Our Team
Dr. Holtzman is an Associate Professor and currently serves as the Associate Provost of Innovation and Student Success at Queens College. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto before moving on to her PhD at the University of Oregon where she studied cell migration during gastrulation in zebrafish. This work led to an interest in organ formation which was the focus of her post doc with Dr. Yelon at the NYU School of Medicine. Since 2005, Dr. Holtzman has been a faculty member at Queens College, City University of New York studying heart development and aquatic toxicology. A full CV can be found here.
Current Students
Allan Edmond
Allan is a Masters student currently exploring the impact of PCBs on the pancreas. He also works with the HSI-STEM team to support the peers who work with the introductory science classes.
Shaline Mahadeo
Shaline is a Macaulay Honors College undergraduate student working on the role of cardiac contractility in directing cardiac morphogenesis.
Lauren Snow
Lauren is an undergraduate student completing her thesis work on a project exploring the molecular mechanism of lateral line formation in zebrafish. This work is primarily being conducted with Dr. Hudspeth at Rockefeller University. She plans to graduate in spring and work in the field for year before pursuing graduate school.
Alumni
Hope Miodownik MD
Hope completed her MD at Albert Einstein School of Medicine in 2019. She worked as an undergraduate student in the lab with a focus on the weak atrium mutation, a model for human pediatric heart disease.
Olivier Noel MD, PhD
Oliver worked as an undergraduate in the lab exploring the role of the endocardium in early cardiac morphogenesis. He is is working towards completing his MD/PhD at Penn State. He is also the CEO and founder of DNA Simple.
Corinna Singleman PhD
Corinna completed her PhD on aquatic toxicology in the lab. She also worked as an undergraduate student studying early cardiac morphogenesis before completed her MS at Chatham College. She now works as a part of the HSI-STEM leadership team.
Sana Khan PhD
Sana completed her PhD in lab. Her research focused on the migration and molecular regulation of epicardial formation. She has gone on to work in the science publishing industry.
Alishba Maira
Alishba worked as an undergraduate student in lab. Her work focused on the formation of the endocardium during early cardiac morphogenesis. She is currently pursuing a PhD at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Shoshana Reich
Shoshana is completing her PhD in Dr. Weinstein’s laboratory as a part of the Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at The Graduate Center, CUNY.
Additional Alumni
Miriam Klar MD
Undergraduate research student Currently a resident physician at SUNY Downstate
Aliza Greenbaum
Undergraduate research student Currently working as an actuary associate
Farhana Oza DDS
Undergraduate research student Currently general and Cosmetic Dentist
Ariel Karp Heller DO
Undergraduate research student NYIT Currently at the College of Osteopathic Medicine
Karina Fatakhova MD MBA
Undergraduate research student Currently an Internal Medical Resident at Mather Memorial Hospital
Stephanie Parascandolo
Undergraduate research student Currently an Elementary school educator
Shayna Laya Krankel
Undergraduate research student continuing to work on QC degree
Bracha Cohen
Undergraduate research student Currently a Biology Education MA student at City College
Deanna Gutierrez RN
MA Research student Currently a traveling Nurse
Gabriella Kigler PA
Undergraduate research student Currently a Physicians Assistant
Evan Closser
Undergraduate research student Currently a research Technician/ musician
Dorit Ziv
Undergraduate research student Currently a Relationship Manager at Partner Energy
Keisha Morgan
MA Research student Currently an educator
Jessica Chen
High School Reseach Student Currently a student at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hanna Rose
Undergraduate research Currently a student PhD candidate at Augusta University
James Kwon MD
Undergraduate research student He has since received his MD
Alanna Leung
Undergraduate research student Currently a PhD Student in Chemistry and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Illinois
Rada-Mayya Kostadinova
Undergraduate research student Currently pursing dentistry
Riti Chhibba OD
MA Research student Currently an Optometrist
Stella Lam MD
Stella worked in lab as an undergraduate student and then as a research technician. She is currently a Radiologist at Morristown Medical Center.
Elise Harrison RDN
High School Research student Currently a Registered Dietary Nutritionist
Atif Muhammad MD
MA Research student Currently serving the Queens Community in family medicine
Assal Hakhamjani DDS
Undergraduate research student Currently a Pediatric Dentist
Jaymie Estevez
Undergraduate research student Currently working as a Training Specialist for Care Design New York