Rasheed moved to the U.S. from Africa to study science at the University of Maryland Eastern Shores. He enjoys traveling.
Gabriela Rivera, BS
Gabriela Rivera is currently a second year graduate student in MCIP. In her free time she loves to bake, camp, and spend time with her family.
Research Assistant:
Ahmad Ikram
Ahmad graduated from UC Davis in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, achieving the distinction of Summa Cum Laude. He is now keen to further his expertise by gaining valuable research experience in the Gomes Lab before pursuing medical school. As a former student in Dr. Gomes's NPB101 course, Ahmad excelled and developed a deep appreciation for the subject matter. Outside of his academic pursuits, he is dedicated to staying active through working out, swimming, and enjoys playing Forza Horizon 5.
Yue “Cynthia” Yu
Cynthia graduated in 2025 with a double major in NPB and philosophy. She enjoys reading (classics are somewhat more interesting for her), cooking, and playing video games during her free time.
Undergraduate Researchers:
Emily Barson
I am an incoming junior majoring in cellular biology at UC Davis. I am originally from the Bay Area and moved to Davis for college about two years ago. I am a very curious person who love learning, but when outside of school or lab I enjoy hiking, cooking, going to the gym, and most importantly spending time with friends and family.
Jacob Tuazon
Jacob (he/him) is a Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior major at UC Davis with aspirations to join the medical field. In his free time, he enjoys working out, people-watching, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.
Christina Vyvoda
Christina is a fourth year Global Disease Biology major at UC Davis. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, listening to music, and skiing!
Siona Samanta
Alireza Taeb
I'm a fourth year psychology student, I was born in Tehran, Iran. And grew up in Ventura, California. In my freetime I enjoy surfing, backpacking, and hiking. Pretty much anything that has to do with nature and the outdoors.
Vijayashree Ramamurthy Gayathri
Vijayashree Ramamurthy Gayathri (she/her) is from Cupertino and is currently a second year majoring in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior with a minor in Public Health Sciences. She hopes to one day specialize in Obstetrics and Gynecology as a physician. She has a younger brother with whom she loves spending time with! She also loves photography, volunteering, walking her dog, hanging out with her friends and watching a lot of shows/movies!
Hafsa Aslam
Hafsa is an incoming second year majoring in Molecular and Medical Microbiology. She hopes to attend grad school and pursue a career in research or the healthcare field. In her free time, she enjoys baking, painting and traveling.
Michael Solorio
Michael graduated from UC Davis in 2025 with a bachelors of science in human biology. He aspires to pursue a career in medicine. In his free time he enjoys hiking, camping, cooking, strength training, and listening to vinyl records!
Doaa Shahid
Doaa (she/her) is a second-year Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior major. She hopes to attend medical school and study cardiology while continuing research throughout her journey. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, building Legos, and walking around Davis.
Jinyue Xu
I’m Jinyue Xu from Beijing, China. I’m an incoming second-year student majoring in Biological Science. I love swimming, and dogs are my favorite animals!
Louisa Pham
I'm from Vietnam, home to the most diverse food in the world. I'm currently a Fourth-Year Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major at UC Davis. I'm very excited to be part of the Gomes Lab, where I’m not just building research experience but also sharpening my skills as I prepare for medical school. I’m looking forward to connecting with new friends who share the same passion and goals, so we can inspire each other along the way. Outside of academics, I love going to gym, playing with my Pomeranians, and taking road trips with my besties."