Lab Personnel

Megan E. Filbin, Ph.D. Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Along with teaching a variety of biochemistry courses, I lead an active undergraduate research group. We study mechanisms of translation regulation, with a special emphasis on biomolecular structure.

I am passionate about inclusion and STEM equity and I promote these through many mechanisms:

Current Members

Steven Mendoza B.S. Biochemistry 2025 

I am currently working on how the non-coding region in BRV’s 3’ CITE affects the translation of viral proteins by generating my own mutants and researching natural mutations from BRV variants across the world. After graduation, I plan to go to graduate school to continue studying biochemistry, and hope to one day become a college professor.

Veronica Henderson-Davis B.S. Biochemistry, 2026 | B.A. Neuroscience 2019 (CU Boulder, CO) 

My project is looking at whether a terminal stem-loop in the blackcurrant reversion virus cap-independent translation enhancer (CITE) is necessary for translation. I’m a returning career changer and started at MSU Denver in 2023. I’m majoring in Biochemistry and will be applying to medical school in 2025.

 

 

Alumni

Bosun Olabode, B.S. Biology 2024 | B.A. Psychology 2017

Bosun graduated with a B.S. in Biology and minor in Chemistry in the spring of 2024. He is currently serving in the U.S. Air Force and plans to apply to medical school with a focus on neurology, cardiology or nephrology.

Kate VandeVenter, B.S. Biochemistry 2024 | A.A.S. Biology 2022

Kate graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry and minor in Biology in the spring of 2024. She is currently taking prerequisite classes to apply for a M.S. in Nutrition.

Julie Lee, B.S. Biology 2023

Julie graduate magna cum laude with a B.S. in Biology in the spring of 2023. She completed a Postbaccalaureate Research Fellowship at the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, in the lab of Dr. Joseph M. Ziegelbauer 2024. She is currently a medical student at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Amy Argabright, B.S. Biochemistry 2023

Amy graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry in the spring of 2023. She is currently a Ph.D. student in the Structural Biology, Biochemistry & Biophysics Program at the University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus.

Liheng Zhou, B.S. Chemistry 2022 | Biology 2022

Liheng graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Chemistry and a B.S. in Biology in the spring of 2022. She is currently a Professional Research Assistant in Dr. Sean Colgen’s lab in the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of Colorado, School of Medicine.

Zach Zimmerman, B.S. ACS Chemistry 2022

Zach graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry (ACS) in the spring of 2022. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the lab of Dr. Megan R Hill, in the Department of Chemistry at Colorado State University.

John Manalastas, B.S. Biochemistry 2022 | Health, Leisure & Exercise Science 2014

John graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry in the spring of 2022. He is currently a Professional Research Assistant in the Department of Immunology at the University of Colorado, School of Medicine.

Nathan Nowling, B.S. Biology 2021 | Biochemistry 2018

Nate graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry in the spring of 2018 and returned to complete his degree in biology in the fall of 2021. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the lab of Dr. Ning Zhao in the Molecular Biology Program at the University of Colorado, School of Medicine.

Jami Parker, B.S. Biochemistry 2021

Jami graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry in the spring of 2021. She has accepted a position as the Director of Product Development and R&D at UMBO, a Denver-based functional mushroom start-up company.

Elizabeth Spear, B.S. Biochemistry 2019

Elizabeth graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry in the fall of 2019. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Colorado, School of Medicine, jointly in the labs of Dr. Jeffrey S. Kieft (NYSBC) and Dr. Linda van Dyk.

Scott-Wesley Bean, B.S. Biochemistry 2018

Scott-Wesley graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Biochemistry in the fall of 2018, and earned top honors in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. He is currently a Ph.D. student in the Biochemistry, Cell, and Developmental Biology Graduate Program at Emory University.

Jorge Chalit, B.S. Biochemistry, B.A. Psychology 2018

Jorge graduated with dual B.S. in Psychology and Biochemistry in the spring 2018. He is in his second year of medical school at the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences.

Laura Baquero Galvis, B.S. Biology 2017 

Laura graduated with a B.S. in Biology in the fall of 2017. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Molecular and Cellular Biology Program at the University of Washington, in the lab of Dr. Sergei Doulatov .

Isaiah Jackson, B.S. Biochemistry 2017 

Isaiah earned his B.S. in Biochemistry in 2017. He is currently a first-year medical student at Howard University.

Dr. Liz Shields, B.S. Business Administration 2010 | Biology 2016 | Pharm.D. 2020

Graduating Cum Laude from Metro in the spring of 2016, Liz earned her second Bachelor’s degree, in Biology. She completed her Doctorate of Pharmacy from the University of Colorado, Skaggs School of Pharmacy in 2020. Liz is a Pediatric Clinical Pharmacist in the Investigational Drug Pharmacy at The Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Evan Morrison, B.S. Chemistry & Philosophy 2016

Evan earned a double-major in Chemistry and Philosophy in spring 2016. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Molecular Biology Program at the University of Colorado, School of Medicine, in the lab of Dr. Olivia Rissland.

Cesar Garcia, B.S. Chemistry 2016

Cesar graduated in the fall of 2016 with a B.S. in Chemistry with a concentration in Criminalistics. He currently a Lab Technologist II in Research & Development at ADA Carbon Solutions, now Advanced Emissions Solutions (ADAES). He plans to continue working at ADAES with the goal of becoming a lab manager.