Peter graduated from Penn State in May 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in Biology. He then worked in the Ruvkun lab at Mass General in Boston for 11 years, starting as a lab technician and progressing into the lab manager. He assisted many postdocs with their interdisciplinary projects in C. elegans ranging from aging and metabolism, heterochrony, xenobiotics, and Mars DNA sequencing. Excited for a change, Peter accepted a position in Rob’s lab where he acts as the glue, advising undergraduates with their projects, assisting with CRISPR, and adding even more order and organization to the lab. He has truly charmed our worms with his kind-hearted spirit and his extreme enthusiasm, ultimately casting a spell on them to yield results. Without Peter’s thoughtful perspectives and truly encouraging demeanor, our lab would be void of ALL FUN. When he is not working, he enjoys baking new concoction that are tested by fellow lab members, reading the craziest sci-fi/fantasy novels, eating copious amounts of lobster, screaming at the TV when the Carolina Panthers are playing, and taking breaks to stroll around outside with his Carolina Panthers hat but only if the weather is below -80C. If seen in the wild, approach quietly and cautiously! This message was written by fellow, lovely lab members and approved by Peter Breen.
Sarah, originally from Annapolis, Maryland, graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2023 with a B.S. in Biology and double-major in Medical Anthropology, and is currently working in the lab as a Research Technician while preparing for higher graduate/medical education. Sarah spent 7 semesters and 2 summers in the lab during her time as an undergrad studying the role of MAP kinase signaling pathways in lipid homeostasis and development. During this time, she completed a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship and a Senior Honors Thesis for which she was awarded Highest Honors by the UNC Department of Biology upon graduating. As an undergrad, Sarah also explored translational biomedical research in the Bahnson Lab where she spent 2 years investigating how antioxidant therapies could be delivered to atherosclerotic plaque via nanoparticles to reduce the progression of vasculopathies. In addition to pursuing her own scientific curiosities, Sarah enjoys mentoring undergraduate students and currently serves as a bench mentor for two undergraduate researchers in the Dowen Lab.
Outside of the lab, Sarah is passionate about health equity and co-founded UNC Campus EMS where she served as Chief during her final years at UNC to deliver equitable and accessible medical care, preventative vaccines, and CPR education to the Carolina Community. Sarah continues to care for patients as a Paramedic in Chatham County’s EMS system, where she spends the majority of her time outside of lab. When not working, Sarah enjoys seeking the perfect cup of iced coffee (hint: the best is at Café Diem in Pittsboro), spending time with whoever’s dog she can steal for a day, and planning her next (maybe science-related) tattoo.
Personal DEI Statement: “I am personally committed to promoting an inclusive work environment that is supportive and celebratory of individuals from diverse backgrounds and identities. I seek to better understand the ways identity (including racial or ethnic identity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious background, socioeconomic status, etc.) influence our opportunities and outcomes, and strive to empower individuals from historically disadvantaged groups.” – Sarah Torzone
Laura graduated with a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign after completing a B.S. in chemistry and minor in Chinese at UNC Chapel Hill. She worked at a CRO company, Catalent, for 2.5 years conducting biophysical characterization of pharmaceutical compounds using primarily NMR spectroscopy (as well as IR spectroscopy and others). She later obtained a M.S. in biology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Laura is currently a posdoc in Rob Dowen’s lab at UNC.
Rachel grew up in Virginia and graduated from the University of Richmond in 2017 with a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Leadership Studies. While at Richmond she was a varsity Swimmer and lead her team to their 7th consecutive A10 Championship win as a captain her senior year. Rachel joined a research lab the Summer after second year and since then her passion for research has continued to grow. Rachel has worked with several different model systems exploring a variety of questions many of which have the common theme of building systems to study complex relationships between organisms. After graduating, Rachel worked in the Richmond area for two years before perusing graduate joining the 2019 the 2019 Biomedical and Biological Sciences Program (BBSP) cohort here at UNC. Rachel joined the R. Dowen Lab and the Genetics and Molecular Biology PhD training program in the Spring of 2020. Rachel’s thesis works explores how consumption of the microbial community found in the fermented tea Kombucha effects host metabolism and aging. While at UNC she has been appointed to a T32 fellowship and awarded a F31 fellowship through the National Institute for Comprehensive and Integrative Health.
Rachel is passionate about mentoring and enjoys working with and advocating for students at all stages of their scientific journey. In addition to working with undergraduates in the Dowen Lab, she is on the organizational committee of WinSPIRE (Women and underrepresented genders in Science Promoting Inclusion in Research Experiences). Rachel has completed Self-Guided Foundational SafeZone training as well as the Effective Mentoring Training Program offered through the UNC Graduate School. In 2022 she received a Science Mentoring Award presented by the UNC office of Graduate Education. In addition to mentoring students one on one, Rachel is also dedicated to Scientific outreach actively participating in events such as NC DNAday, Teen Science Café and the annual Science Expo hosted by Morehead Planetarium. Outside of lab Rachel enjoys gardening, art, cooking new plant-based recipes and attending UNC-CH sporting events (especially when they play the University of Richmond).
Personal DEI Statement: “As a scientist and active member of my community, I am strongly committed to preserving a safe and inclusive work environment for all, regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender, gender identification, age, religion, nationality, social-economic status, political affiliations, or physical ability. I value people and viewpoints from diverse backgrounds, and I am dedicated to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusivity.” – Rachel DuMez-Kornegay
Kylie graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in May 2021 with her B.S. in Biology, but she is originally from a suburb outside of Chicago. During undergraduate, she worked in multiple labs that included research in plant hormonal signaling, pancreatic cancer therapeutic targets, and plant developmental genetics. She was awarded Highest Honors and the Francis J. LeClair Award for her senior honors thesis on plant developmental signaling in diverse environments using the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana. She decided to pursue graduate school after discovering a love for research and genetics, and found that she loved UNC so much, she had to stay for 5(+) more years! She joined UNC’s BBSP program in August of 2021 with research interests in genetics and molecular pathways in the context of development and disease. After her first year, she joined the amazing world of worms in the Rob Dowen Lab and the Genetics and Molecular Biology PhD program. Kylie studies how conserved pro-growth signaling pathways crosstalk to maintain metabolic homeostasis using interdisciplinary techniques including genetics, genomics, cell biology, and biochemistry. In 2022, she was awarded a 2-year T32 Genetics Training Grant appointment.
Kylie is a first-generation college and graduate student and values the ability to help guide students through their scientific journeys as her mentors have guided her. She has served as a peer mentor for her graduate program, BBSP, and as a college prep mentor for UNC WinSPIRE (Women and underrepresented genders in STEM Promoting Inclusive Research Experiences). She has also mentored an undergraduate student for 2 semesters and looks forward to mentoring more students. Kylie has taken the Mentoring Undergraduates in STEM Research Workshop through UNC and the Self-Guided SafeZone Foundational Training. She also enjoys sharing science with her local community through outreach programs, including the annual UNC Science Expo and NC DNA Day. Outside of lab, Kylie loves to run and exercise, read, and spend time with friends. She loves the annual Tar Heel 10 Miler and ran her first half marathon in December 2022. She is now training for a full marathon in October 2023 – wish her luck!
Yasmine is an undergraduate at UNC (Class of 2027) majoring in Chemistry (B.S.) on the biochemistry track. She is very interested in research and wants to pursue academia or industry work. She has lived in Chapel Hill since middle school but originally grew up in Alamogordo, New Mexico. In her free time she likes to play soccer, watch addicting k-dramas on Netflix, and occasionally practice her violin after much nagging from her mom. She is apart of the Honors Carolina program, the Accelerated Research Program, and a Carolina Scholar. She can’t wait to begin her journey at UNC and see what all the fuss is about being a Tar Heel.
Olivia is an undergraduate at UNC majoring in Biology (B.S.) and minoring in Chemistry. She is from Kannapolis, which is a small town north of Charlotte. Olivia is interested in nutrition and the gut microbiome and is considering a career in research or healthcare. Outside of the lab, She likes to play tennis, paddle board, go on walks, and read. Olivia is on the leadership team for her campus ministry and loves to spend time at the Battle House where she says that she is studying, but really she is just talking with friends.
Meet Lilly, an undergraduate here at UNC majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry. Lilly is from Durham, NC (aka bull city) where she spends a lot of time either at the Eno River or exploring downtown. Despite not having her entire career path set in stone, Lilly’s heart is set on staying at UNC to further her academic journey. She’s considering the possibilities of a PhD or delving into the world of Pharmacy. Having taken up the role as a peer mentor in the past, she finds joy in empowering others to take on the exciting challenges of STEM. Beyond the walls of the classroom and lab, Lilly chooses to run, hike, and exercise as her outlets for embracing the outdoors and finding balance in life. She also enjoys watching movies, playing soccer, and every now and then, you might catch her reading a book.
