TEAM
Sonia Villapol, Ph.D. Principal Investigator
Goknur Kara, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow IV
Austin Marshall, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow II
Morgan Holcomb, B.S., Research Assistant II / Lab Manager
Marissa Burke, Ph.D. Student
Leo Cruz-Pineda, Ph.D. Student
Noah Taylor B.S., EnMed student
Maddely Flowers, B.S., Medical Student
Savanna Curson, B.S., Undergraduate student
Shayla Villapol-Treangen, High School student
Dr. Sonia Villapol is an Assistant Professor and neuroscientist at the Center for Neuroregeneration and the Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute (Houston, TX). She received her B.Sc. in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from the University of Santiago de Compostela (2003) and completed an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (2007). She pursued postdoctoral research at the CNRS–Université Pierre et Marie Curie (VI) and INSERM in Paris, and later at the National Institutes of Health/Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine and the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, MD. In 2014 she joined Georgetown University as a Research Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, moving to HMRI in 2018.
Dr. Villapol’s work, funded by the NIH, Department of Defense, and private foundations, investigates mechanisms of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration across AD and TBI models, the brain–gut axis, and the development of neurorestorative drug-delivery systems. She has published more than 80 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.
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.
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.
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.
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
Tecnológico de Monterrey, México
Maddie Flowers
Medical student
Weill Cornell Medicine
Madelyn earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Health at the University of Texas at Austin in May 2023. She is currently a second-year medical student at Sam Houston State University and has an interest in neurology. As a member of this lab, she hopes to gain more experience in the field of neuroregeneration research and how it intersects with her current studies. In her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time with her family.
Past Lab Members
Hannah Flinn
Research Assistant
Dr. Paula Scalzo
Visiting Scientist
Olivia Chang
Undergraduate student, Rice University
Sirena Soriano, Ph.D.
Instructor
Nhat Tran
Rotated Ph.D. student
University of Texas at Austin
Amanda Morse
Undergraduate student
Texas A&M University
Valerie DeLeon
Medical student
University of Houston
Mariana Lozano
Master Student
Trinity Eimer
Undergraduate student, Rice University
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 López
Medical student
Tecnológico de Monterrey, México
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 López – Medical student, Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey, México (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 López (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).