Principal Investigators
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2023/08/100120_RW_Mike_Pollastri_12_sq-1024x1024.jpg)
Michael Pollastri, Ph.D.
Senior Vice Provost
Academic Lead, The Roux Institute
Professor of Chemistry & Chemical Biology
m.pollastri@northeastern.edu
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2023/08/NEU20191112-0006_square-1024x1024.jpg)
Lori Ferrins, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Chemistry and Chemical Biology
l.ferrins@northeastern.edu
Research Scientist
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2023/08/Marco_Sq.png)
Marco Mottinelli, Ph.D.
Senior Research Scientist
m.mottinelli@northeastern.edu
Postdoctoral Researchers
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2023/08/olaia_sq.jpg)
Olaia Marti Mari, Ph.D.
o.marti@northeastern.edu
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2024/10/Yetunde_cropped.png)
Yetunde Oyesakin, Ph.D.
y.oyesakin@northeastern.edu
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2023/12/Sam_Spijkers_Shaw_sq.png)
Sam Spijkers-Shaw, Ph.D.
s.spijkers-shaw@northeastern.edu
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2024/11/Sal_Patel-683x1024.jpg)
Saloni Patel, Ph.D.
sal.patel@northeastern.edu
Doctoral Students
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2023/08/Caroline_sq-1024x1017.jpg)
Caroline Millard ’25
millard.c@northeastern.edu
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2023/09/Hayden-Motter_sq.jpg)
Hayden Motter ’27
motter.h@northeastern.edu
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2024/01/Jess-Pennington-7ac8379cad9bd6a3-852x1024.jpg)
Jess Pennington ’28
pennington.je@northeastern.edu
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2023/08/Jasmyn_sq-1024x1024.jpg)
Jasmyn Genchev ’27
genchev.j@northeastern.edu
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2023/08/Vinou_sq-1024x1024.jpg)
Vinou Val ’27
val.v@northeastern.edu
Undergraduate Students
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2025/01/IMG_7292-852x1024.jpeg)
Maia Paymar ’26
Maia is a 3rd year biochemistry major from Portland, Oregon. Outside of science she enjoys hiking, reading, knitting, and drawing.
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2024/02/IMG_0967-2cdd0d4a9e3cf044-768x1024.jpg)
Thomas Waltz-Chesnaye ’25
Tommy is an honors student from Maryland majoring in biochemistry. Outside of the lab, he enjoys basketball, weightlifting, and guitar.
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2025/01/Jordan-768x1024.png)
Jordan Miller ’25
Jordan is a 4th-year chemistry major from Vestal, New York. Outside of the lab, she enjoys hiking, skiing, cooking, and baking.
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2025/01/Screen-Shot-2025-01-09-at-12.14.44-PM.png)
Madison Bonomolo ’25
Madison is a 3rd year biochemistry major from Tucson, Arizona. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, traveling, running, and coffee.
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2025/01/Headshot-1024x1018.jpg)
Alex Petruzzelli ’25
Alex is a fourth-year chemistry major with a minor in computer science from Long Island, New York. Besides science, he enjoys listening to music, solving Rubik’s Cubes, and going for walks around Boston.
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2024/12/lab-photo-bella-845x1024.jpeg)
Bella Baratta ’25
Bella is a 4th year student majoring in chemistry with a minor in political science from Toronto, Canada.
Outside of science, they enjoy crocheting, jazz music, analogue photography, reading, and travelling.
![](https://neglecteddisease.lab.northeastern.edu/files/2025/01/Varun-768x1024.jpg)
Varun Bulusu ’25
Varun is a 4th year Chemistry major from Clinton, New Jersey. Outside of science, he enjoys watching movies, listening to music, and going on runs.