate about integrating advocacy and policy into scientific research, aiming to advance equity in neuroscience and empower scientists as agents of change.
Makenna Rodriguez - Cohort 2
Makenna Rodriguez recently completed their B.S. in Biology (Honors Colloge) with minors in Chemistry and Computer Science at Howard University. They worked in Dr. An Dang Do’s lab at the National Institutes of Health, where their thesis research focused on identifying chitotriosidase (CHIT1) as a cerebrospinal fluid biomarker for juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (CLN3). Their work integrates ELISA-based protein quantification with comparative disease modeling across lysosomal and non-lysosomal disorders, aiming to improve early diagnosis and disease monitoring in pediatric neurodegeneration. Makenna’s research interests lie at the intersection of molecular neuroscience and translational biomarker discovery. They expanded their technical training through internships at Thermo Fisher Scientific, where they developed cryopreservation protocols for 3D stem cell spheroids, and at UnitedHealth Group, where they applied data engineering strategies to public health datasets. A recipient of multiple academic and leadership honors, they were also an athlete on Howard’s Division I Women’s Golf Team and on the executive board for the National Society of Black Engineers. Their long-term goal is to develop scalable, biomarker-based diagnostics for neurogenetic diseases through interdisciplinary approaches rooted in biology and computation.
Mariela Bejan - Cohort 2
Mariela Bejan has a B.S. in Neuroscience with a minor in Data Science from Arizona State University. Her background focuses on integrating computational tools to study neurodegenerative diseases. She has experience working on Alzhiemer’s disease, using a rat model, where she combined machine learning with behavioral testing to track and analyze spatial navigation. By developing data pipelines, she was able to quantify metrics to better understand memory impairment. She is passionate about understanding neurodegenerative disorders by integrating neuroscience and data science. She is going to be working under Dr. Phatnani to continue her research into neurodegenerative diseases, specifically regarding Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Monica Bandora - Cohort 2
Monica Bandora earned her B.S. in Biology with a minor in Computer Science. Throughout her academic career, she has engaged in diverse neuroscience research projects, applying both biological and computational approaches. Her work includes developing computational models of neuronal circuitry in pregnant mice, characterizing TANGO-2 Deficiency disorder in C. elegans & investigating vitamin B5 as a potential therapy, studying the mechanical function of vascular smooth muscle cells, and exploring estrogen as a biomarker for stress in African-origin populations in the US. Monica’s strong programming skills have been integral to many of these projects, allowing her to merge computational methods with biological inquiry. She is passionate about interdisciplinary research and excited to begin her role as a research fellow in Dr. Hsiao’s lab, where she will focus on the gut-brain axis. Monica looks forward to contributing to advancing understanding in neuroscience while integrating her interests in biology and computer science.
Sakinah Ali - Cohort 2
Sakinah Ali is an emerging neuroscientist with a multidisciplinary background spanning molecular biology and clinical neuroscience, with a growing focus on the neural mechanisms underlying cognition. Her laboratory experience includes immunofluorescence, GFP cell tagging, cell line maintenance, and virus production—technical skills that support cellular and molecular approaches to brain research. In the clinical domain, she has administered transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy to patients with diverse neuropsychiatric and cognitive profiles, deepening her understanding of noninvasive neuromodulation and cognitive assessment. With a keen interest in cognitive and computational neuroscience, Sakinah seeks to integrate her wet lab expertise with systems-level approaches to investigate how neural circuits support cognitive function and adaptability. Her holistic mindset, shaped by her regular yoga practice and beach meditations, informs both her scientific curiosity and her human-centered approach to research. She is excited to contribute to labs that value interdisciplinary inquiry into cognition, brain health, and data-driven neuroscience.