Who We Are

Principal Investigator

she/her/hers

Monét received her Ph.D. at Cornell University in Biomedical Engineering before her postdoctoral research career at Virginia Tech/Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. She is an Assistant Professor in Bimomedical Engineering and Mechanics at Virginia Tech. Outside of the lab, she loves all things fashion, natural hair care, painting, playing video games, and also being a new plant mom.

Theme Song: "Float" by Janelle Monae

Research Staff

Hailey Murphy

Research Assistant

Originally from Tampa, FL, Hailey received her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering
from Florida State University. Throughout her undergraduate degree, she became interested in the distinguishable characteristics that cancer cells have and methods of targeting these characteristics to improve the effectiveness of treatments. This interest inspired her to pursue research opportunities post-grad and to pursue graduate school to expand her knowledge of these topics.
Outside of the lab, Hailey enjoys being outdoors, running, playing her Nintendo Switch, and
going to the movies.

Theme Song: ‘I’m Still Standing’ by Elton John

Graduate Students

Samantha Ferrao

PhD Student

Samantha is of Indian origin, but she has lived most of her life in the vibrant city of Dubai. She has always had an interest in tackling human disease on the molecular level. This led to her pursuing her undergraduate degree in biotechnology with a focus on molecular biology and nanotechnology, which she carried into her master's degree in biomedical engineering, and still maintains an interest in for her PhD. In her free time, she loves to try cooking new recipes, play role-playing videogames, and do arts and crafts.

Theme Song: "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor

De Shanna Johnson

Master's Student

De Shanna was born and raised in North Carolina. Her academic interests have always been centered around Tissue engineering and cell-cell interactions from the age of 14! She received her BSE in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University in 2020 and promptly entered the biotech industry after graduating. Being able to experience the work field confirmed her interest in further education. She enjoys playing video games(mostly the SIMS and anything Zelda-related), cooking, and painting in her downtime.

Theme Song: "Love on Top" by Beyonce

Undergraduate Students

Anirudh Venkanagari

Undergraduate Researcher

Anirudh is a senior studying Clinical Neuroscience and Biochemistry at Virginia Tech. He is an Undergraduate Researcher at the Roberts Glyco-Diversity Lab. Outside of the lab he enjoys watching movies, running/hiking, and all things involved with traveling.

Khadijat Oyediran

Undergraduate Researcher

Khadijat is currently an undergraduate student studying Mechanical Engineering at Virginia
Tech. Outside of the lab, she enjoys activities with a certain level of adventure, such as hiking and rock climbing. She also spends her free time writing stories and poems.

Sara Altreuter

Undergraduate Researcher

Sara is currently an undergraduate in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Computer Science at Virginia Tech. She previously worked at the Davalos lab for about 2 years where her main focus was studying brain cancer and the blood brain barrier. Outside of the lab, she is the Vice President Internal for the Society of Professional Hispanic Engineers and enjoys encouraging others to pursue their passion for STEM. She also enjoys playing tennis, spending time with family and friends, and wind surfing.

Ashil Amin

Undergraduate Researcher

Ashil grew up in New Jersey and has always been curious about the buzzing biotech and pharmaceutical industry around him. He has worked with the Davalos lab and at Eli Lilly where his passion for biomedical research grew greatly. He is currently a senior biomedical engineering undergraduate with a computer science minor and looks to pursue a graduate degree. Some of his specific research interests lie in neurological disorders and cancer research. In his free time he enjoys playing tennis, spending time in nature, and watching shows with friends.

Theme Song: "The Legend of Ashitaka" by Joe Hisaishi

Gianna Manzo

Undergraduate Researcher

Gianna is a junior at Virginia Tech, pursuing a major in Biomedical Engineering along with a minor in Integrative Health and Wellness. Raised in the heart of New Jersey, she has been captivated by the realms of science and medicine from an early age. Her journey began in a medical office, where her exposure ignited a profound passion for medicine. Her research interests include neurological research and tackling cancer-related challenges, exploring biomechanics and the role of nutrition in wellness. Beyond the lab and academic endeavors, she enjoys listening to music, spending time with friends and family, working out, and alpine skiing.

Melody Garcia-Vega

Undergraduate Researcher

Melody is an Undergraduate Researcher and ESTEEMED Scholar that was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, but raised in Roanoke, Virginia. She’s always wanted to study at Virginia Tech to obtain a major in Biomedical Engineering and a minor in Spanish. Over the summer, she participated in a rotation-based research experience that allowed her to explore different labs at Virginia Tech, which led her to discover an interest in cancer research within Biomedical Engineering. Outside of the lab, she likes to hang out with friends, visit family, read, and play video games.