ASBMB inducts new honor society members

The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Honor Society, also known as Chi Omega Lambda, recognizes exceptional undergraduate juniors and seniors pursuing degrees in the molecular life sciences at colleges or universities with ASBMB Student Chapters. These students are recognized for their scholarly achievement, research accomplishments and outreach activities.

The honor society inducted 31 new members in 2024. Meet them below. Learn more about each of them here.

Zoey Armstead

University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Armstead is a senior biochemistry major with minors in chemistry and humanities in medicine. Following a gap year, she hopes to attend medical school and become a physician in women’s health, focusing on health care disparities among minority communities.

Federica Bertolotti

Lake Forest College

Bertolotti is a senior majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology and neuroscience. For her initiatives in ASBMB and her passion for research, she was awarded the 2023 ASBMB Undergraduate Research Award. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in neurobiology.

Sara Beth Bouchard

Wesleyan University

Bouchard expects to graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in chemistry and molecular biology and biochemistry. She will pursue a chemistry Ph.D. at the University of Connecticut to refine her skills for work in biopharmaceutical design.

Kaitlin Cartwright

University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Cartwright is a senior studying cellular biochemistry with a minor in chemistry. She plans to apply to Ph.D. programs in biochemistry, in hopes of becoming a professor and sharing her passion for science with future students.

James Hasselbeck

Rochester Institute of Technology

Hasselbeck is a graduating senior majoring in biochemistry. He plans to pursue his medical degree at Duquesne College of Medicine. His career goals lie in critical care medicine, with a potential future in research.

Connor Holm

University of South Alabama

Holm is a junior majoring in biomedical sciences with a minor in music. He plans to enter medical school in the fall of 2025; his career goal is to become a surgeon in a rural community.

Isabella Holt

University of Tampa

Holt is a senior majoring in biochemistry. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in cancer biology at the Moffitt Cancer Center and wants to make scientific contributions to the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Isabelle Juhler

Grand View University

Juhler is a senior majoring in biochemistry. She is interested in cancer biology and virology. After graduation, she will pursue a Ph.D. in biochemistry at Purdue University.

Laura Kirshenbaum

University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Kirshenbaum is a junior biochemistry major.  She plans to attend graduate school to continue her biochemistry and microbiology education and hopes to study nonmodel organisms and their industrial applications.

Isabella Kola

Manhattan College

Kola is a premed junior majoring in biochemistry and minoring in mathematics. Being a an ASBMB Chapter member and helping with the STEM Outreach Program introduced her to a dedicated community that fueled her love for science.

Lucas Kramer

Grand View University

Kramer is a senior biochemistry student. He will attend Purdue University in the fall in pursuit of a Ph.D. in biochemistry. He hopes to become a teaching professor in biochemistry.

Kateryna Malkina

Lake Forest College

Malkina is pursuing a dual major in molecular biology and biochemistry and data science. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in biochemistry, aspiring to apply novel synthetic biology methods to advance bioremediation.

Madison McFarland

Stephen F. Austin State University

McFarland is a senior biochemistry major with a minor in biology. With hopes of becoming a forensic toxicologist, she is set to pursue a Ph.D. in toxicology at Texas A&M University starting in August.

Gabriella Menezes da Silva

University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Menezes da Silva is a senior pursuing a degree in biochemistry with a minor in chemistry. She plans to attend medical school and specialize in geriatric medicine, with the goal of contributing to research and impacting the elderly community.

Brooklyn Mills

Grand View University

Mills is a senior studying biochemistry and data analytics. She will attend Washington University in St. Louis in the fall for its biochemistry, biophysics and structural biology Ph.D. program.

Gabriela Miranda

St. Mary’s College of Maryland

Miranda is a senior majoring in biochemistry. Her goal was always to help people, especially those in underrepresented communities. She plans on pursuing a Ph.D. in biomedical science or cancer research.

Kyle Murphy

St. Mary’s College of Maryland

Murphy is a senior biochemistry major. He has secured a postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award through the National Institute of Health and plans to apply to medical school with hopes of becoming an ophthalmologist.

Anita Nguyen

University of South Alabama

Nguyen is an honors junior with a major in biomedical sciences and minors in sociology, chemistry and related sciences. She aspires to become a dentist who prioritizes patient health and the advancement of dental technology through research.

George Santarpia

University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Santarpia is a senior microbiology and biochemistry double major. He intends to pursue a Ph.D. in experimental pathology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. He hopes to become a principal investigator at a university or government institution.

Evan Schroder

University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Schroder is a senior biochemistry and microbiology double major. Upon graduation, he will take a gap year, and he looks to apply to medical schools in the 2024–2025 cycle.

Kyle Sextro

University of Nebraska – Lincoln

Sextro is a senior studying biochemistry and psychology. He plans to earn an M.D. at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He will decide whether to specialize in surgery or psychiatry to provide the highest level of care while maintaining a role in research.

Andrew Seyler

Rochester Institute of Technology

Seyler is a fourth-year biochemistry student specializing in the expression and characterization of nudix hydrolases. Their research has provided insights into biological systems, fueling their desire to contribute to advancements in medical science.

Navraj Singh

Rochester Institute of Technology

Singh is a senior majoring in biochemistry. From a young age, he has been interested in science and becoming a doctor. Singh plans to go to medical school.

Ravyn Solís

Stephen F. Austin State University

Solis is a research-intensive biochemistry major with a double minor in art and biology. She is in the UT Tyler early admissions program. After graduation, she plans to travel abroad with a childhood friend, to broaden her perspective and gain exposure to other cultures.

Mya Soto

Rochester Institute of Technology

Soto is a junior biochemistry major. Upon completing her degree, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in a biochemistry-related discipline, focusing on infectious diseases and continuing her research pursuits.

Vaishnavi Srirama

Saint Louis University

Srirama is a senior with a major in medical sciences and minors in biology and health care ethics. She is a pre-M.D./Ph.D. student. After graduation, she will take an interim year to explore her research interests before applying to medical school.

Jordyn Svoboda

University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Svoboda is a graduating senior majoring in biochemistry with minors in chemistry, mathematics and psychology. After graduation, they will begin graduate studies to pursue a Ph.D. in biochemistry and structural biology with certification in teaching.

Tai Lon Tan

Wesleyan University

Tan is a senior at Wesleyan University majoring in molecular biology and biochemistry. He aims to use skills acquired from undergraduate research during his Ph.D. studies to understand the mechanisms behind cancer metastasis and develop treatment strategies.

Rohan Tatineni

University of Nebraska – Lincoln

Tatineni is a junior biochemistry major with minors in chemistry and math. He aspires to be a physician specializing in pediatrics or oncology.

Nishtha Tripathi

St. Bonaventure University

Tripathi is a senior undergraduate researcher double majoring in biology and behavioral neuroscience while minoring in English. She will attend George Washington University School of Medicine in the fall.

Vivian Zuo

UCLA

Zuo is a junior studying biochemistry. She is interested in pharmaceuticals and early cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in biochemistry to continue her research interests.