Team
Staff
Bahiyyah 'Mia' Jefferson
Cell/Molecular Expert
Yifan 'Paul' Zhou
Research Specialist
Paul’s primary project will use wireless optogenetics to understand explore pain in a model of neurogenic pancreatitis.
Christopher 'Chris' Sullivan
Mouse Colony Manager
Clinical Research Team
Kristen Hall
Technician/Clinical Coordinator
Melanie 'Mel' Mays
Regulatory Specialist
Melanie Mays BS, CCRP is the Pancreas Research Team Clinical Research Manager. Melanie has over 20 years of experience in clinical and translational research. Her role is regulatory, drug safety reporting, SOPs, compliance, budgets, contracting and staffing for Pitt and multi-center clinical trials.Melanie Mays BS, CCRP is the Pancreas Research Team Clinical Research Manager. Melanie has over 20 years of experience in clinical and translational research. Her role is regulatory, drug safety reporting, SOPs, compliance, budgets, contracting and staffing for Pitt and multi-center clinical trials.
In her free time, Mel enjoys making jewelry.
Kimberly 'Kim' Stello
Clinical Lab Manager
Kim graduated from Community College with two Associates Degrees: Biology and Biotechnology, and has been working at the University of Pittsburgh for 15 years. Kim’s favorite band is Iron Maiden.
In her free time, Kim likes to go four-wheeling.
Trainees
Neeharika Nallapati
Undergraduate
Expected graduation 2022
In her free time, Neeharika enjoys exploring new places and trying new foods and activities. An interesting fact about me is that I ride horses on a local farm near my house.
Metrah Mohammed Nader
Medical Student
Expected graduation 2023
Metrah received her B.S from Portland State University where she studied science and sociology. She also received her MS in biomedical science from University of Pittsburgh. She is currently a medical student at University of Pittsburgh SOM. In her free time she likes to cook, bake, and learn new languages (she speaks Russian, Farsi, and Uzbek fluently).
Shilang Xiao
Visiting Scholar
Shilang studies medicine at the Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. His studies focus on the mechanisms regulating pancreas cancer development and progression.
Former Lab Members
Julien Maliha
Biomedical Master’s Class 2020
Former trainee in the Saloman Lab.
Julien is currently working as a medical scribe.