The Principal Investigator
Walter Adams, Ph.D.
Duncan Hall 237
B.A. University of Chicago
Ph.D. UC Santa Cruz
Postdoc Tufts University School of Medicine - IRACDA Scholar
Favorite Color: Green
Favorite Cell Type: The Mighty Neutrophil
Favorite Science Joke: Did you hear about the piece of DNA that was stranded on an island…
To hear my thoughts on great science, bad puns, and science themed board games follow me @WalterAdamsProf
Research Staff
Janessa A. Caroza
Current Lab Position: Research Assistant
B.S in Biology with a concentration in Systems Physiology, minor in Chemistry
Time in the Adams Lab: Spring 2021 - Current
Favorite Color: Purple
Favorite Cell: B cell
Favorite Science Joke: Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says “I’ve lost my electron.” The other says “Are you sure?” The first replies “I’m positive.”
Wint Mon Mon Kyaw
Current Lab Position: Research Volunteer
M.S in Biology with a concentration in Molecular Biology and Microbiology
Time in the Adams Lab: Fall 2023 - Present
Favorite Color: Purple
Favorite Cell: B Cell
Favorite Science Joke: How do prisons clone inmates? One cell at a time
Graduate Students
Dounya Moukhlis
Current Lab Position: M.S Student
Time in the Adams Lab: Fall 2025 - Present
Major: Molecular Cell Biology and Microbiology, M.S
Favorite Color: Navy Blue
Favorite Cell: Basophils
Favorite Science Joke: Why did the basophil refused to fight the strep pneumo infection?
Because it found the bacteria too (gram positive) and preferred to stay neutral!
Nicole Homez
Current Lab Position: M.S Student
Time in the Adams Lab: Spring 2022 - Present
Major: Biology, Molecular, Microbial, and Physiological Biology Concentration, M.S
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Cell: Astrocyte
Favorite Science Joke: What did the infectious disease say when the bartender refused him service? "Well, you're not a very good host."
Undergraduate Students
Ryan S. Yee
Current Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in the Adams Lab: Spring 2022 - Present
Major: Biology with a concentration Microbiology, minor in Chemistry
Favorite Color: Green
Favorite Cell: Eosinophils
Favorite Science Joke: As a microbiologist, I have something to tell you, but it won't B. cereus.
Elizabeth Davis
Current Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in the Adams Lab: Summer 2023 - Present
Major: Biology with a concentration Microbiology, minor in Chemistry
Favorite Color: Orange
Favorite Cell: Neutrophil
Favorite Science Joke: If Chicken carry salmonella, and Cow carry e-coli, what does a pig carry? A gun, a badge, and a "get out of jail free" card.
Emily Du
Current Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in the Adams Lab: Spring 2024 - Present
Major: Biology with a concentration Microbiology, minor in Chemistry
Favorite Color: Orange
Favorite Cell: T cells
Favorite Science Joke: WHO was the world's SMARTEST PIG. EIN-SWINE
Kenneth Darla
Current Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in the Adams Lab: Spring 2024 - Present
Major: Biology with a concentration Microbiology, minor in Chemistry
Favorite Color: Purple
Favorite Cell: Neutrophil
Favorite Science Joke: Why do biologists look forward to casual Fridays? Because they can wear genes to work.
Melissa D'Agostino
Current Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in the Adams Lab: Fall 2025 - Present
Major: Biology with a concentration Microbiology, minor in Chemistry
Favorite Color: Navy Blue
Favorite Cell: Phagocytes
Favorite Science Joke: What did one DNA strand say to the other?
“Do these genes make me look fat?”
Carrie Chang
Current Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in the Adams Lab: Fall 2025 - Present
Major: Public Health with Statistics minor
Favorite Color: Lavender
Favorite Cell: Adipocytes
Favorite Science Joke: The Adams Lab relies on it's excellent staph.
Abood Mohaisen
Current Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in the Adams Lab: Spring 2026
Major: Molecular Biology concentration with a minor in chemistry
Favorite Color: Orange
Favorite Cell: Helper T cell
Favorite Science Joke: Why can’t you trust atoms? Because they make up everything.
Alexia Suciu
Current Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in the Adams Lab: Spring 2026
Major: Molecular Biology
Favorite Color: Pink
Favorite Cell: Stem cell
Favorite Science Joke: Why did the bacteria cross the microscope?
To get to the other slide.
Bryan Delgado
Current Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in the Adams Lab: Spring 2026
Lab Alumni
Christian Aspiras
Former Lab Position: Senior Undergraduate Researcher
Time in the Adams Lab: Fall 2019 - Spring 2021
Major: Biology with a Concentration in Systems Physiology
Favorite color: Cobalt blue
Favorite cell: Hepatocytes
Favorite science joke: I had to make this really bad science joke because all the good ones Argon.
Marshall Cox
Former Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in the Adams Lab: Fall 2019 - Spring 2021
Major: Microbiology
Current Position: Quality Control Technician at Protein Simple
Favorite Color: Dark Green
Favorite Cell: Myocytes
Favorite Science Joke
Q: Why are Helium, Cerium, and Barium medical elements?
A: If you can’t Heli-em or Cure-em, then you have to Bury-em.
Taylor Espicha
Former Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in Lab: Fall 2019 - Spring 2020
Major: Nutritional Science with Concentration in Dietetics
Favorite Color: Red
Favorite Cell: Lymphocyte
Favorite Science Joke
Q: What do you call an acid with an attitude?
A: A-mean-oh-acid (amino acid)
Lena Huynh
Former Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in the Adams Lab: Winter 2021 - Fall 2021
Major: Biology with a Concentration in Microbiology
Snizhana Khomych
Former Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in Lab: Spring 2020 - Summer 2021
Current Position: CLS in Training at Cal State LA CLS Training Program
Favorite Cell: Natural Killer Cell
Favorite Science Joke
Q: What did the cell say when his sister stepped on his foot?
A: Mitosis.
Thaw Myint
Former Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in Lab: Summer 2020 - Fall 2021
Current Position: Clinical Position
Favorite Science Joke
Q: What kind of taxi does leukocytes ride?
A: Chemotaxis
Suhanee Zaroo
Former Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in the Adams Lab: Summer 2022 - Spring 2025
Gurbir Kaur
Former Lab Position: M.S. Student
Time in the Adams Lab: Fall 2022 - Spring 2024
Major: Biology with a Concentration in Microbiology
Jasmin Do
Former Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in the Adams Lab: Summer 2021 - Spring 2023
Major: Biology with a Concentration in Microbiology
Favorite Color: Lavender
Favorite Cell: Phagocytes
Favorite Science Joke
Q: What do biologists wear to impress their dates?
A: Designer genes!
Vivian Nguyen
Former Lab Position: Junior Undergraduate Researcher
Time in the Adams Lab: Summer 2021 - Spring 2023
Major: Biology with a Concentration in Microbiology
Favorite Color: Ultramarine Blue
Favorite Cell: Macrophage
Favorite Science Joke
Q: How do you become the most cited scientist of all time?
A: Change your name to "et al".
Katherine Coll
Former Lab Position: Junior Undergraduate Researcher
Time in the Adams Lab: Fall 2019 - Spring 2023
Major: Biology with a Concentration in Systems Physiology
Favorite Color: Pink
Favorite Cell: Neutrophils
Favorite Science Joke
Q: Why is it bad to trust atoms?
A: They make up everything!
Tarek Jakoush
B.S. in Biology at SJSU
Former Lab Position: M.S. Student
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite cell: NK cells
Elaine Nguyen
B.S. in Microbiology at UC Davis
Former Lab Position: M.S. Student
Favorite Color: Red
Favorite Cell: Stem Cells
Favorite Science Joke
Chemist 1: Did you hear oxygen and magnesium got together??
Chemist 2: OMg!
Devons Mo
B.S. in Biochemistry at UCLA
Former Lab Position: M.S. Student
Favorite Color: Purple
Favorite Cell: Memory B Cell
Favorite Science Joke: There are 2 cats on a roof. Which one slides off first? The one with the lowest μ.
Alternate Science Joke: Power has been pretty tired lately. His boss has been making him work over time.
Francisco Nunez
Former Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in the Adams Lab: Fall 2019 - Spring 2022
Major: Biology with a Concentration in Microbiology
Favorite Color: Army Green
Favorite Cell: Skeletal Muscle Cells
Favorite Science Joke
Q: What kind of bear dissolves in water?
A: A polar bear!
Fatima Rizvi
Former Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in Lab: Summer 2020 - Fall 2021
Major: Biology with a Concentration in Systems Physiology
Current Position: Graduate Student in the METX PhD Program at UC Santa Cruz
Favorite Color: Pink
Favorite Cell: Neutrophil
Favorite Science Joke
Q: Where do proteins go when they get injured?
A: The ER.
Ty Supreme
Former Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Time in Lab: Fall 2019 - Spring 2021
Major: Biology with a Concentration in Microbiology
Current Position: Graduate Student in the Genetics PhD Program at the University of Toronto
Favorite Color: Yellow.
Favorite Cell: Red Blood Cells.
Favorite Science Joke
Q: Why did the fungi leave the party?
A: Because there wasn’t mushroom.