Our People
Our People
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We strive to develop compassionate innovators equipped to transform biomedical research.
We strive to develop compassionate innovators equipped to transform biomedical research.
INTERESTED
POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWS
INTERESTED
POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWS
We are no longer actively recruiting postdoctoral fellows at this time.
Thank you so much for your interest.
INTERESTED
GRADUATE STUDENTS
INTERESTED
GRADUATE STUDENTS
We are actively recruiting Bioengineering Ph.D. students! Learn more about our program!
Be sure to submit your application: https://bioe.umd.edu/graduate/prospective-students/admissions by December 2025!
INTERESTED
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
INTERESTED
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
We are always excited to work with undergraduate students!
If you're interested in joining the group, please email Dr. Moore (emt[at]umd.edu) for more information!
Thank you so much for your interest!
Assistant Professor, Fischell Department of Bioengineering, the University of Maryland, College Park (Summer 2023- Present)
Erika is driven to change our focus on biomedical engineering. Beginning in immunology, she works to create biomaterial platforms to better understand the contribution of immune cells to tissue development and disease pathology with special care and attention given to health inequities.
She also enjoys dancing (ZUMBA), planning (yes, really), and creative writing.
Dr. Moore is on social media! Connect with her on any of the following platforms!
Tik Tok: @DrErikaMoore | Instagram: @DrErikaMooreTaylor (most used) | LinkedIn: erika-moore111
2025 Member, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Forum on Regenerative Medicine
2024 TED Fellow, TED
2023 NSF CAREER Award, NSF
2022 BMES Rita Schaffer Young Investigator Award, Biomedical Engineering Society
2022 -2025 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award, 3M
2022 N.I.H. R35, Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA)
2021 Keystone Fellow, Keystone Symposia, Class of 2022
2020 Forbes 30 Under 30, Class of 2021- Healthcare
Research Technicians
Research Technicians
Miriam Tamano (she/her)
Miriam Tamano (she/her)
Miriam Tamano is joining the lab with 20+ years of experience focused on clinical sample collection and analysis. Miriam serves as our Senior Technician!
She also enjoys gardening, Zumba, and spending time with her dog!
Email: mtamano[@]umd.edu
Zoe Turner (she/her/hers)
Zoe Turner (she/her/hers)
Zoe is interested in the development and application of biomaterials to engineer biologically representative models.
Zoe enjoys playing guitar, weightlifting, and spending time with her dog.
Paul Parodi (he/him/his)
Paul Parodi (he/him/his)
Paul is joining the Moore lab as an official bioinformatician. He is interested in discovering more about macrophage gene and protein expression in relation to different environmental stresses.
Paul enjoys spending time with friends, dancing, cloud watching, and drawing.
Email: pparodi@umd.edu
Postdoctoral Fellows
Postdoctoral Fellows
Nana Owusu-Boaitey, MA, PhD (He/Him)
Nana Owusu-Boaitey, MA, PhD (He/Him)
After graduating from UMBC, Nana earned his PhD in Immunology at Washington University in St. Louis. After spearheading COVID-19 epidemiology studies and gaining his Masters in Bioethics, Nana joins the Moore Lab! Nana is a recipient of several awards including the NRSA Institutional Research T32 Training Grant.
Nana enjoys running (every day), watching movies, and listening to podcasts.
Email: nana3[a]umd.edu
PhD Students
PhD Students
Alison Veintimilla (UMD)
Alison Veintimilla (UMD)
Alison received both their undergraduate and masters degree from Brown University. They are currently a Ph.D. student in the Moore lab in pursuit of utilizing biomaterials to leverage an understanding of autoimmune disorders, focusing on ancestral differences in lupus.
In their spare time, they enjoy activities such as rock-climbing, tennis, and video games.
Email: aveintim[a]umd.edu
Lara Larson (UMD) (She/Her)
Lara Larson (UMD) (She/Her)
Lara has long had a passion for autoimmune disease research, specifically with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus work. After working in the Moore Lab as a Summer Undergraduate Researcher, Lara is BACK pursuing her PhD at the University of Maryland!
Welcome back, Lara!
Email: larson[a]umd.edu
Ally Moses (UMD) (She/Her)
Ally Moses (UMD) (She/Her)
Ally joins the Moore Lab at UMD BIOE, after completing her Bachelors at UMD BIOE. Ally has been awarded the MPower Graduate Research Fellowship and is determined to apply her efforts to regenerative therapies focused in women's health! We are so excited to have her!
For fun, Ally loves calligraphy, reading, visiting coffee shops, taking care of her plants (#plantmom), and listening to music!
Email: amoses23[a]umd.edu
Rohey Colley (UMD) (She/Her)
Rohey Colley (UMD) (She/Her)
Rohey is a PhD student in the Moore Lab, building on her academic foundation from the University of Virginia, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering. Her research interests lie at the intersection of immunoengineering and biomaterials, with a particular focus on addressing health disparities and advancing biomedical solutions for systemically excluded communities.
Outside of the lab, Rohey enjoys watching basketball, immersing herself in 80s-early 2000s R&B music, and connecting with her Gambian heritage.
Email: rcolley[a]umd.edu
Undergraduate Researchers
Undergraduate Researchers
Varun Deshpande (He/Him/His)
Varun Deshpande (He/Him/His)
Varun is addressing health inequities through bioengineering.
He enjoy weightlifting, playing video games, listening to r&b, singing
LinkedIn Profile
He enjoy weightlifting, playing video games, listening to r&b, singing
LinkedIn Profile
Katriel Kasayan (Any pronouns)
Katriel Kasayan (Any pronouns)
Katriel is a junior bioengineering student interested in synthetic biology and immunoengineering. They work with Nana focused on using 3D biomaterial models to understand cell-cell interactions under oxidative stress. Katriel is a Science Technology Scholar and a recipient of a UMD Undergraduate Research Award.
They enjoy learning new instruments, drawing and playing video games
They enjoy learning new instruments, drawing and playing video games
Kelsey Afoakwa (She/Her)
Kelsey Afoakwa (She/Her)
Kelsey is a junior bioengineering student interested in therapeutic development. She works with Ally, whose focus is on utilizing biomaterial models to ultimately advance scientific knowledge about women’s health disparities. Kelsey is a Banneker/Key, BIOE Honors Program, and Design Cultures and Creativity Honors College Scholar.
In her free time, you can find her listening to audiobooks, dabbling in digital art, or playing Just Dance!
LinkedIn Profile
In her free time, you can find her listening to audiobooks, dabbling in digital art, or playing Just Dance!
LinkedIn Profile
Lab Mascots
Lab Mascots
Indigo Moses
Indigo Moses
Adopted in May 2024 by Ally, Indigo is a sweet and playful cat who loves chasing after her avocado toy and playing fetch. When she's done playing, she enjoys snuggling, making biscuits, and getting some sun!
Dr. SOCS Pepe Veintimilla
Dr. SOCS Pepe Veintimilla
Dr. SOCS (Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling) Pepe Veintimilla joined the lab in December of 2023. Dr. Pepe is known for his PhD work on the fluid mechanics of churu and is currently part of the lupus research team. He enjoys late-night high pitched screaming as well as watching Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing and Tears of the Kingdom. His other hobbies include watching iPad videos of birds.
We appreciate every researcher who has been apart of our journey!
We appreciate every researcher who has been apart of our journey!
Where the Moore Lab works!
Where the Moore Lab works!
INTERESTED
POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWS
INTERESTED
POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWS
We are no longer actively recruiting postdoctoral fellows at this time.
Thank you so much for your interest.
INTERESTED
GRADUATE STUDENTS
INTERESTED
GRADUATE STUDENTS
We are no longer actively recruiting Bioengineering Ph.D. students for 2025!
INTERESTED
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
INTERESTED
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
We are always excited to work with undergraduate students!
If you're interested in joining the group, please email Dr. Moore (emt[at]umd.edu) for more information!
Thank you so much for your interest!
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