Valentina Cigliola, PhD
Assistant Professor Department of Pharmacology Vanderbilt Brain Institute Vanderbilt University |
Valentina has a longstanding interest in the biology of tissue regeneration. After earning a Master’s degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Bari in Italy, she completed a research internship at the Mitochondrial Biology Unit in Cambridge, UK. Her Ph.D. research in the laboratory of Dr. Pedro Herrera at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, defined key mechanisms driving regeneration of insulin-producing β-cells in mouse models of diabetes. As a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Kenneth Poss at Duke University, she investigated genetic and epigenetic mechanisms governing heart and spinal cord regeneration, primarily using zebrafish models. She established her independent research group at the Institute of Biology Valrose in Nice, France, in the spring of 2023, and moved her lab to Vanderbilt University in August 2024.
Contact: [email protected] Bsky / Twitter: @CigliolaLab |
Paige Pfotenhauer
Graduate Student 
Miles Dryden
Graduate Student 
Nicolas Noel
Research Assistant 
Isabel Spann
Research Assistant 
Madden Shelley
Undergraduate Researcher 
Ava Aria
Undergraduate Researcher 
Barera Ajaz
Undergraduate Researcher 
Bonette (Hongji) Kim
Undergraduate Researcher |
Paige is a PhD student in the Department of Pharmacology at Vanderbilt University. She is a Minnesota native and a graduate of Trine University, where she received her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering. During her undergraduate career, she investigated nanoparticle-based therapies for Alzheimer’s disease and strategies for drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier. As a post-baccalaureate student, she conducted research in the Van Cleve Cardiac Regenerative Medicine Program at Mayo Clinic, focusing on engineered exosome therapies. Outside the lab, Paige enjoys reading, strolling through Centennial Park, and exploring Nashville’s food scene. Contact: [email protected] Miles is a PhD student in Pharmacology at Vanderbilt University. Miles grew up in Colorado where he attended the University of Colorado Denver, becoming a MARC research scholar, and earning his B.S. in Psychology. As an undergraduate, Miles studied how the reproductive cycle modulates the neural circuits involved in fear extinction and stress. In his free time, Miles enjoys hiking, music, and video games. Contact: [email protected] Nic grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. He went on to receive a B.S. in Aquatic Biology from the University of California Santa Barbara. During his time at UCSB he participated in a developmental research program at the University of Queensland, Australia, and served as an undergraduate researcher in the Oakley Evolutionary Biology Lab where he studied ostracod morphology and embryogenesis. Outside the lab Nic enjoys backpacking, photography, rock climbing, fishing, and golfing. Contact: [email protected] Isabel is a Nashville native and earned a B.S. in Biology from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, where she conducted research on cell cycle regulation and microtubule dynamics using fission yeast as a model system. Prior to her undergraduate work in Colorado, she investigated microplastic degradation processes in marine environments at the Center for Marine Debris Research in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, and obtained certifications in open water diving and Level I freediving. Outside the lab, Isabel enjoys reading, hiking, photography, and immersing herself in nature. Contact: [email protected] Madden is a second-year pre-med student at Vanderbilt University, double majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Medicine, Health, and Society, with a minor in French. He has conducted melanoma research using zebrafish in the Zon Lab at Harvard University and Boston Children’s Hospital before joining the Cigliola lab. On campus, he is involved in the Chancellor’s Scholars Program, VUcept, and volunteer initiatives, and in his free time enjoys spending time with family and friends, working out, dancing, and thrifting. Contact: [email protected] Ava is an undergraduate student at Vanderbilt University, double majoring in Neuroscience and Medicine, Health, and Society. She previously worked in the Mas Lab at the University of Maryland, where she gained experience in mitochondrial transplantation after ischemic injury. On campus, she is involved in the Multicultural Leadership Council, Middle Eastern North African Student Association, and Vanderbilt Iranian Student Association. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, photography, and spending time with friends. Contact: [email protected] Barera is a junior undergraduate student at Vanderbilt University majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Data Science. She gained experience in single-cell genomics at Junhyong Kim’s lab at the University of Pennsylvania, and in developmental biology techniques at Marianne Bronner’s lab at Caltech. On campus, she is the Vice President of the national service frat, Alpha Phi Omega, and in her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading, and listening to new music!
Contact: [email protected]
Bonette is a second-year pre-dental student at Vanderbilt University majoring in Neuroscience and Medicine, Health, and Society. Originally from Seoul, South Korea, she has research experience in breast cancer drug delivery and the human oral microbiome. On campus, she serves as DEI Executive Chair of Chi Omega and is involved with Volunteers for Health and the Red Cross Youth. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Nashville restaurants and going on walks while listening to music. Contact: [email protected] |
Lab Alumni
Christina Avila, BS in Neuroscience 2025
Abhiram Chilakamarri, Undergraduate student Vanderbilt University
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