Dr. Kelly A. Hyndman
Current Members
Huy Nguyen
Graduate Student
Undergraduate institution & Major?
- BS from Ho Chi Minh University of Education, Organic Chemistry
- MS from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Biotechnology
Hometown? Saigon, Vietnam
Career apsiration? Get my PhD degree and find a research position in a Pharmaceutical Company.
Fun Fact? If you don’t want me to touch your food, just put in some slices of cucumber!
Nha Van Huynh (preferred name: Van)
Graduate Student
Previous institutions & majors?
BS: Biology – Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City
MS: Animal Physiology – Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City
Hometown? Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Career aspirations? I aspire to get a researcher position in cellular and molecular biology that involves both dry and wet lab work. I am also teaching myself some data science for a side job. I love to learn.
Fun Fact? I was born in Vietnam, but I am actually Cantonese in origin. While I know some Mandarin and Japanese, I can’t really speak Cantonese. Well, I don’t really have a fun fact so, thanks for reading this far.
Phi Hung Nguyen
Master of Science Student 2022-2024
Undergraduate institution & major? Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy – Major: Doctor of Medicine
Hometown? Hue, Vietnam
Career aspirations? I want to pursue Ph.D degree, and develop skills and knowledge in the renal research field to contribute to clinical applications for patients.
Fun Fact?I like to solve problems and my motto is “Nothing is impossible”. I usually play 8-ball pools in my free time.
Nick Harris
Researcher I 2024-
Gap year intern 2023-2024
Undergraduate researcher 2021-2023
Undergraduate institution & major? University of Alabama at Birmingham; Molecular Biology
Hometown? Hueytown, AL
Career aspirations? I hope to attend medical school and maybe become a professor as well.
Fun Fact? I’m a twin! I have a twin sister that also attends UAB.
Cassidy Rehage
Researcher II 2023-
Gap Year Intern 2022-2023
Undergraduate institution & major? Auburn University; Neuroscience
Hometown? Madison, AL
Career aspirations? Attend UAB’s medical school and maybe become a surgeon
Fun Fact? I love traveling and have been to four continents so far
Jeremiah Studivant
Gap year intern 2024-
Undergraduate institutions & majors?
Honors in Molecular Biology & Genetics at The University Of The South, Sewanee, Tn.
Hometown? Bessemer, Al
Career aspirations? I aspire to do research and academia as an Evolutionary Biochemist.
Fun Fact? I’m a musician. I’ve been playing the tuba for approximately 10 years.
Alumni
Margi Patel
Researcher II 2023-2024
Gap Year Intern 2022-2023
Undergraduate institution & major? University of Alabama at Birmingham, Biology and Public Health
Hometown? York, AL
Career aspirations? I hope to attend medical school, but I am not quite sure which specialty yet.
Fun Fact? I have visited 11 countries, and would love to travel more!
Anabelle Gales
Science and Technology Honors Student 2019-2023
Undergraduate institution & major? University of Alabama at Birmingham; Genetics
Hometown? Decatur, AL
Career aspirations? I hope to attend the dental school at UAB and become a dentist. However, I am not sure if I want to specialize in a specific field.
Fun Fact? I love to crochet and knit beanies, stuffed plushies, and more in my free time.
Luciano Deven Mendoza
Researcher IV
Undergraduate institution & major? Mississippi State University, B.S. in Biological Sciences
Hometown? Gautier, MS
Career aspirations? Researcher
Fun Fact? I love reading fantasy books and woodworking!
Liz Binning
Gap Year Intern 2020-2021
Reasecher II 2021-2022
Undergraduate institution & major? Birmingham-Southern College; Biology
Hometown? Baton Rouge, LA
Career aspirations? Genetic Counseling
Fun Fact? I volunteered at a wild life center where I fed and handled raptors!
Amber Nobles
Researcher V
Undergraduate institution & major? Univesity of Alabama; Biological Sciences
Hometown? Valley, AL
Career aspirations? Continue research and make discoveries that help people live better and healthier lives. I’ve also considered running for political position one day in hopes to improve public health policies/practices for Americans. I plan to paint and write books and when I retire or in my “spare” time.
Fun Fact? I love to grow vegetables and play guitar and base.
Ariana Ramos
Undergraduate Honors Student
Undergraduate institution & major? University of Alabama at Birmingham; Biomedical Science
Hometown? Enterprise, AL
Career aspirations? I aspire to be a physician. Though I can safely say that every area of medicine interests me, family medicine and general surgery are two specialties that have especially drawn me.
Fun Fact? I once held the record for the 800-meter run at Enterprise High School.
Maddie Hand
Undergraduate Honors Student
Undergraduate institution & Major? University of Alabama Birmingham, Nursing
Hometown? Nashville, TN
Career aspirations? I am hoping to become a CRNA following nursing school.
Fun Fact? I love cooking and rock climbing in my free time!
Kanika Garg
KURE Summer Student 2021
Undergraduate institution & major? Purdue University; Psychological Sciences (major) and Biochemistry (minor)
Hometown? Paramus, New Jersey
Career aspirations? I hope to be a doctor, although I’m not sure of which specialty.
Fun Fact? I love singing and recently started songwriting!
Kaitylyn J. Aldaz
KURE Summer Student 2019
Undergraduate institution & major? University of California, Merced; Psychology with Pre-Medical emphasis
Hometown? Glendale, AZ
Current position? Post-Baccalaureate Student at Washington University in St. Louis and part-time Scribe/ Medical Assistant at Synergi MedSpa
Career aspirations? Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Fun Fact? I come from a big and loving family of 11!
Parker Davis
Gap Year Intern 2019-2020
Undergraduate institution & major? University of Alabama; Biology (BS) and Political Science (BA). Graduate: Case Western Reserve University; Medical Physiology (MS).
Hometown? Luxembourg
Current position? In Medical School in Ohio
Career aspirations? Physician
Fun Fact? My name is Parker and I own one parka, I live across from a public park on Park Ln, with an apartment view of a parking lot, and I have only parallel parked once in my life.
Courtney Dugas
Lab Manager
Undergraduate institution & major? Millsaps College, biology
Hometown? New Orleans, LA
Current position? Medical Research Specialist
Fun Fact? I love running half marathons through Disney World
Not Pictured:
Sureena Monterio-Pai, 2017-2019 former SciTech Honors student, currently in Residency at the UMMC
Omar Alnajjar, KURE student 2019
Hailey Levi, PROMOTE Student 2020, currently a graduate student at UAB
Ayaka Fujihashi, PROMOTE Student 2020, currently in Residency.
Allie Arguello, summer researcher, 2014, 2015, Orthapeutic Surgery Residency
Fun inside and outside of the lab
Margi’s last day before heading off to medical school! We wore green, her choice, to say we will miss you! We also decided the photo had to be by the microtome where Margi excelled and trained everyone in this picture on how to use it! Go off and do great things Margi!
End of 2023 team fun escaping the Clue Room!
Holiday Fun 2022 just missing Huy and Nick