TEAM
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Sonia Villapol, Ph.D. Principal Investigator
Morgan Holcomb, B.S., RA II / Lab Manager
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Hannah Flinn, B.S., Research Assistant
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Austin Marshall, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow
Goknur Kara, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow
Marissa Burke, Ph.D. Student
Sonia Villapol, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor and Neuroscientist👩🏻‍🔬.
Dr. Sonia Villapol is an Assistant Professor and Neuroscientist at the Center for Neuroregeneration and the Department of Neurosurgery at the Methodist Hospital Research Institute in Houston, TX. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain), in 2003. She furthered her education with a master’s degree and Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the Autonomous University of Barcelona in 2007. Following her doctoral studies, she undertook postdoctoral research at the CNRS of Pierre and Marie Curie VI University and the INSERM in Paris (France), and at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, and Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, MD in 2010. In May 2014, she joined Georgetown University as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Neuroscience before moving to her current position in 2018. Her academic career includes over 70 publications in peer-reviewed journals. Her ongoing research explores neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation, and the brain-gut-microbiome connection, employing animal models for brain injury and Alzheimer’s disease by advancing nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems.
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6174-4113
Professional Appointments
Center for Neuroregeneration, Department of Neurosurgery
Neurological Institute, Houston Methodist Research Institute
Department of Neuroscience in Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, NY.
Adjunct Professor of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Texas A&M, TX
Faculty Academic Visitor. Rice University, Houston, TX.
Morgan Holcomb, B.S.
Research Assistant & Lab Manager
Morgan Holcomb has earned her bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Texas A&M University in August 2019. She accepted the invitation to work under the guidance and leadership of Dr. Sonia Villapol at Houston Methodist in February 2021. She is currently involved in a neurorestorative project that fuels her desire to gain experience in research and to further her pursuit of a career in Biomedical Engineering. Morgan appreciates a challenge and spires to make a significant contribution through her research under the mentorship of Dr. Villapol. Though a native of East Texas, Morgan has enjoyed travelling internationally and experienced living in Saudi Arabia for two years. Her desire is to have a positive, global impact in the diverse field of Biomedical Engineering.
Hannah Flinn
Research Assistant
Hannah Flinn is a current post baccalaureate student at Rice University. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science from Texas A&M University in August 2021, with a primary focus on Veterinary Medicine. As part of the Villapol lab, Hannah is involved in studying the link between the brain and gut microbiome via the gut brain axis and identifying various mice models of Alzheimer’s disease and pathology. The next step in Hannah’s career is to pursue her PhD in Neuroscience to continue her passion for research and neurology. She hopes this will allow her to focus on continuing to investigate Neurodegenerative diseases and get more insight on blood brain barrier interactions and integrity in disease models. Outside of the lab, Hannah enjoys being a dog-mom to her rescue dog, Wilson, and finding the best coffee shops in Houston.
Dr. Austin Marshall
Postdoctoral Fellow
Austin Marshall is an interdisciplinary bioscience and biotechnology wet-lab scientist with a passion for bridging the gap between biology and computer science. He obtained his PhD from Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY in December 2023. Austin’s efforts are focused on the detection of microbes within the built environment using culture-independent workflows. As a graduate student Austin was worked with many different nucleic acid sequencing technologies like Sanger, Illumina, and ONT Nanopore MinION. Austin is passionate about applying third generation sequencing and novel bioinformatics workflows for researching the gut microbiome.
Dr. Goknur Kara
Postdoctoral Fellow
Goknur Kara obtained her PhD in Chemistry from Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey in 2020. During her doctoral training, she joined the Department of Experimental Therapeutics at the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center as a visiting PhD student. She later joined the Department of Nanomedicine at the Houston Methodist Research Institute as a postdoctoral fellow. Her research focused on developing molecularly targeted therapies to inhibit tumor growth and tumorigenesis in various types of cancer, utilizing siRNA and miRNA. She has designed several nanoparticle systems to deliver RNA therapeutics into circulation to make these therapies clinically viable. In 2024, she joined the Villapol lab to optimize the nanoparticles for applications in Alzheimer’s disease and to understand the mechanisms driving AD progression by targeting specific signaling pathways responsible for AD pathology.
Marissa Burke
Ph.D. student
Weill Cornell Medicine
Marissa Burke earned her Bachelor of Science in Aerospace 
Physiology at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2022 where she studied spaceflight effects on E. coli and the neuroendocrine-immune axis in mice models. In 2022, Marissa was involved in a simulated galactic cosmic ray exposure experiment at Brookhaven National Lab. She is currently a PhD student at Weill Cornell Medicine within the Houston Methodist cohort. Work Marissa has completed during her time there includes telomerase therapeutics for spaceflight-induced aging, Inspiration 4 astronaut omics studies, and bioinformatics analysis of m6A modifications. As part of the Villapol lab, she has interest in the gut-brain axis and subsequent immune interactions.
Leonardo Cruz-Pineda
Medical student
TecnolĂłgico de Monterrey, MĂ©xico
Past Lab Members
Dr. Paula Scalzo
Visiting Scientist
Degree in Physiotherapy (1997-2002) from the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais. Master’s degree in Physiology and Pharmacology (2002-2004) and PhD in Cell Biology (2005-2009) from the Institute of Biological Sciences of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (ICB-UFMG). Professor of Human Neuroanatomy at Department of Morphology at ICB-UFMG since 2010. Advisor of the Postgraduate Program in Neurosciences at UFMG and coordinator of the Postgraduate Program Lato Sensu degree in Neurosciences since 2016. She was a professor at PUC-MINAS (2003-2010) and Estácio de Sá (2005-2010), teaching subjects in the basic cycle and supervising the internship in Neurofunctional Rehabilitation. She studies neurodegenerative diseases, mainly Parkinson’s disease, evaluating the effect of interventions in inflammatory and neurotrophic parameters.
Olivia Chang
Undergraduate student
Rice University
Olivia Chang is an undergraduate at Rice University studying Health Sciences with a minor in Medical Humanities and a language certificate in Spanish. Olivia joined the Villapol Lab with a particular interest in the relationship between traumatic brain injury and the gut microbiome. She hopes to further explore her curiosities through research and apply the knowledge to a medical career in the future. In her free time, Olivia enjoys composing music and playing board games with friends.
Sirena Soriano, Ph.D.
Instructor
Sirena Soriano, Ph.D., obtained her doctorate degree from the University of Valencia, Spain in 2016 under the mentorship of Drs. MoltĂł and MartĂnez. As part of her doctoral training, she joined the laboratory of Dr. Juan Botas at Baylor College of Medicine as a visiting fellow to perform a genetic interaction screening in a fly model of Friedreich ataxia. She later joined Dr. Rodney Cavero Samaco laboratory as a postdoctoral associate where she participated in the molecular and behavioral characterization of rodent models of autism spectrum disorders. In 2019, she joined the Villapol Lab as the next step in her pursuit of a career in academia, with the goal of investigating the link between brain injuries and Alzheimer’s disease
Nhat Tran
Rotated Ph.D. student
University of Texas at Austin
Nhat graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry in 2021. Following graduation, he joined Dr. Kyuson Yun’s lab at Houston Methodist, where he utilized single-cell omics to study the immune suppression in glioblastoma. He is currently a first-year PhD student in the Neuroscience program of Weill Cornell Graduate School and has joined Dr. Villapol’s lab to investigate the sex difference in inflammation in neurodegenerative diseases.
Amanda Morse
Undergraduate student
Texas A&M University
Amanda Morse is a current undergraduate student at Texas A&M University pursuing a degree in Molecular & Cellular Neuroscience in the Biology Honors Program. Amanda joined the Villapol lab as a Summer Undergraduate Research Intern, and she hopes to develop her research skills to utilize in a future medical profession. During her time in the lab, Amanda is looking forward to exploring her interests in neuroscience and medicine while studying the connection between Alzheimer’s pathology and the gut microbiome. Outside of the lab, Amanda enjoys playing pickleball, baking, and sailing.
Valerie DeLeon
Medical student
University of Houston
Valerie is a third-year medical student at the University of Houston Tilman J Fertitta Family College of Medicine. She received her Bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in French from the University of Texas at Austin. She joined the Villapol lab because of her interest in neuroscience. She intends to pursue a career in pediatric neurosurgery or neurology. In her free time, she loves spending time with her Australian shepherd, cooking, and caring for her plants.
Mariana Lozano
Master Student
Mariana obtained her bachelor’s degree in Nutrition from UDEM in Monterrey, Mexico in December of 2021. She joined the Villapol lab in 2023 to explore her interest in the microbiome and its relation to neurodegenerative diseases. Mariana hopes her time at the Villapol lab will help her build her skills and give her a good base for her pursuit in the study of the microbiota and the impact it has on all areas of health. Outside of the lab she enjoys cooking, drawing and spending quality time with friends.
Trinity Eimer
Undergraduate student
Rice University
Trinity is an undergraduate at Rice University studying Cell Biology and Genetics, Medical Humanities, and Spanish on the pre-med track. In 2023, Trinity joined the Villapol lab to explore her interest in neuroscience, particularly within the realms of traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer’s disease. Ultimately Trinity hopes her time at the Villapol lab will provide a strong foundation for her future pursuits in the medical field. Beyond her studies, Trinity enjoys reading, weightlifting, writing, and listening to/playing all kinds of music.
Guillermo Hoppe-Elsholz
Ph.D. Student (PBSB)
Weill Cornell Medicine
Madda Horner
Undergraduate student
Colorado State University
Cathryn Gunawan
Undergraduate student
Texas A&M University
Alyssa Lopez
Undergraduate student
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Peter D. Park
Medical student
Texas A&M University
Donovan Butler
Undergraduate student
Rice University
Serena Wang
Undergraduate student
Neuroscience, Rice University
Lindsey Patrick
Undergraduate student
Texas A&M University
Noah Taylor
Undergraduate student
Texas A&M University
Jessica LĂłpez
Medical student
TecnolĂłgico de Monterrey, MĂ©xico
Saeed Sadrameli, M.D.
Neurosurgery Resident
Houston Methodist
Former Lab Members at Houston Methodist Research Institute
- Olivia Chang (Rice University, Houston, 2023, 2024).
- Amanda Morse (Texas A&M University, Summer Intern, HMRI, Houston, 2024).
- Maddalena Horner (Colorado State University, 2023).
- Cathryn Gunawan (Texas A&M University, Summer Intern, HMRI, Houston, 2023).
- Alyssa Lopez (North Carolina State University, Summer Intern, HMRI, Houston, 2023).
- Lindsey Patrick – Undergraduate student, University of Texas, Austin (Summer, 2022)
- Noah Taylor – Undergraduate student, University of Texas, Austin (Summer, 2022)
- Jessica LĂłpez – Medical student, Instituto TecnolĂłgico de Monterrey, MĂ©xico (2022)
- Donovan Butler (Rice University, Houston, 2021-2022).
- Eric Wang – Undergraduate student, University of Texas, Austin (Summer, 2021)
- Pranjal Sheth – Undergraduate student, University of Houston (2019 – 2022)
- Kristen Curry – Ph.D. student, Rice University (2019 – 2022)
- Serena Wang – Undergraduate student, Rice University (2021 – 2022)
- Maria “Qi” Wang –Ph.D. student, Rice University (2018 – 2020)
- Saeed Sadrameli, M.D.- Neurosurgery Resident (Houston Methodist Hospital) (2019 – 2020)
- Elsbeth Chow – Summer intern, from the University of Texas, Austin (Summer, 2021)
- Shashi Krishnamurthy, M.S. – Senior Research Assistant III (November 2018 to December 2020)
- Kiana Banafshay – Summer intern, from the University of Texas, Austin (Summer, 2019)
- Omkar Borikar – Volunter Student, (2019).
- Jane Fitzgerald, Research Assistant I, (2019).
- Hina Aslam, M.D., Neurology Resident, (2019).
- Manoj Dandekar, Ph.D., Research Associate I, Villapol Lab at HMRI, (March 2019- January 2020).
FORMER LAB MEMBERS
Dr. Villapol has mentored over 70 students/postdocs/residents in the past 20 years.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
1. Amanda Morse (Texas A&M University, Summer Intern, HMRI, Houston, 2024).
2. Maddalena Horner (Colorado State University, Summer Intern 2023).
3. Olivia Chang (Rice University, Houston, 2023, 2024).
4. Trinity Eimer (Rice University, Houston, 2023, 2024).
5. Cathryn Gunawan (Texas A&M University, Summer Intern, HMRI, Houston, 2023).
6. Alyssa Lopez (North Carolina State University, Summer Intern, HMRI, Houston, 2023).
7. Noah Taylor (Texas A&M University, Summer Intern, HMRI, Houston, 2022).
8. Lindsey Patrick (Texas A&M University, Summer Intern, HMRI, Houston, 2022).
9. Donovan Butler (Rice University, Houston, 2021-2022).
10. Pranjal Sheth (University of Houston, 2021-2022).
11. Serena Wang (Rice University, 2021-2022).
12. Eric Wang (Texas A&M University, Summer Intern, HMRI, Houston, 2021).
13. Elsbeth Chow (Texas A&M University, Summer Intern, HMRI, Houston, 2021).
14. Kiana Banafshay (Summer Intern, HMRI, Houston, 2019).
15. Lucas Djavaherian (Georgetown University, 2017-2018).
16. William Mualem (Georgetown University, 2016-2018).
17. Jeevan Nijhar (Georgetown University, 2015-2016).
18. Kyle Jenkins (Georgetown University, 2015-2016).
19. France Prioul (Paris Diderot University, Paris, France, 2009-2010).
20. Isabel Beltran (Pierre and Marie Curie University, Paris, France, 2008-2009).
MEDICAL STUDENTS
21. Peter Park (Texas A&M University, Houston, 2022-present).
22. Valerie DeLeon (University of Houston, 2022-2024)
23. Leonardo Cruz-Pineda (Tecnologico University, HMRI, Houston, 2022 to present).
24. Jessica LĂłpez (Tecnologico University, HMRI, Houston, 2022).
25. Addison Jacobs (Georgetown University, 2016-2017).
26. Maria Spiegler (Pierre and Marie Curie Université, Paris, France, 2008-2009).
MEDICAL RESIDENTS
27. Will Tanigaki, M.D. (Neurology Resident PGY-3, HMRI, 2024).
28. Riya Bhavsar, M.D. (Neurology Resident, HMRI, 2022).
29. Saeed Sadrameli, M.D. (Neurosurgery Resident, HMRI, Houston, 2019-2020).
30. Hina Aslam, M.D. (Neurology Resident, HMRI, Houston, 2019-2020).
PRE-DOCTORAL TRAINEES
31. Nhat Tran (Rotated Ph.D. student, WCMC&HMRI, Neuroscience, 2024).
32. Marissa Burke (Ph.D. student, WCMC&HMRI, 2023-present).
33. Guillermo Hoppe-Elsholz (Rotated Ph.D. student, WCMC&HMRI, PBSB, 2023).
34. Natalie Kokroko (Ph.D. student, Rice University, Houston, 2023-present).
35. Kristen Curry (Ph.D. student, Rice University, Houston, 2019).
36. Maria Qi Wang (Ph.D. student, Rice University, Houston, 2018-2020).
37. Kwame Affram (Ph.D. student, Uniformed Services University, 2010-2014).
38. Trevor Logan (Ph.D. student, Uniformed Services University, 2010-2014).
39. Seham Alaiyed (Rotated Ph.D. student, Georgetown University, 2016/2017).
40. Evan Wicker (Rotated Ph.D. student, Georgetown University, 2016-2018).
41. Laya Rajan (Rotated Ph.D/M.D. student, Georgetown University, 2017).
42. Holly Korthas (Rotated Ph.D. student, Georgetown University, 2017).
VISITING SCIENTITS
43. Paula Scalzo, Ph.D. (Brazil, 2024).
POST-DOCTORAL / RESEARCH ASSOCIATE TRAINEES
44. Goknur Kara Ph.D. (Post-doctoral fellow/Research Associate, HMRI, 2024-present).
45. Austin Marshall Ph.D. (Post-doctoral fellow, HMRI, 2024-present).
46. Assaf Zinger Ph.D. (Post-doctoral fellow, HMRI, 2020-2022).
47. Sirena Soriano, Ph.D. (Post-doctoral fellow/Research Associate, HMRI, 2019-present).
48. Manoj Dandekar, Ph.D. (Research Associate I, Villapol Lab at HMRI,2019-2020).
49. MariaFe LanFranco, Ph.D. (Post-doctoral fellow, Georgetown University, 2016-2017).
LABORATORY RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
50. Hannah Flinn (Research Assistant I, Villapol Lab at HMRI, 2021-present).
51. Morgan Holcomb (Research Assistant II, Villapol Lab at HMRI, 2021-present).
52. Xiu Feng Tang (Research Associate, Villapol Lab at HMRI, 2021-2022).
53. Sid Gunamalai (Senior Research Assistant III, HMRI, 2018-2019).
54. Jane Fitzgerald (Research Assistant I, Villapol Lab at HMRI, 2019).
55. Shashi Krishnamurthy (Senior Research Assistant III, Villapol Lab at HMRI, 2018-present).
56. Maria Balarezo (Research Assistant, Uniformed Services University, 2012-2014).
57. Alexandra Yaszemski (Research Assistant, Uniformed Services University, 2010-2012)
MASTER STUDENTS
58. Mariana Lozano Cavazos (Microbiota, Probiotics and Prebiotics at Universidad Europea, and diplomat in Neurodegeneration at Escuela de Salud Integrativa (ESI), (2023-2024).
59. Eduardo Flores (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Georgetown University, 2018).
60. Alex Harvey (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Georgetown University, 2018).
61. Aishu Nambiar (Physiology and Biophysics, Georgetown University, 2018).
62. Bridge Moffet (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Georgetown University, 2017).
63. Leah Benton (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Georgetown University, 2017).
64. William Furlow (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Georgetown University, 2017).
65. Kershina George (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Georgetown University, 2017).
66. Stephen Pupkin (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Georgetown University, 2015).
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
67. Omkar Borikar (High School student, HMRI, Houston, 2019-2020).
68. Ashwika Reddy (Summer Intern, HMRI, Houston, 2024).