Graduate Students

Abdulkareem “Kareem” Alshaheeb

Kareem is a graduate student in the Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology (BMMB) graduate program –2021 cohort– at Penn State. He was the first graduate student to join the McReynolds Lab in December 2021. Kareem was a research technician with Dr. Wendy Hanna-Rose at Penn State during his past life. His graduate work will focus on elucidating the physiological roles of NAD+ consuming enzymes in aging and stress. Kareem currently serves as the resident “C. elegans/worms” expert in the lab. 


Education:

  • PhD Candidate in BMMB at the Pennsylvania State University 
  • Master of Science Degree in Microbial and Cellular Biology from Emporia State University, Kansas
  • Bachelor of Science Degree in Biotechnology from Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq


Personal and Fun Facts About Kareem:

I get lost in the biological sciences, especially molecular biology, genetics, gene editing, and gene therapy. I watch and follow a lot of documentaries about space discovery and tourism, cutting edge tech in the automotive industry and electronics. I usually salvage and DIY “do it yourself” a lot of things in my living place. 


For fun (if I have time), I watch the real football ⚽ almost every weekend, Ride my MB on sunny days, play video games, spontaneous road tripping, and my favorite is tweaking and trying recipes in the kitchen (I converted two hardcore vegans to meat-eaters 😁). 

Abrar Alsaadi

Abrar is a graduate student in the Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology (BMMB) graduate program –2020 cohort– at Penn State. She was the second graduate student to join the McReynolds Lab in December 2021. Abrar earned her Master of Science degree in Cell and Molecular Biology at California State University Dominguez Hills and Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor UCLA Medical Center Division of Infectious Diseases. Prior to moving to Penn State, she worked as a Research Assistant in Dr. Arnold Bayer's lab at LA-BioMed at Harbor UCLA Medical Center. She also worked as a cell culture technician and as a laboratory instructor in the Chemistry and Biochemistry department at Cal State. Her Master’s thesis research involved investigating the activity and the mechanism of action of putative secreted antimicrobial from the environmental fungus Rhizopus delemar against multidrug-resistant bacteria. Abrar’s graduate work will explore ​​the relationship between the host and microbiome in the cycling of NAD+ precursors under conditions of metabolic stress. 


Education:

  • PhD Candidate in BMMB at the Pennsylvania State University
  • Master of Science Degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from California State University, Dominguez Hills
  • Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia


Personal and Fun Facts About Abrar:

Abrar is quite private and does not want you strangers in her personal business! However, she promises to always deliver on the science.  We had to beg her for the photo!

Alexandria Murphy

Alexandria is a graduate student in the Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology (BMMB) graduate program –2022 cohort– at Penn State. She is the third graduate student to join the McReynolds lab in December 2022. Alexandria's graduate research will focus on understanding redox metabolism in non-model yeast. Alexandria is leading our CABBI/DOE funded biofuel/bioenergy related work. 


Education:

  • PhD student in BMMB at the Pennsylvania State University 
  • Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Portland State University, Portland, Oregon


Personal and Fun Facts About Alexandria:

When I have free time, I like to paint, cook, read (any book I can get my hands on!). I am also an avid gardener and I enjoy spending time with my one-year-old bunny!


Praveena Prasad

Praveena is a current member of the Fall 2022 cohort in the Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences (MCIBS) PhD program at the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences. She earned her undergraduate degree in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences from The Dr TN MGR Medical University, India in 2015. Afterward, she gained valuable experience as a hospital pharmacist in India for 16 months. Praveena's academic journey in the US began in Fall 2017 when she pursued her MS in Pharmacology & Toxicology at Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY, and successfully graduated in 2021. Her Master’s thesis focused on investigating the impact of Angiotensin II and Losartan on airway hypersensitivity in an acute murine model of asthma. Following her Master’s degree, she further enriched her research experience as a research assistant in Mark Andermann's lab at Harvard Medical School. During this time, she contributed to the lab's work by mapping the spatiotemporal distribution of neurons in the visual cortex and exploring the flow of visual information in the mouse brain. Praveena became a member of the McReynolds Lab in January 2023, becoming the fourth student to join. Her research endeavors focus on exploring NAD+ metabolic dysregulation in kidney injury and disease.


Education:

  • PhD student in MCIBS at the Pennsylvania State University 
  • Master of Science Degree in Pharmacology & Toxicology from Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY
  • Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences from The Dr TN MGR Medical University, India


Personal and Fun Facts About Praveena:

I love drugs (obviously because I went to pharmacy school) and working with mice! People close to me say that I have a photographic memory, but that's not always true! Outside of science, you will find me experimenting different cuisines of the world (Ethiopian is my favorite so far!), cooking for friends and family, biking on summer days, doing winter hikes and binge-watching shows.

Eric Mooney

Eric Mooney is co-mentored by Drs. Melanie McReynolds and Costas Maranas. During his time as an undergraduate at Rutgers University, he delved into molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the binding dynamics between the human protein kindlin-2 and the phospholipid PIP3 under various conditions. In his current graduate research within the McReynolds and Maranas Labs, Eric is focused on the simulation and cultivation of non-model yeasts possessing distinct properties. These efforts are geared towards gaining a comprehensive understanding of these yeasts and engineering them for the production of valuable chemicals, thereby contributing to our CABBI/DOE funded biofuel/bioenergy-related endeavors.


Education:

  • PhD student in BMMB at the Pennsylvania State University 
  • Bachelor of Arts Degree in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey (Summa Cum Laude)


Personal and Fun Facts About Eric:

Eric graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University - New Brunswick in 2022. Outside of academics, he has showcased his leadership skills by spearheading a project to create a video game, primarily contributing to the writing aspect while lending his talents to the art and music components as well. Known for his meticulous attention to detail, Eric's determination led him to craft a custom font for the game's text, although he ended up using it sparingly due to limitations in incorporating all desired features. In his leisure time, Eric finds solace in outdoor jogging and finds joy in engaging sports like volleyball and racquetball.

Victoria Baskerville

Victoria Baskerville

Victoria Baskerville is an Integrative and Biomedical Physiology (PHISIO) PhD candidate in the 2023 Cohort. She earned her undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). From 2020-2023, she honed her lab skills by working as a Stem Cell Technician at the Brain Science Institute of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She helped investigate motor neuron nucleocytoplasmic transport deficiencies in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and potential drug therapies. She enjoyed working in the lab so much that she decided to apply to graduate school and pursue her interest in metabolism, which is how she ended up in the McReynolds Lab. Her project will use mice as a model to investigate NAD+ metabolism at the intersection of physiological stress and age.


Education:

  • PhD in PHISIO at the Pennsylvania State University
  • Bachelor of Science Degree in Biological Sciences at University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)


Personal and Fun Facts About Victoria:

She is happiest in the Spring because she loves blooming flowers and warm weather! She also loves to swim so much that she is practically a mermaid.

Nicole Sierra

Nicole A. Sierra

Nicole A. Sierra is a graduate student in the Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology (BMMB) program at Penn State, conducting research in Dr. McReynolds’ lab. Her work explores the intricate roles of redox biology, cofactor imbalance, and oxidative versus reductive stress in aging, using the C. elegans model system to uncover molecular mechanisms that influence aging and overall health. Her academic journey began at San Diego State University, where she earned a B.S. in Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry. In addition, she gained hands-on industry experience as a summer intern at Johnson & Johnson. She is excited to be part of a collaborative scientific community and is committed to advancing our understanding of the biochemical factors that drive aging.


Education:

  • Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry-emphasis Biochemistry from San Diego State University, San Diego, California


Personal and Fun Facts About Nicole:

In her free time, she enjoys staying active, whether through weightlifting or taking long walks. She is a foodie at heart and loves discovering unique coffee shops or new places. She is also a travel lover and hopes to do more traveling after completing her Ph.D.


Mahmoud Yahia

Mahmoud Yahia

He is a highly motivated, multidisciplinary scientist and PhD student in the BMMB program at Penn State, working in the McReynolds lab. His research sits at the intersection of extracellular vesicle biology, NAD+ metabolism, and aging across multiple model systems, combining deep wet-lab experience with bioinformatics and data integration. He is particularly interested in using extracellular vesicles as a scalable, engineered platform system, both to map how cells talk to each other during aging and to eventually reprogram those signals for therapeutic and metabolic engineering applications.


Education:

  • BMMB Ph.D. Student (Pennsylvania State University)
  • Honours B.Sc., Biotechnology (Ain Shams University)
  • Sakura Science Exchange Fellowship, JESOR International Award, Homer F. Braddock and Nellie H. & Oscar L. Roberts Fellowship, Malabika Chakravarti Memorial Endowment Travel Award


Personal and Fun Facts About Mahmoud:

When he is not thinking about extracellular vesicles 😅😅, he is jumping out of planes (Sky Diving), and he also plays kalimba and piano.