Lab Members

Terrin Farris, MS

Terrin characterizes the impact of ethanol and acetate on KSHV reactivation. Terrin successfully defended fall 2025 and continues to work in lab to complete her first publication.

Jayden Waites, MS student

Jayden optimizes the experimental systems for KSHV ethanol experiments.

Megan Martin, BS

Megan works on several projects: 1. investigating alcohol and acetate induced metabolic changes to KSHV infected cells, 2. optimizing viral protein expression in a mammalian cell culture system and 3. EM microscopy and single particle analyses.

Taniyah Alston

Taniyah is completing immunofluorescence to study the distribution and abundance of KSHV proteins in iSLK.219 cells exposed to ethanol.

Jennifer Kneas Travis, PhD 2021-2025. Jenny’s work included: 1. studying the molecular interactions of KSHV processivity factor (ORF59) and 2. optimizing viral protein expression in a mammalian cell culture system. Jenny received her PhD in 2024.

Jenny is starting a postdoc at UNC-CH.

Amr Waly, PhD 2021-2025. Amr investigated the roles of CRYBB2 and cell adhesion and migration. Amr received his doctoral degree in 2025.

Dahzyre Johnson, 2025 undergraduate. Dahyzre completed immunofluorescence experiments to study the distribution and abundance of KSHV lytic proteins in iSLK.219 cells exposed to ethanol.

Jibran Polani, 2024-2025 undergraduate. Jibran completed single particle analysis to measure protein complex formation.

Jibran started graduate school at North Carolina State University in the Fall 2025.

Fatima Smith, 2024-2025 undergraduate. Fatima completed immunofluorescence experiments to study the distribution and abundance of KSHV lytic proteins in iSLK.219 cells exposed to ethanol.

Yazmine Arthur, 2023 undergraduate. Yazmine is completed single particle analysis to measure DNA-protein binding position of KSHV processivity factor, ORF59 and validated methods to verify lytic DNA lengths using diagnostic digests and gel electrophoresis.

London Harper, 2022-2023 undergraduate. London collaborated with Amr Waly, a doctoral graduate students, on investigating CRYBB2 in breast cancer cells.

London started graduate school at Emory University in the Fall 2024.

Salma Youssef, 2022-2023 undergraduate. Salma is studied the rate of ethanol evaporation for acute and chronic ethanol cell culture models.

Cynthia Obilor, MS, MS student Cynthia developed a chronic alcohol model and characterizes the long term impact of ethanol exposure on KSHV reactivation.

Jessillin Collins, 2021-2022 undergraduate. Jessillin completed single particle analysis of DNA and protein standards by measuring individual particles from electron micrographs.

Jessilin started graduate school at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Fall 2023.

Lauren Odom, 2022 undergraduate. Laure completed a molecular cloning project to sub-clone the KSHV lytic origin fragment.

Lauren started graduate school at the University of Alabama in the Fall 2023.

Ariana Duval, 2022 CAGPM Summer Undergraduate Program student. Ariana worked on characterizing viral DNA using biochemical and microscopy approaches.

Kari Linderman Kari joined the lab in March 2020, just in time for COVID-19 shutdown. Kari worked on a variety of projects and promoted an organized, well-functioning lab environment.

Elizabeth Goins, MS Lizzie’s project investigated the impact of ethanol and acetate on KSHV reactivation. Lizzie successfully defended summer 2020 and has accepted a Research Scientist position with Fisher Scientific in Austin, TX.

Jack W. Leland, BS During summer 2019, Jack was a PARTNERS program summer undergraduate conducting research at NCCU.

Jack began medical school at UNC-CH in Fall 2022.

Jordyn Montague, BS During fall 2019, Jordyn was an NCCU undergraduate conducting research.

Jordyn is starting dental school at ECU in Fall 2023.