The PI

Melody Li, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics
Faculty Member, UCLA Broad Stem Cell Center (bio)
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Melody, a native of Hong Kong, received her B.S. in Biological Sciences from   University of California, Irvine in 2006 and Ph.D. in Microbiology from University of Washington, Seattle in 2011. As an undergrad, she trained with Dr. Bert Semler and ventured into the fascinating world of host-virus interactions. Melody then studied with Dr. Michael Emerman, where she elucidated the functional consequences of human polymorphisms in the antiviral APOBEC3H gene. Melody subsequently completed her postdoctoral work with Dr. Peggy MacDonald and Dr. Charlie Rice at Rockefeller University where she focused on the antiviral mechanisms and regulation of the host interferon response targeting alphaviruses and flaviviruses. She started her own lab at UCLA in fall 2017 to continue studying the mechanism of ZAP/PARP13, a broad-spectrum antiviral ISG, and other members of the poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) family. When she is not doing science, she enjoys hiking, camping, and swimming in the ocean.

PostdocToral Fellows

Zhenlan Yao

Zhenlan Yao is from Shanghai, China. She received her Ph.D. in Molecular Virology from Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University. During her Ph.D. training, Zhenlan focused on the exosome-mediated transmission of alpha interferon-induced antiviral activity into hepatitis B virus-replicating hepatocytes. She is now a postdoctoral fellow in the Li Lab and investigating the role of interferon-induced host factors in viral inhibition and protection of the blood-brain barrier. Outside the lab, Zhenlan enjoys reading, sketching, and watching anime.  

Graduate Students

​Serina Huang

Serina grew up in Taiwan and the US. She studied Chemical Engineering at UCSD and did undergraduate research in the Gaulton Lab before joining the Genetics & Genomics graduate program at UCLA in 2019. She is now studying TRIM25 cofactors and their roles in viral infection. Besides doing science, Serina loves learning languages, writing book reviews, watching silly anime, playing Animal Crossing™, and eating ice cream.
Pablo Alvarez

Pablo was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He earned a B.S. in Human Biology with a minor in Chemistry from UC Santa Cruz, where he also worked in the Auerbach-Stone lab investigating regulation of the Yersinia T3SS. Pablo is now a graduate student in the Immunity, Microbes, and Molecular Pathogenesis home program. In the Li Lab, he is identifying host factors that prevent or contribute to viral neuroinvasion. In addition to learning about brain viruses, Pablo enjoys practicing martial arts, dancing, and the company of his cat and ball python.
Erin Kim

Erin lived in California her whole life until she attended Wellesley College in Massachusetts. There, she studied Biochemistry and Music and conducted research on nucleosome assembly and disassembly in the Núñez Lab. Erin is currently a  graduate student in Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology (BMSB) in the Chemistry & Biochemistry department. In the Li Lab, she studies TRIM25 cofactors, especially NME1. Besides lab and school, Erin enjoys reading novels, drinking boba, and making people confused with her twin sister.
Martin Ruvalcaba

Martin is from Wilmington, the heart of the Los Angeles harbor. He graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Biological Sciences, where he also conducted research as a member of the Aguilar-Carreño laboratory. Under Dr. Aguilar’s guidance, Martin studied the role of various paramyxovirus and coronavirus glycoproteins in viral fusion and entry into a host cell. As a graduate student, he hopes to continue studying the molecular mechanisms of diseases. Outside of academics, Martin enjoys reading, writing, and playing soccer.

ROTATION STUDENTS

Bryan Ramirez Reyes

Bryan is a 1st year graduate student in the MBIDP program (Home Area: IMMP) rotating in the Li lab. He earned a B.S. in Biotechnology with a minor in chemistry from Cal Poly Pomona where he conducted research in the laboratory of Dr. Frances Mercer investigating Tritrichomonas foetus. Following his undergraduate studies, Bryan completed a 2-year post-bacc program at OHSU, as part of the Nice lab he investigated the role of homeostatic interferons in preventing rotavirus infection in neonatal mice. During his rotation in the Li lab, Bryan will investigate neuroinvasiveness of chikungunya virus.

Undergraduate Students

Past members

  • Noa Harriott, rotating graduate student, Spring 2024, now a Ph.D. student in the laboratory of Dr. Alexander Hoffmann
  • Jules Girdner, undergraduate student, Fall 2022-Spring 2024, now a Ph.D. student at Duke University
  • Faith St. Amant, undergraduate student, Fall 2022-Spring 2024, now a technician in the laboratory of Dr. Stephen Tapscott at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
  • LeAnn Nguyen, Ph.D. student, Summer 2019-Winter 2023, now a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. John Ray at Benaroya Research Institute
  • Sangeetha Ramachandran, undergraduate student and staff research associate, Winter 2020-Summer 2023, now a Ph.D. student at UC San Francisco
  • Ashley Tang, undergraduate student and lab assistant, Fall 2021-Summer 2023, now an M.D. student at Carle Illinois College of Medicine
  • Bryan Sanchez, rotating graduate student, Spring 2023, now an M.D.-Ph.D. student in the laboratory of Dr. Hung Ton-That
  • Mohammad Alam, rotating graduate student, Winter 2023, now a Ph.D. student in the laboratory of Dr. Oliver Fregoso
  • Dylan Smock, rotating graduate student, Fall 2022, now a Ph.D. student in the laboratory of Dr. Donald Kohn
  • Emily Yang, Ph.D. student, Summer 2018-Spring 2022, now an Assistant Professor of Microbiology at Biola University
  • Kelly Aldana, undergraduate student, Winter 2020-Winter 2022, now applying to medical schools
  • Gloria Bartolo, rotating graduate student, Fall 2021, now a Ph.D. student in the laboratory of Dr. Elissa Hallem
  • Ryan Kan, rotating graduate student, Spring 2020, now a Ph.D. student in the laboratory of Dr. Aparna Bhaduri
  • Carlyn Wisherop, undergraduate student, Summer 2018-Fall 2020, now an M.D. student at Weill Cornell Medical College
  • Anh Phuong Luu, staff research associate, Fall 2017-Fall 2020, now a Ph.D. student at UC Irvine
  • Dana Franklin, rotating graduate student, Spring 2020, now a Ph.D. student in the laboratory of Dr. Hung Ton-That
  • Edgar Perez, rotating graduate student, Fall 2019, now a Ph.D. student in the laboratory of Dr. Steven Dubinett
  • Angela Sun, undergraduate student and lab assistant, Fall 2017-Spring 2019, now a Ph.D. student in the laboratory of Dr. Elaine Reed
  • Yixin Dai, CSST summer program student, Summer 2018, now a Ph.D. student at Tsinghua University, China
  • Jeff Chien, undergraduate student, Fall 2017-Spring 2018, now applying to medical schools
  • Melanie Dimapasoc, rotating graduate student, Spring 2018, now a Ph.D. student in the laboratory of Dr. Jerome Zack
  • Amara Thind, rotating graduate student, Spring 2018, now a Ph.D. student in the laboratory of Dr. Peter Bradley