Catherine von Reyn, PhD

Principal Investigator
Assistant Professor
School of Biomedical Engineering,
Science and Health Systems, Drexel University,
Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, DUCOM

Office: Bossone 707
Phone: 215.895.2749
Email: catherine.r.vonreyn@drexel.edu

HyoJong (HJ) Jang, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

HJ received his PhD degree in the School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems from Drexel University. Prior to his graduate studies at Drexel, he received his BS, MS and PhD degrees in Computer Science from Soongsil University in South Korea. During his graduate research in South Korea, he studied image processing and pattern recognition. He then gained industry experience at SFA, developing automatic inspection systems to detect manufacturing defects in Samsung LCD panels. Both his academic and industry experience in computer vision algorithms have guided his current research interests in the von Reyn Lab. He now uses the model organism Drosophila melanogaster to tease out the mechanisms underlying how the brain recognizes or responds to external inputs. Visit his Google Scholar page.

Natalie Smolin, MS

PhD Candidate

Natalie Smolin graduated with a BS in Biology from The Pennsylvania State University and an MS in Biomedical Sciences from The University of Pittsburgh. Throughout her academic career, she has worked in numerous research labs, focusing on cancer pharmacology, plant pathology, and immunology. At the Hillman Cancer Center, Natalie investigated PUMA, CD47-1, and CD47-2, and their roles relating to programmed cell death. She investigated the roles of inbreeding and genetic variation on herbivory and the immune response at the Pennsylvania State University. She also worked at the University of Pennsylvania exploring the mechanisms by which organisms that recovered from sepsis developed a long-term immune system depression. Now at the von Reyn lab, Natalie works towards understanding synaptic connection specificity, with the long-term goal of changing synaptic partner specificity. Outside of the lab, Natalie enjoys creating stained glass mosaics, reading, and taking long walks with her dog. Visit her Google Scholar page.

Bryce Hina, BS

PhD Candidate

Bryce Hina graduated with a BS in Electrical Engineering and a BS in Biomedical Engineering from Trine University and is currently pursuing his PhD in Biomedical Engineering. He gained industry experience at Zimmer Biomet as a Manufacturing Engineer, where he helped research and development teams in the design and manufacturing of new orthopedics. He now seeks to understand multimodal sensory integration by studying the model organism Drosophila melanogaster using current genetic tools and methods. In his free time, he enjoys flying RC airplanes, watching movies, and watching hockey games. Visit his Google Scholar page.

Jana Smuts, BS

PhD Candidate

Jana Smuts received her Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Drexel University in 2019. She then spent some time as a research technician in the Gidalevitz Lab where she investigated a neuroprotective role for the PERK branch of the unfolded protein response. Now, Jana is a second-year student pursuing her PhD in Neuroscience. In the NCE Lab she is working on understanding how spontaneous network activity contributes to synaptogenesis during development. She is currently enjoying setting up live calcium imaging using two-photon microscopy to further understand this process. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her pets and friends, exploring the city, reading, and music.

Haley Croke, BS

Haley Croke received her BS in Biology with a minor in Neuroscience from Drexel University. As an undergraduate researcher, Haley participated in the SEA-Phages program where she isolated a bacteriophage from an environmental sample and annotated its genome. Haley’s interest in neuroscience research brought her to the NCE Lab, where she is currently involved in mapping out neural circuits in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. She is also designing behavioral assays for investigating sensorimotor transformations.

Kieran Lynch

Kieran Lynch is a student at Drexel University pursuing a BS/MS dual degree in Computer Engineering and Machine Learning Engineering. His research focuses on analyzing single-cell RNA sequencing data to reconstruct the regulatory interactions between transcription factor genes and cellular adhesion molecule genes in Drosophila melanogaster. Kieran aims to leverage cutting-edge technology for novel biological applications, aiming to build accurate computational models that advance our understanding of complex biological systems. In his free time, he enjoys reading, exploring new places, and hiking with his dogs.

Olga Kravchenko-Surant

Olga Kravchenko-Surant is a Drexel student working toward her bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering. She plans to pursue a BS/MS dual degree in Biomedical Engineering and plans to concentrate in Neuroengineering. She is involved in the NCE Lab as a STAR Scholar student. Her project is centered around utilizing genetic and molecular tools to identify ion channels within the giant fiber neuron of Drosophila. Outside of the lab, she enjoys traveling, photography, and reading.

Jessica Vasserman

Jess Vasserman is a Drexel student working towards a bachelor's in Biological Sciences. She plans to pursue further education after her bachelor's. Jess joined the NCE Lab through Drexel's STAR Scholars program, where she is currently using Drosophila's genetic toolkit to examine the biophysical properties of one descending neuron, DNp03. At Drexel, Jess was part of the SEA-Phages program, allowing her to conduct her own bacteriophage-related research and explore certain fields of biology to truly home in on her interests. Outside the lab, Jess spends her free time creating art, reading, learning Japanese, and playing video games.

Shirin Kaye

Shirin Kaye is a Bioengineering student at the University of Pittsburgh. In the NCE lab, she worked on applying machine learning to single-cell RNA sequencing datasets; such techniques could help researchers better understand how genes interact. In free time, she enjoys doing arts and jigsaw puzzles.

Sanjana Bandi

Sanjana is working towards her bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering at Drexel University. Her interests lie in the field of neuroscience, and she joins the lab with previous high school research experience. Within the NCE Lab, she's excited about the opportunity to gain more hands-on experience and learn about how connections are established between neurons within the brain. Outside the lab, she enjoys reading, art, and listening to music.

Olha Metenko

Olha Metenko is a third year Drexel student working towards a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering. She plans to pursue a BS/MS dual degree in Biomedical Engineering, with a concentration in Neuroengineering and Bioinformatics. In the future, she plans to develop therapeutics for patients with neurodegenerative diseases. She is currently also working part-time at her previous co-op job as an R&D Biology Intern at Avid Radiopharmaceuticals. Her interest in neuroengineering is what brought her into the NCE lab, where she is studying spontaneous network activity during circuit development.

Olivia Fennell

Olivia Fennell is a student at Drexel University pursuing a BS in Biomedical Engineering with a dual concentration in Neuroengineering and Tissue Engineering. She plans to pursue higher education post-graduation. At the NCE lab, Olivia plans to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying synaptic connection specificity while also aiming to elucidate how neural circuits establish precise patterns of connectivity. By delving into the underlying biological factors that dictate these processes, the long-term objective is to develop techniques capable of altering or reprogramming synaptic partner specificity. Outside of the lab, Olivia enjoys playing guitar, practicing photography, and working as the station manager for Drexel’s radio station.

• Khang Duong, BS 2025
• Alexander Wang MS 2024
• Daniel Ogunkunle MS 2024
• Connor Zabielski BS 2024
• Casey Cha BS 2024
• Cole Schwartz BS 2024
• LaBeausha Harris, MS 2022
• Brennan McFarland, PhD 2022
• Bhakti Marfatia, BS 2022
• Pratishtha Guckhool, STAR Scholar and MS Thesis, BS/MS 2022
• Jillian Saunders, MS Thesis, BS/MS 2022
• Alexander Vasserman, MS Thesis, BS/MS 2022
• David Goodman, MS, 2022
• Joseph Rajasekaran, BS, 2022
• Roze (Alzabey) McDevitt, BS/MS, 2021
• Daniel Gallagher, STAR Scholar, BS/MS 2021
• Kah Young, STAR Scholar, BS/MS, 2021
• Neha Nevasekar, STAR Scholar, BS/MS 2021
• Liudi Luo, MS 2019, Research Technician 2021
• Linda Solomon, Research Specialist, 2021
• Sean O'rourke, MS, 2020
• Abby Eldredge, MS, 2018
• Megan Brown, BS, 2016