Current Members

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Mandë Holford is a Professor in Chemistry at CUNY-Hunter College and Graduate Center, with scientific appointments at the American Museum of Natural History and Weill Cornell Medical College. Her appointments reflect her traditional training in synthetic peptide chemistry and her subsequent interest in evolution of venomous marine organisms and characterization of venom peptides. Dr. Holford’s research is at the forefront of Chemical and Biological Diversity – pioneering an evolutionarily integrated approach to the discovery of novel venom peptides for therapeutic development in pain and cancer. 

Bobby is an Assistant Professor at Mercy College and a research collaborator at the American Museum of Natural History and the Research Foundation of the City University of New York (Hunter College). His integrative research program encompasses evolutionary biology, urban ecology, biological anthropology, and science education. As a research associate at Hunter College, Dr. Habig is collaborating with Mandë Holford on an Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) grant from the National Science Foundation.

Saurabh is a dedicated Postdoctoral Researcher who earned his doctoral degree from Savitribai Phule Pune University, India (2014-2019). His research journey began with a focus on assessing the anticancer potential of toxins derived from Indian spectacled cobra venom. Driven by a fascination for venomics, he continued to pursue his passion at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), where he served as a Postdoctoral fellow (2019-2022). During this tenure, his efforts were dedicated to mitigating snakebite-induced morbidity and mortality in both India and Sub-Saharan Africa. His pioneering work involved the development of advanced snakebite therapies that were not only effective and safe but also accessible and affordable. Dr. Attarde's research interests seamlessly merge with his broader curiosity in venom therapeutics, signifying his relentless pursuit of knowledge and innovation in the realms of toxinology and medical science.

Kim studied Marine Sciences for three years at the University of Vigo (Spain) before earning her B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Kiel and her Master's in animal physiology and zoology from Justus Liebig University of Giessen (JLU, Germany). She completed her Ph.D. in 2020 through a collaborative project between JLU and Fraunhofer IME, focusing on stingray venom from evolutionary, biochemical, and pharmacological perspectives. She then gained experience at a mariculture company and a chemistry research consulting start-up center at Ruhr University Bochum (Germany). Kim joined the Holford Lab in the
summer of 2024 to study the histological architecture of the posterior salivary gland in cephalopods, which produces venom. This research will be integrated with biochemical, pharmacological, and genetic data to
develop a model venom system for cephalopods and enable comparisons to other marine venom systems, such as the vertebrate counterpart found in fishes.

James received a BS in Forensic Toxicology and Molecular Biology from John Jay College in 2015. He continued his study to receive an MS in Pharmacology from Weill Cornell in 2018. He took a gap year to teach as an adjunct at his Alma Mater prior to entering the CUNY Biochemistry Ph.D. Program in Fall 2020. James joined the lab in late 2021 and is working to develop venom gland organoid models for Conoidea. 

Franny is a PhD candidate in evolutionary biology and animal behavior at the CUNY Graduate Center, as well as a professional ensemble singer, who has discovered the perfect marriage of her interests in the biology of bird song. While plugging away at her dissertation on avian cultural evolution, Franny is also working with Drs. Habig and Holford as a research assistant on their ITEST grant.

Favour received a BS in Chemistry/Biochemistry from Rivers State University in 2016. She worked for a year at the Center for Infectious Diseases Lagos in 2017 on medical research data collection, medical record storage, and outreaches. During and after her undergraduate study, she was a high school math and chemistry tutor, preparing high school students and undergraduates for national exams. Her undergraduate research focused on measuring changes in biochemical parameters of albino rats to determine the effect of corticosteroids on their vital organs. She went on to work as a business analyst at a financial institution using data to solve business problems and managing projects that eliminate waste and redundancy in the organization. Favour joined the Holford Lab in Summer 2021 and is interested in studying how venom can advance cancer treatment. As a rotation student, Favour will be working with the bioinformatics team.

Praveena is a PhD student in Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology Program. She received a BSc in Biomedical Science from Imperial College London in 2019 with a specialisation in infection and immunity. She then graduated with an MPhil from the University of Cambridge in 2020 studying placental macrophages across species. She spent the last year working in an RNA therapeutics lab at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology at A*Star in Singapore, cloning plasmid constructs to validate splice-shifting oligonucleotide therapies. 

Belkes is a PhD student in Biology, specializing in drug discovery from natural products, with a focus on cephalopod venom. She holds a PharmD and recently graduated with a Master's degree in Biology, during which she researched the chemical defenses of the Taenaris butterfly.

Shayan is a former pharmacist and now a PhD student in Biochemistry who is fascinated by venom and marine natural products. He did his Pharm.D. thesis studying the anticancer effects of cone snail venom fractions. He graduated in Pharmacy from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (2014 – 2021). His research interest is mostly focused on the discovery of new druggable venom peptides and pursuing novel ways to deliver these precious peptides to their site of action with the help of pharmaceutical nanotechnology.

Akosua is a PhD student in Biochemistry at Holford Lab, CUNY Hunter College, with a focus on cephalopod venom systems and their microbial interactions. Her research interests include understanding the complex roles of venom-associated microbes and exploring innovative approaches to the recombinant production of bioactive peptides. She holds a BSc in Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology from the University of Ghana, where she gained a comprehensive background in molecular biology and biochemistry.

Britania is a graduate of John Jay College majoring in forensic science. She took a gap year to become an adjunct lecturer at John Jay and a lab technician at an environmental chemistry lab. She is now pursuing her PhD in Analytical Chemistry and joined the Holford lab in 2024 to work on cephalopod proteomics.

Jessy received a BS in Biology from St. Thomas Aquinas College in 2015. He entered the Bioinformatics Master Degree Program at New York University in Spring 2020, and joined the Holford Lab in Summer 2021. After graduation, he hopes to pursue his career in Bioinformatics via a PhD degree.

Mariam is a Hunter College graduate who majored  in Bioinformatics and minoring in Mathematics at the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College. She joined the Holford Lab in Summer 2021. Her future aspiration is to pursue a career in medicine via an MD or MD/PhD.

Melvin is a recent graduate of California State University, Fullerton where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Cell and Developmental biology. At Cal State Fullerton Melvin studied the role of ion channel physiology in the lifecycle of the parasites Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma cruzi the causative agents of two problematic vector born diseases. He then did a summer program at Columbia University researching cuttlefish camouflaging behavior where he found a new love for cephalopods. As a research technician in the Holford lab, he studies venom expression, development, and control in cephalopods and is hoping to soon matriculate into a graduate program to pursue a PhD.

Dr. Shaadi Mehr is a seasoned professional with a rich background in academia and industry, offering a unique blend of expertise in project management, bioinformatics, and cancer genomics. With a PhD in Genomics from the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) and the City University of New York, she has successfully navigated the worlds of research, teaching, and large-scale scientific initiatives. Her academic experience includes her role as an Assistant Professor at SUNY, complemented by notable industry positions at Genentech, Velsera, and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.
During her tenure at SUNY, Dr. Mehr spearheaded the development of computational biology research pipelines and established global collaborations to train students in advanced statistical methods. At AMNH, she implemented innovative computational techniques that reduced research time by 50%, significantly advancing genomic data analysis.
In the industry, Dr. Mehr has applied her technical expertise to lead high-impact projects that integrate healthcare, clinical trial data, and bioinformatics. At Genentech, she managed multiple projects, driving measurable productivity improvements and fostering critical strategic partnerships. At the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, she was pivotal in scaling data management processes for clinical trials, expanding the program from a single member to a 20-person team, and generating over $500K in revenue.
With a comprehensive skill set spanning data analytics, risk mitigation, and stakeholder management, Dr. Mehr is dedicated to advancing scientific discovery while ensuring operational excellence. She excels in building and leading cross-functional teams, driving collaborations to deliver on critical research needs in oncology, drug design, and biomarker discovery. Her leadership extends to pioneering pilot studies that explore operational efficiencies and data quality control, making her an asset in any scientific and research-oriented endeavor.

Afeeda is an undergraduate student majoring in Human Biology at Hunter College. She became a member of Holford lab in Summer 2023. Her future goal is to pursue a doctorate degree in the field of medicine after completing her undergraduate studies.

David is an undergraduate student majoring in biochemistry and minoring in mathematics as a Yalow Honors Scholar at Hunter College. He joined the Holford Lab in the Summer of 2022. After graduating, David hopes to pursue a medical career by earning an MD degree.

Fatima Khalid joined the Holford Lab in the summer of 2022. She is an undergraduate student at Hunter College. She is part of the Yalow Honors Scholar Program and is majoring in Biology. After graduating, she hopes to pursue an MD degree.