Marcela received her bachelor’s degree in molecular biology from the University of Pennsylvania. During her doctoral work, she discovered her love for flexible biological systems working on the evolutionary history of the adaptive immune system in the lab of Dr. David Schatz at Yale University. She then turned to another instance of biological flexibility: learning. In her postdoctoral work, conducted in the labs of Dr. Tom Jessell and Dr. Rui Costa at Columbia University, Marcela focused on examining the contribution of specific cell types to motor learning. She continues to examine the changes in these neurons in her own lab at UMass Chan Medical School.

When not in lab, Marcela enjoys biking, hunting down pastries, and fostering kittens.

Assistant Professor

Lina Marcela Carmona

Danielle Adank

Postdoctoral Fellow

Danielle received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in pharmacology from SUNY Buffalo where her thesis focused on how abstinence changed cocaine self-administration in rats. Following graduation, she worked as a researcher at the University of Minnesota in the lab of Dr. Carrie Haskell-Luevano investigating how cerebral melanocortin receptors influence metabolic diseases and pain. She was recently awarded a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Vanderbilt University (Winder Lab) where her dissertation examined how motor-insular cortical pathways influence affective behaviors and alcohol intake. In the Carmona lab, she’s focused on understanding the dynamics of neuronal cell metabolism and cortical vasculature throughout motor learning and other motivational behavioral tasks.

In her free time, Danielle enjoys reading, running, and exploring new cafe/bookshops in New England.

IG: @femme_in_stem Bluesky: @femmeinstem X: @femmein_stem

Graduate Student

Kelly Heffernan

Kelly graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of Science in Biology & Biotechnology and Professional Writing. There, she studied the role of the Kekkon5 protein in Drosophila wing development. She also developed documentation systems to ensure funding for free health clinics in Worcester. After coming to UMass Chan, Kelly joined the Carmona lab as a graduate student in the summer of 2025. She is excited to study the role of epigenetic modifications to mouse motor cortex cell subtypes throughout motor learning.

When not in lab, Kelly likes to play music, dance, and spend time with friends and family!

Navid Ghazi

Research Associate

Navid graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a degree in neuroscience. His research experiences have spanned multiple areas of neuroscience, beginning at UCSD where he studied the cellular mechanisms that regulate the blood-brain barrier. He later spent time at MIT investigating the neural mechanisms underlying memory storage, which deepened his appreciation for how the brain processes and encodes information. Now in the Carmona Lab, Navid studies how neuronal energy availability shapes information processing in the motor cortex during motor learning. As an aspiring physician-scientist, he hopes to translate discoveries in basic neuroscience into new approaches for treating neurological disorders.

When not in the lab, Navid enjoys running, hiking, playing volleyball, and trying new restaurants.

Aniketh Shelat

Aniketh is a undergraduate student at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, pursuing a degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He is interested in the molecular mechanisms of neurobiological systems and plans on attending medical school after his undergraduate education.

Outside of lab, Aniketh enjoys rock climbing, swimming and meditating.

Undergraduate Student

Vaagmi Shukla

Vaagmi is a rising senior at Hopkinton High School with a strong interest in neuroscience, gene therapy, and mental health. During her previous internship at UMass Chan Medical School, she contributed to work examining AAV vector-based therapies for the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders. In the Carmona Lab, she is excited develop her molecular biology skills and establish CRISPR based approaches for the lab.
Outside of the lab, Vaagmi leads the Teen Mental Health Initiative and the Neuroscience Club, where she focuses on making conversations around mental health more accessible to students. She also loves listening to variety of music, writing, going on long walks, watching great shows, and spending time with friends—especially when trying out new restaurants.

Current Lab Members