Lab Members

Postdoctoral Associate

Rupkatha graduated in 2020 from the University at Buffalo, State University of New York with a Ph.D. in Biology. Her Ph.D. research with Dr. Shermali Gunawardena focused on investigating the regulation of molecular motors by Glycogen synthase kinase 3β and Presenilin during axonal transport. Rupkatha joined the Davis lab in 2020 and is currently working on developing mitochondria-based therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease.

Postdoctoral Associate

Nathan graduated in 2023 from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine with a Ph.D. in Cellular Physiology and Molecular Biophysics. Working in the labs of Robert W. Keane and W. Dalton Dietrich, he investigated the pathological interactions in traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer’s disease through inflammasome activation. Nathan joined the Davis lab in 2023, and is investigating cellular inflammation from mitochondrial dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease.

Research Assistant I

Nuran graduated with a bachelor’s in Molecular Biology and Genetics, and completed her master’s in Neuroscience at Istanbul University, Turkey, where she investigated the genetic aspects of epilepsy in human patients. Prior to joining the Davis Lab, she worked in Dr. Ozdinler lab’s at Northwestern University, and contributed to studies that investigate the therapeutic strategies targeting vulnerable corticospinal motor neurons in neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Scientific Laboratory Manager

Cori graduated from Cedar Crest College in 1999 with a Bachelor’s degree in Genetic Engineering and a minor in Chemistry. She went on to work for 11 years at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where she searched for novel, disease-causing mutations in children with Hyperinsulinism. Cori is currently involved in using neurons derived from hIPSCs to discover compounds to treat mitochondrial dysfunction in brain disorders.

Research Assistant Professor

Nathaniel graduated in 2014 from the University of Maryland with a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology.  In the laboratory of Dudley Strickland he investigated the role of LDL receptors in the molecular pathways of Alzheimer’s disease and normal neuronal physiology. Nathaniel joined the Davis lab in 2015 and is examining the cellular and molecular mechanisms for memory maintenance using Drosophila as a model organism. 

Research Assistant Professor

Neelam graduated from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurological Science (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India, in 2000 with a Ph.D. in Neuroscience. She obtained her Postdoc training at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. Later, she moved on to Johns Hopkins University as a Senior Researcher, where she focused on integrative signaling in psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases, and continued this focus in the Subramaniam lab at Scripps, Florida. Neelam joined the Davis lab in 2021 and is currently involved in modeling ALS phenotypes in patient-specific iPSC-derived motor neurons to test compounds to treat mitochondrial dysfunction.

Postdoctoral Associate

Neelam graduated in 2019 from the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, India with a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences. For her Ph.D., she worked with Dr. Shasi Vardhan Kalivendi, investigating the disease modifying role of the DJ-1 protein in the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease. Neelam joined the Davis lab in 2020 as a postdoctoral associate. Her current research focusses on developing mitochondrial based therapeutics for neurodegenerative disorders.

Research Assistant II

Lauren graduated in 2021 from Indian River State College with a bachelor’s degree in Biology. During this time, she conducted research with Dr. Marco Pitino on producing high affinity nano bodies in plants that would block the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein from binding with its receptor, human angiotensin converting enzyme. Lauren joined the Davis lab in 2023 as a Research Assistant II, and is currently involved in the expansion of patient-specific iPSC’s to be used for testing compounds to treat mitochondrial dysfunction. 

Lab Administrative Coordinator II

Niki Mabie joined UF Scripps in 2019, and supports Dr. Davis and his lab members. Niki’s background includes more than 25 years of communications, education outreach and public relations experience.