Lien has always been interested in understanding the molecular pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders and in developing therapeutic strategies for these devastating diseases.

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Started her independent lab at the CNG, MGM, UF COM in December 2022, Lien is enthusiastic about gaining new knowledge and doing research to increase our understanding of disease and how the central nervous system works. Learn more about Lien's research interest and experience here. 

Svetlana joined the L.Nguyen lab in June 2023. Svetlana is a molecular and cell biologist with broad expertise in molecular, nucleic acids (tRNA, miRNA, mRNA), cell biology, redox biology, AAV, cell sorting, and sequencing. She is interested in understanding the SVA genome and how its role in disease and cellular function. 

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Research topics: Repeatome profiling, gene discovery, disease markers, disease mechanisms.

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Huong joined the Nguyen lab as a postdoctoral associate in June 2023 after earning her PhD in Biological Science at Nara Institute of Science and Technology. Huong's research interest includes discovery of novel repeat expansions that cause or are associated with Alzheimer's disease and development of mouse models of novel AD-associated mutations using AAV approach. Learn more about Huong's research interest, research experience, and hobbies here. 

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Research topics: Gene discovery, mouse model, disease mechanisms

Logan joined the lab in April 2023. He is excited about studying the role of tandem repeats in Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. Logan's research involves studying repeat interactome and addressing questions whether repeats including transposon elements play roles in chromatin remodeling and regulating telomere function and integrity. Learn more about Logan's interest and research experience here.

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Research topics: repeats in disease, disease mechanisms, repeat interactome, gene discovery

Rodrigo Tomas is a Graduate Student in Neurocience. He joined the Nguyen lab in Dec 2023. Rodrigo is interested in understanding how repeat expansion mutations contribute to Alzheimer's disease using mouse and cellular models and patient derived models. Learn more about Rodrigo's interest and hobbies here. 

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Research topics: Disease mechanisms, disease models, animal studies, patient derived models.

Isabella joined the Nguyen lab as a volunteer in Summer 2023. She is learning about repeat expansions and tandem repeats and their impact on degenerative neurological disorders and CNS function. Isabella is currently pursuing the Honors Thesis program. Learn more about Isabella's interest and research experience here.

Alyssa joined the lab in Jan 2024 an undergraduate volunteer. She is learning molecular biological tools and use these tools to characterize repeat expansion mutations. Learn more about Alyssa's interest, research experience, and hobbies here.

Feb 2024, Elizabeth joined the lab  an undergraduate research assistant. She is learning biological tools to identify novel repeat expansions that link with disease. Learn more about Elizabeth's interest and hobbies here. 

Ross joined the Nguyen lab in Summer 2024 as an OPS bioinformatician. He is interested in studying repeats across human genome using computational tools, existing big sequencing data, and sequencing data from well-characterized samples generated by our lab. Learn more about Ross's interest and hobbies here.

Alissa joined the lab in July 2024 as an OPS and then a Master student. She will study the repeat expansion pathology in patient derived models including brain organoids. She is also interested in studying the effects of stress in disease via repeat-related pathways. Learn more about Alissa's interest and hobbies here.

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Research topics: Repeat pathology in patient derived model, the involvement of stress in disease.

Denise joined the Nguyen lab as an undergrad volunteer in Fall 2024. She is interested in understanding the effects of disease-associated repeat variants on animal behaviors with the focus on learning and memory and anxiety. Learn more about Denise's interest and hobbies here.

​Andrea joined the lab in Jan 2025. She is interested in understanding how disease-risk repeat expansion mutations contribute to disease. Andrea uses patient derived models, CRISPR/Cas gene editing tools, and other molecular tools to address this important question. She is also involved in characterizing mouse models of disease-associated repeat expansion variants. Learn more about Alissa's interest and hobbies here.

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Research topics: Disease mechanisms, disease models, patient derived models, mouse models, drug discovery.