LAB MEMBERS

Juliet Morrison is an Assistant Professor in the Microbiology and Plant Pathology department at UC Riverside. There she researches host-pathogen interactions and teaches on topics pertaining to host responses to human viruses. Her research combines immunological and virological methods with computational analysis to address questions at the host-pathogen interface. After completing her BA in Biology at Bard College, she earned her PhD in Microbiology at Columbia University. After graduate school, she completed postdoctoral fellowships at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and University of Washington.



Since 2018, the Morrison lab has been investigating host responses to important viral pathogens. Her goal is to translate her findings into host-targeted virus therapeutics.



Juliet is from the beautiful island of Jamaica, and speaks English and Jamaican Patois. Her hobbies are gardening, cooking and travel.

Roksana started her undergraduate degree at Irvine Valley College and graduated from UCLA with a BS in Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics. During her time at UCLA, Roksana worked in Dr. Sherie L. Morrison’s, Dr. Thomas Graeber’s, and Dr. Kris Reddi's laboratories. After graduation, she worked as a Staff Research Associate II in Dr. Robert L. Modlin laboratory for three years. Now, Roksana is a PhD student in the Morrison lab. She looks forward to facing new challenges to achieve her goal of becoming a PhD scientist. Her work at the Morrison lab focuses on studying the mechanisms leading to macrophage differentiation related to mitochondria, which have the potential to lead to novel therapies for controlling inflammatory diseases.


 

Roksana enjoys playing jigsaw puzzles and hiking in nature. Also, she loves to spend time in her garden: "I get such a thrill out of watching my plants grow, especially when I have planted them as a tiny seed". Roksana speaks Farsi and English.

Monica Campos began her undergraduate studies at Santa Monica College and transferred to UC Riverside in 2019, where she earned a BS in Biochemistry. After graduation, Monica worked at a COVID testing site before transitioning to the biotech industry at Amgen. However, her passion for research led her back to academia to pursue a graduate degree in the Biomedical Sciences program at UC Riverside.

Now, as a member of the Morrison lab, Monica is focused on studying viruses, aiming to contribute to advancements in virology and infectious disease research.

Outside of the lab, Monica enjoys working out, dining out, and attending rock concerts.

Dania L. Amaya earned her Bachelor's of Science degree in Biology from the University of California, Riverside. She is now a first-year Master’s student in the Biomedical Sciences department at the UCR School of Medicine. Dania is interested in studying virus infection cycles and host immune response pathways that contribute to protection against viral pathogens. She aims to develop microbiology laboratory skills applicable to industry-related fields and, ultimately, pursue a career as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist.

In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time at the beach, and embroidering.

Pranav is a first year undergraduate student, majoring in Microbiology. During his time in high school, he worked as an intern in Dr. James Ford's lab. Pranav aspires to pursue research through his undergraduate years, and attend medical school post-grad.

In his free time Pranav enjoys working out, hiking, and playing with his dog.

Saloni Patel is a second-year undergraduate student majoring in microbiology. She is interested in the intersection of medicine and research, particularly in understanding how viruses interact with the immune system. Saloni aspires to attend medical school in the future and is passionate about advancing knowledge in infectious diseases and immunology.