Trainees

Humna Siddiqi, B.S.

Humna graduated from Boston University with a degree in Neuroscience and Philosophy and is a master’s graduate student in the Multidisciplinary Biomedical Sciences Program at UAB. She is interested in studying the biological and molecular processes that drive neurodegeneration and/or tumors with the goal of pursuing a Ph.D. Her project explores the neurobiological roles for novel transcriptional regulators of autophagy and lysosomal regulation with knockout and overexpression mouse models. She is a mother to 8 goldfish, enjoys traveling and exploring new cultures, henna, and a boba enthusiast.

Latham Girona

Latham is a 3rd-year undergraduate at UAB on the pre-medical track. He is exploring the neurobiological role of the transcriptional regulators of autophagy and lysosomal regulation using knockout and wildtype mouse models. Latham is currently a Lead Mentor for First Impact and an Honors College Ambassador for UAB. During his freetime, Latham enjoys reading, watching movies, and walking his rescue puppy, Circe.

Narcy Amireddy

Narcy is a 4th-year undergraduate at UAB on the pre-medical track. Through the Cowell Lab, he researches Huntington’s Disease (HD) focusing on the issue of transcriptional dysregulation. Narcy uses overexpression and knockdown mice models of transcription factors involved in mitochondrial gene regulation to determine what roles they play in HD and normal neuron function. Narcy also acts as a tour guide for UAB, and in his free time, he enjoys training mixed martial arts.

Joshua Leggett

Joshua is a second-year undergraduate student at UAB majoring in biomedical engineering with a focus in neuroscience. He has researched the fluctuation of gene expression in response to manipulating the circadian rhythms of mouse models. In his spare time, he chiefly enjoys reading fantasy novels and playing video games.

Navya Gullapalli

Navya is a third year undergraduate student at UAB majoring in neuroscience and minoring in Business Administration on the pre-med track. She is also completing her Masters in Multidisciplinary Biomedical Sciences on the UAB ABM-fast track program. She researches astrocytic-influenced neuronal vulnerability in mouse models of Parkinson’s Disease. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis, cooking, and trying out new restaurants.

Varshinee Subramanian

Varshinee is a third year undergraduate student at UAB under the pre-med track majoring in Neuroscience. She studies the neurobiological roles of various transcriptional factors in autophagy, lysosomal maintenance, and gene regulation in FTD and Parkinson’s Disease, using mouse models. Varshinee is also a Gift of Life campus ambassador, and in her spare time, she enjoys dancing, singing, and watching movies.

Aanchal Behara

Aanchal is a high school senior at the Alabama School of Fine Arts, specializing in the math-science department. She is investigating the neurobiological role of the transcription factors involved in lysosomal biogenesis within vulnerable neuronal populations, utilizing mouse models. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing the piano, and traveling.

Susie Cowell

Susie Cowell is an 8 year-old pup from Two-by-Two Rescue in Birmingham. While she was initially marketed as a whippet, she is 22% American Fox Hound and a mix of herding breeds. Her favorite past-times are sleeping next to mom while she works, barking at the mailman, and going on walks with the entire purpose of pointing at, and treeing, squirrels. Susie is a 2017 graduate of MIT (Bachelor of Science in Applied Theoretical Physics and Rodent Trajectory Prediction and Analysis).

Remi Simmons

Remi Simmons is a one-year-old miniature pin chihuahua mix from a rescue in Springville. Her favorite things to do are play fight with Micah, hype Micah up when he comes home, and get her rem sleep. She isn’t old enough to attend college, but she hopes to follow in her dad’s footsteps. She has a strong interest in Melittology.

Magnum and Bella Colafrancesco

Magnum and Bella are both 8 year old pups with lots of love to give! Magnum is an American bull-dog/pit mix and rescued Alana 4 years ago during COVID. Mags (White with Black Eye spot) loves to play fetch and run much too fast to be caught. He’s also an avid snuggler! Miss Belle (Brown and White) is a pittie and rescued Magnum from boredom when Alana started Grad School. Bella is a lover of all things treats, but her fav is a pup-cup from Starbies. Together, they are passionate about snoozing and lounging during the day but are adventurers by night.

Riley Leggett

Riley is an adorable mix between a pug and a beagle. While he may be 14 years old, to his family, he is still just a puppy. His most skilled techniques include sleeping, hibernating, resting, dozing, drowsing, and slumbering. He also has notable talents in food inhalation and noise production. While he did not formally attend university, he did gain a robust education growing up on the streets during his first year of life.