Our lab is an interdisciplinary environment.

The group has expertise and interests that span analytical chemistry, fluid mechanics, microfabrication, quantitative analysis and computation, bioengineering, microscopy, and immunology. Each lab member brings a unique set of skills and interests to the group.

Featured

Prof. Rebecca Pompano

Associate Professor — Online CV

Principal Investigator

Joined: July 2014

rpompano@virginia.edu

PhD in Bioanalytical Chemistry, University of Chicago

BS in Chemistry, University of Richmond, Virginia

Research: Microfluidics and bioanalytical chemistry for analysis of immunity

Senior Researchers and Research Staff

Featured

Yoojin Lee, PhD

Research Scientist

Joined: August 2023

eyj3gb@virginia.edu

PhD in Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh

BS in Physics, Emory University

NIH Career Re-Entry Research Supplement Award

Research: Cell and tissue dynamics in tissue slices and 3D cultured lymphoid models

Fun fact: I was almost a black belt in taekwondo at 7 years old when I lived in Korea, but I had to move to America so I never got to do my final exam

Graduate Students

Featured

Djuro Raskovic

PhD Student in Chemistry

Joined: Fall 2021

xjt6ha@virginia.edu

BS and MS in Chemistry at UNCW

Research: Organ-on-chip models of the lymph node; 3D printing for bioanalysis

Fun fact: I've built my own blacksmith forge

Erin Lawrence

PhD Student in Chemistry

Joined: Fall 2022

hzp9wp@virginia.edu

T32 fellow on NIH Biotechnology Training Grant

BS in Chemistry at UNC Chapel Hill

Research: Multi-organ models of vaccination

Fun fact: I am allergic to bananas but they are my favorite fruit

Sahana Sankaran

PhD Student in Chemistry

Joined: Fall 2022

ss5kj@virginia.edu

BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of South Carolina

Research: Bioanalytical methods for cytokine mapping in live tissues

Fun fact: I am learning to make chainmail jewelry

Parastoo Sakinejad

PhD Student in Chemical Engineering

Joined: Fall 2023

kkn8js@virginia.edu

MS in Polymer Engineering, BS in Chemical Engineering

Current Focus: Lymphocyte recirculation in immune competent multi-organ chips

Fun fact: Parastoo means “swallow” in Persian, a migrating bird and I love how it fits my journey as an immigrant

Saweetha Kiridena

PhD student in Chemistry

Joined: Fall 2023

xfu7qq@virginia.edu

BS in Chemistry, University of Peradeniya Sri Lanka

Research: Organ-on-chip models of the lymph node

Fun fact: I have a female ginger cat, which are very rare

Lauren Vetoulis

PhD Student in Biophysics

Joined: Spring 2025

mkg4hu@virginia.edu

BA in Chemistry at University of Mount Saint Vincent

T32 fellow on NIH Biotechnology Training Grant

Research: Multi-organ models of brain immunity

Fun fact: I have a pet pig and a pet chicken back in NY that are best friends

Griffin Weiss

PhD Student in Chemistry

Joined: Fall 2025

wdc5ge@virginia.edu

BS in Chemistry at Centre College

Fun fact: I played lacrosse for 12 years, including in the NCAA tournament, captaining my collegiate team, and competing/captaining with the Israel National Team

Soniya Joshi

PhD Student in Chemistry

Joined: Spring 2026

mej7da@virginia.edu

Patan Multiple Campus affiliated to Tribhuvan University

Fun fact: I know how to speak 3 different languages — Nepali, Newari, and Hindi

Undergraduate Researchers

Featured

Lauren M. Rylander

Joined: Fall 2024

npm9cn@virginia.edu

BS in Biochemistry

Current focus: Fluorescence imaging in live tissues

Sara Dombroski

Joined: Fall 2024

ekd7gq@virginia.edu

BS in Biochemistry

Current focus: Extending LN slice culture using a 3D-printed perfusion chip

Avneesh Kothekar

Joined: Fall 2025

apt4cv@virginia.edu

Biochemistry and Philosophy

Current focus: Evaluating the impact of cryopreservation on PBMC quality

Nicole Acton

Joined: Fall 2025

tau3dn@virginia.edu

BS in Biochemistry

Current focus: Assessing antigen response in tonsil tissue

Rocco Schnabel

Joined: Fall 2025

xtb9bd@virginia.edu

Engineering

Current focus: 3D printing a model of the lymph node

Nehir Dagtoros

Joined: Fall 2025

kgc8zp@virginia.edu

Chemical Engineering

Current focus: 3D printing a model of the lymph node

Fabrizzio Espinoza

Joined: Fall 2025

gqv6gg@virginia.edu

Biochemistry, Data Science minor

Current focus: Optimizing endothelial cell barriers on LN MPS

Former Graduate Students, Postdocs, and Staff

Featured

Former postdoc

Ashley E. Ross, PhD

Former postdoc

Postdoc 2014 - 2017. Current: Associate Prof @ Univ Cincinnati

Former postdoc

PhD graduate

Maura Belanger, PhD

PhD graduate

PhD 2020. Current: Scientific Technical Editor, AlphaBio Communications

PhD graduate

Andrew Kinman, PhD

PhD graduate

PhD 2020. Current: Research Scientist, Xeno Diagnostics

PhD graduate

Megan Catterton, PhD

PhD graduate

PhD 2021. Current position: Postdoctoral Researcher, NIST

PhD graduate

Jennifer Ortiz Cárdenas, PhD

PhD graduate

PhD 2021. Current position: Postdoctoral Fellow and Director of Microfluidics Foundry, Stanford

PhD graduate

Former postdoc

Sangjo Shim, PhD

Former postdoc

Postdoc 2016 - 2019. Current: R&D engineer, Precision for Medicine, Houston, TX

Former postdoc

MS graduate

Austin Dunn, MS

MS graduate

MS 2020. Current: Upper School Chemistry Faculty, Norfolk Academy

MS graduate

Former postdoc

Pargat Singh, PhD

Former postdoc

Postdoc 2019-2020. Current: Conjugation scientist, MediSieve, London

Former postdoc

Amirus (Ovi) Saleheen, PhD

Former postdoc

Postdoc Aug 2020-Jan 2022. Current: Process Engineer, Intel

Former postdoc

Former research scientist

Lavoisier Akoolo, PhD, DVM

Former research scientist

Immunology Research Scientist, 2020 - 2022. Current: Lab Manager, UVA Biorepository and Tissue Research Facility

Former research scientist

Former postdoc

Tochukwu (Tochi) Ozulumba, PhD

Former postdoc

Postdoc 2020-2023. Current: Postdoctoral Scholar, Baylor College of Medicine

Former postdoc

PhD graduate

Hannah Musgrove, PhD

PhD graduate

PhD 2024. Current: Postdoctoral Fellow at Oak Ridge National Lab

PhD graduate

Former lab tech

Julian Bowes

Former lab tech

Lab Technician 2023-2024. Current: PhD student at UIUC Chemistry

Former lab tech

PhD graduate

Katerina Morgaenko, PhD

PhD graduate

PhD 2024. Current: Postdoctoral scholar, Emory University

PhD graduate

Parris Anbaei, PhD

PhD graduate

PhD 2024. Current: Postdoctoral scholar at FDA

PhD graduate

Jon Zatorski, PhD

PhD graduate

PhD 2024. Current: Chemical Safety Consultant

PhD graduate

Alexander Ball, PhD

PhD graduate

PhD 2024. Current: Postdoctoral scholar, Emory University

PhD graduate

Former postdoc, PhD graduate

Sophie Cook, PhD

Former postdoc, PhD graduate

PhD 2023; Postdoc Jan-Sept 2024. Current: Postdoctoral scholar, University of Washington

Former postdoc, PhD graduate

Former graduate student

Dinuri Fernando

Former graduate student

MS in Chemistry 2025

Former graduate student

Former lab tech

India Glover

Former lab tech

Lab Technician Jun - Dec 2024. Current: Warehouse Manager, Amazon

Former lab tech

Former graduate student

Sarah Hope Dolce Villar

Former graduate student

MS in Chemistry 2025

Former graduate student

Former Undergraduate Researchers

Featured

Shara Fuller

Ray Ramirez

Jacob Woodroof

Ziad Shafi

Kristen Richey

Hannah Freeman

Drake Dixon

Benjamin Groff

Erini Stylianopoulos

es5cq@virginia.edu

Alyssa Montalbine

Tim Freeman

tjf7ya@virginia.edu

Erica Kem

elk6jhq@virginia.edu

Joined: Fall 2019

Major: Global Public Health

Research focus: Metabolic lymph node after vaccination

Divya Shan

dms5pc@virginia.edu

Meredith Davis

mad4tb@virginia.edu

Joined: Fall 2020

Major: Biomedical Engineering

Research: Developing a computational model to predict cytokine diffusion in lymph node tissue

Natchanon (Bond) Sittipongpittaya

ns6bv@virginia.edu

Joined: Spring 2021

Research: developing computational model to predict cytokine diffusion in lymph node

Isabella Lee

ill3dw@virginia.edu

Joined: Fall 2021

Major: Chemistry with Specialization in Biochemistry

Research focus: Determining methacryloyl functionalization of GelMA using NMR

Geane Miranda (she/her)

Bertram Zhai

blz4mv@virginia.edu

Joined: Spring 2022

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bertram-zhai/

Major: BS in Chemistry and BA in Computer Science

Research focus: Exploring T Cell moblity and the use of computational models

Peyton Hamlett

Joined: Spring 2022

pjh6zgy@virginia.edu

Major: Chemistry with Specialization in Biochemistry

Research focus: Developing biocompatible models for long term culture of live lymph node slices

Nadia Cheng

Joined: Spring 2022

bnc9qj@virginia.edu

Major: BA in Applied Statistics

Dorienne Hochard

Joined: Spring 2022

djh6thh@virginia.eedu

linkedin.com/in/dorienne-hochard-a5a9b81aa

Majors: Chemistry and Global Studies: Middle East & South Asia

Glory Zewdie

Joined: Fall 2022

pcd3yh@virginia.edu

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elyana-glory-zewdie-00935123b/

Major: BS in Biochemistry

Current Focus: Microevironmental control of lymphoid tissue

Rachel Johnston

Joined: Fall 2022

yjn5xe@virginia.edu

Major: BS in Biology

Current Focus: Multi-organ models of neuroimmunity

Ritika Jha

Joined: Fall 2022

uqw5ps@virginia.edu

BS in Biochemistry and religious studies minor

Current Focus: Human lymphoid function

Tiffany Tran

Joined: Fall 2022

zvf2fg@virginia.edu

BS in Biochemistry and Data Analytics Minor

Current Focus: Microevironmental control of lymphoid tissue

Rhea Malla

Joined: Fall 2022

mcz3vx@virginia.edu

BA in Cognitive Science concentrating in psychology

Current Focus: Determining effective ways to handle a human tonsil tissue

Morgan-Elizabeth McKnight

Joined: Fall 2022

gdn4tq@virginia.edu

Major in Chemical Engineering

Current Focus: Characterizing the physical and biochemical changes of tumor-draining lymph nodes

Marissa Salins

Joined: Fall 2024

pjq9gx@virginia.edu

BS in Biochemistry

Current focus: 3D printed organs-on-chip

Noah Perkins

Joined: Fall 2024

emv6xm@virginia.edu

BS in Electrical Engineering

Current focus: 3D printing for microfluidics

Delaney Smith

Joined: Fall 2024

hkn2dm@virginia.edu

BS in Biochemistry

Current focus: Hormone responsivesness in human lymphoid tissue

Senior Researchers and Research Staff

Graduate Students

Undergraduate Researchers

Lab Alumni

Former Graduate Students, Postdocs, and Staff

Former Undergraduate Researchers

Pompano Lab