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.
Madison was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, and graduated from The University of Texas at Dallas in May 2025 with her B.S. in Biology. As an undergraduate, Madison received a SURF fellowship from UT Health San Antonio and worked in Dr. Sarah Hopp’s lab, studying how glycosylation of microglia impacted the deposition and morphology of amyloid beta plaques. Madison went on to become a lab manager in Dr. Joseph Pancrazio’s lab at The University of Texas at Dallas, which develops microelectrode arrays in animal models for neural stimulation and recording. Later, Madison received The Green Fellowship, which allowed her to work at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dr. Rachel Bailey’s lab studying a rare, pediatric neurometabolic disorder called ECHS1 deficiency. As ECHS1 is a mitochondrial enzyme, Madison studied how loss of ECHS1 impacted mitochondrial metabolism and continued to stay in the lab as a research assistant until coming to UNC for the BBSP program. Madison still enjoys studying metabolism and cell signaling, so she chose to join the Rob Dowen Lab and the Cell Biology and Physiology PhD program. In the lab, Madison studies how cell signaling pathways alter lipid homeostasis to regulate cell growth and proliferation during development. Outside of lab, Madison likes to spend her time going to concerts with friends, reading, and hiking.
Annalee is originally from a rural town in central Pennsylvania. She is the first in her family to attend college, earning her B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from The Pennsylvania State University in 2023. As an undergraduate, Annalee conducted research on antibiotic resistance and drug discovery under the direction of John Alumasa, viral genomics with Gregory Broussard, and nuclear receptor signaling in colon cancer in the lab of Jeff Peters. Prior to UNC, Annalee worked as a research technician in the Alumasa Lab at Miami University where she continued her work on drug discovery to combat antibiotic resistance. Her work has contributed to multiple peer-reviewed first-author publications spanning microbiology, toxicology, and genetics, highlighting her diverse research expertise. As a member of the Dowen Lab, Annalee’s research focuses on understanding how microbe-host interactions influence metabolism and longevity. She investigates the molecular mechanisms by which Kombucha-associated microbes module host physiology using C. elegans and mammalian cells with a particular interest in conserved longevity pathways and organelle dynamics. Annalee has been awarded the Initiative in Maximizing Student Potential T32 in 2024 and the Cellular Systems and Integrative Physiology T32 in 2025. In addition to her research, Annalee is actively involved in science communication and mentorship, contributing to outreach initiatives and supporting students from all backgrounds pursuing careers in science. Outside of science, Annalee has two cats and enjoys yoga, painting, being outdoors, and trying new experiences.
Kylie grew up in the Chicago suburbs and, after too many cold winters, moved south to attend UNC-Chapel Hill, where she earned her B.S. in Biology in 2021 with minors in Chemistry and Neuroscience. As an undergraduate, she conducted research in plant signaling, pancreatic cancer, and developmental genetics. She conducted her honors thesis in Dr. Zachary Nimchuk’s lab on plant developmental signaling in diverse environments in Arabidopsis thaliana. She remained at UNC for graduate training, joining the BBSP program in 2021 and pursuing a PhD in Genetics and Molecular Biology in the Rob Dowen Lab. Her research focuses on the crosstalk between conserved pro-growth signaling pathways that coordinate metabolic homeostasis using interdisciplinary techniques including genetics, genomics, cell biology, and biochemistry. She has received a T32 NIGMS Genetics Training Grant (2022) and a NICHD F31 fellowship (2025).
Kylie is passionate about science communication to diverse audiences and mentorship. She co-chairs UNC’s Medical and Regulatory Affairs Club (MedRAC), where she also writes and edits for the medical affairs blog, and she serves as a leader on the TIBBS Advisory Board. As a first-generation college and graduate student, she is committed to supporting others in STEM and participates in annual outreach programs like the UNC Science Expo and NC DNA Day. She has mentored multiple undergraduate and graduate students in the lab and has been a peer mentor for her graduate program as well as a college prep mentor for high school students in the WinSPIRE program. Outside the lab, Kylie enjoys running, reading, and spending time with friends. She loves to run the annual Tar Heel 10 Miler in Chapel Hill and aims to complete a half or full marathon in every state. She has now run 4 full marathons and 4 half marathons across six states!
Yasmine Ackall (’27) is majoring in Chemistry (B.S) on the biochemistry track. She is passionate about metabolic research and genetics and is pursuing a career in academia studying biochemistry and molecular biology. Yasmine is a Chapel Hill native and has been in the Dowen Lab since Summer 2023. She is the Editor in Chief of UNC JOURney, the official journal of undergraduate research, and the president of the Club Squash team. In her free time, she likes to don her stylish goggles and play squash, read books (her favorite author is Amor Towles), make color-coded spreadsheets, drink sparkling water, and sit around talking to her friends.
Monica is an undergraduate (class of 2026) pursuing a B.S. in neuroscience and a B.A. in philosophy with a minor in biology here at UNC. She has been in the Dowen Lab since freshman year and is currently studying how neuronal gene expression responds to environmental and internal cues to affect lipid storage and metabolism. Originally from Charlotte, NC, Monica enjoys exploring the city one cafe at a time (her favorite so far is Smelly Cat in NoDa) when home. Aside from drinking copious amounts of coffee, Monica enjoys studying with friends, casual reading, and day-long baking projects.
Ariel is an undergraduate at UNC majoring in Biology (B.S.) and Medical Anthropology (B.A.). Ariel is from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where she enjoys going on hikes and picnics with friends at Jordan Lake. She is interested in pursuing a career in research or healthcare with a focus on diabetes treatment. Ariel is also passionate about addressing the food insecurity and hunger crisis in North Carolina and around the world. As a volunteer at NC TABLE, she is responsible for launching food drives, bagging fresh food, and delivering nutritious food to children in Orange County. Outside of the lab, she enjoys traveling, listening to music, playing tennis, and visiting new cafes and restaurants.
