Meet the team…
Principal Investigator
Chantell Evans, Ph.D.
Chantell received a B.S. in Chemistry from Southern Illinois University and her Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Her graduate thesis investigated Ca2+-regulated exocytosis using biochemistry and biophysics. She completed her postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania where she used advanced microscopy and biochemical techniques to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms that regulate mitophagy in primary neurons. Chantell is an inaugural recipient of the Hanna Gray Fellowship and the Freeman Hrabowski Scholars from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Senior Scientist
Titilola D. Kalejaiye, Ph.D.
Lola holds a B.Sc. in Microbiology from the University of Lagos and earned a master’s degree in molecular biology and biomedical sciences from VUB and Universiteit Antwerpen, both in Belgium. Her Ph.D. was in Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation under the European Commission 7th Framework Programme at the University of Glasgow with Prof Harry De Koning. In graduate school, she characterized the PDEs of Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania, and investigated them as potential drug targets. She did her postdoctoral training here at Duke BME in the lab of Dr Samira Musah where she used molecular and cellular assays to study the role of mutations in stem cell differentiation in renal development and function. She established protocols for differentiating human iPS cells to generate vascularized 3D kidney organoids. Lola joined Evans lab in January 2024. Here, she’s using her Molecular biology and stem cell expertise to differentiate human iPS cells to generate neurons and combine that with the lab’s expertise in mitochondrial biology to understand trafficking defects and protein aggregate accumulation that are pathogenic overlaps between multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including AD, ALS, and PD. She is a wonderful cook and enjoys spending time with family and friends in her free time.
Lab Manager
Molly Gooden, M.S.
Molly joined the Evans Lab in 2022 and assumes numerous responsibilities including mouse colony management, chemical and lab safety compliance, and investigating the expression patterns of mitophagy regulators in various cell models. Molly received her B.S. in Zoology from Mars Hill University and her M.S. in Biology at Western Carolina University. Before joining the Evans Lab at Duke, Molly pursued field research in bird and bat behavioral ecology for 5 years. While a North Carolina native, Molly has traveled to several states including Maine, Colorado, Kentucky, Illinois, and Alabama conducting on site demographic studies, acoustic surveys, and seasonal migration monitoring for both birds and bats. In her free time, Molly enjoys attending Renaissance festivals, reading graphic novels, and spending time with her friends and family for weekly game night.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Jennifer Jenkins, Ph.D.
Jen received her B.S. in Biological Sciences at College of Coastal Georgia and her Ph.D. in Cellular Biology at the University of Georgia. As a graduate student, she studied the robust regenerative ability of planarian flatworms under the mentorship of Dr. Rachel Roberts-Galbraith. Her dissertation research specifically investigated key cell signaling pathways driving planarian regeneration and regulating stem cell populations in vivo. Jen joined the Evans lab in August 2023 to gain additional skills and grow as an independent researcher. She seeks to understand the level of functional distinction between individual subtypes of mitochondrial-derived vesicles, utilizing dynamic vesicle behavior analysis and proteomics. Jen grew up on Saint Simons Island, Georgia, where she ultimately learned that she wasn't a big fan of heat but loved the performing arts and playing sports. She was a Rugby Forward during graduate school and has taken up Kickball since starting her postdoc. She also enjoys reading, trying new coffee shops, and exploring nature trails.
Lilyana Quigley, Ph.D.
Lilyana received her B.S. in Neuroscience from The University of Texas at Dallas and her PhD in Neuroscience from UT Southwestern Medical Center. As a graduate student, under the mentorship of Dr. Lenora Volk, she studied in vivo network dysfunction following removal of the synaptic scaffolding protein, KIBRA, a key regulator of plasticity that is associated with natural variation in human memory. Her dissertation research specifically investigated how KIBRA-dependent mechanisms regulate hippocampal and cortical network activity associated with novel experience. Lilyana joined both the Collective for Psychiatric Engineering, led by Dr. Dzirasa, and the Evans lab in September 2023. Lilyana aims to combine molecular, cellular, and circuit-level techniques with advanced computational methods to understand mechanisms relevant to human neuropsychiatric disorders. Her current research focus is to understand how mitochondrial bioenergetics and quality control mechanisms contribute to changes in synchronized brain network activity associated with stress. It is her hope that conducting these studies will aid in developing new therapeutic avenues. Lilyana is originally from Sacramento, California and spent many years living in the Dallas-Ft.Worth area before moving to North Carolina. In her free time, Lilyana enjoys music, photography, poetry, and spending time with her son.
Graduate Students
Jordan Green (Schneider)
Jordan received her B.S. in Biology from Muhlenberg College with a minor in Mathematics. Her undergraduate research focused on understanding how insulin signaling and interneuron function regulate the wake versus sleep decision in C. elegans. Now as a proud member of the Evans lab, Jordan is interested in elucidating the mechanisms by which autophagy receptors mediate the response to oxidative stress in neurons. Jordan is originally from Morris County, New Jersey where she developed a passion for horseback riding, photography, and her polydactyl cat, Sammy.
Yuleika Martinez Castillo
Yule received her B.S. in General Biology from the University of Puerto Rio, Bayamon in 2019. During her undergraduate studies, she researched potential factors threatening the Annona glabra tree population in the wetland of Punta Tuna Maunabo Natural Reserve. Prior to graduate school, she was part of the Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program at the University of Chicago, where she joined the Sanders lab and investigated how evx1 transcription factors influence neuronal morphology and dendritic arborization in the developing spinal cord of the chick embryo. Yule joined the Evans lab in May 2022 and is now elucidating the quality control mechanisms of mitochondrial-derived vesicles (MDVs) in neurodegeneration. Yule is originally from Puerto Rico, but because of her family background, she travels back and forth to visit her family in the Dominican Republic. In her free time, Yule loves to paint, watch movies, spend time with her cats, Spoons and Pudding, spend time with family and friends, and go on beach trips.
Leslie Vazquez-Rangel
Leslie received her B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of California, Irvine. As an undergraduate, Leslie investigated the mechanisms and dispersion of antibiotic resistance in microbes acquired from the natural environment. She then transitioned to a neurobiology lab where she studied astrocytes in Alzheimer’s disease and Down syndrome in human post-mortem tissue. Leslie joined the Evans lab in 2023 as a joint member with the Eroglu lab. She is interested in understanding mitochondrial quality control in astrocytes across development and it’s role in supporting brain function. Leslie is originally from Los Angeles, California. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, going on hikes, exploring new museums, and painting like Bob Ross.
Olivia Conway
Olivia received her B.S. in Biochemistry and her B.A. in Plan II Honors from the University of Texas at Austin in 2023. Her undergraduate research focused on the relationship between oxidative damage and R-loop formation in mammalian cells. Olivia joined the Evans lab in 2024 to study the influence of mitochondrial DNA repair and removal on the development of neurodegenerative illnesses. When she’s not in lab, she likes to hang out at local coffee shops and spend time with her cat, Matcha.
Masters Students
Talya Jeter
Talya is currently master’s student and recent Duke graduate that double majored in Biomedical Engineering and Neuroscience and minored in African & African American studies. She is from Cleveland, Ohio and is interested in neural engineering and it's application to neurodegenerative diseases. In the Evans lab, Talya is focusing on image analysis and data processing. She aims to try and obtain an MD/PhD and have her own lab some day. In her free time, she loves to play video games, write for the DukEngineer, and help high school students apply to college.
Undergraduates
Dipali Arora
Dipali is a senior undergraduate student at Duke planning in majoring in Neuroscience. She is from Minnesota and has an interest in neurobiology, specifically, in learning about cell biology and its application to neural diseases. She also is interested in learning more about psychiatric disorders like psychopathy. In addition to neuroscience, she loves to learn languages and learn about different and new cultures.
Lab Alumni
Mohammad Fazil - Graduate Student, University of California Berkeley
Jason McBane - Research Technician, Duke University