Our Team

Jiakun received his PhD degree from Washington University in St. Louis, where he used zebrafish to investigate early embryonic development in the lab of Lila Solnica-Krezel. He joined Marc Freeman’s and Kelly Monk’s labs in the Vollum Institute at OHSU for his postdoctoral research in astrocyte biology using both fruit flies and zebrafish model systems. He started his own lab at UNC in 2024, his lab studies the roles of astrocytes in nervous system formation and function.

Akhil is an undergraduate student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, studying Neuroscience and Nutrition. Previously, he has worked with the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center to research new controls to prevent dose-over-prescription radiation. Now he is interested in investigating the intricate mechanisms underlying astrocyte growth and function. After graduation, Akhil hopes to pursue an MD-PhD further studying neuroglia and neurobiology. Outside of the lab, Akhil enjoys embarking on new adventures with his friends and spending time with his family.

I am currently a freshman at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, pursuing a major in Biostatistic and Mathematic with a minor in Neuroscience. My passion for research was ignited during my high school years, where I had the opportunity to intern at labs both in National University of Singapore and Xiamen University. My project focused on the impact of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles on the cardiovascular development and spatial locomotion of zebrafish —— a venture that has sharpened my analytic skills and heightened the scientific inquiry. Outside the lab, I love traveling with friends, taking photos and doodling.

I have always been fascinated by how cells grow, change, and interact with other distinct cell types. I was first able to explore these interests as an undergraduate at Ithaca College in the lab of Dr. Ian Woods. There, I studied development and function of sensory neurons in zebrafish and received my B.S in Biology 2019. Following that, I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer teaching in Indonesia. Upon my return to the states, I worked as a Research Technician at UW-Madison in the lab of Dr. Katie Drerup – exploring molecular mechanisms underpinning proper cargo transport in zebrafish lateral line neurons. Now as Cell Biology and Physiology graduate student in the Chen Lab here at UNC, I hope to help unravel the molecular basis of astrocyte morphogenesis and interaction with other cell types such as neurons and immune cells.