MEET THE TEAM

A friendly latin woman in her 30s to 40s is depicted in the photo. Her skin is light, she has long, straight dark hair and well-defined eyebrows that match her hair color. Her almond-shaped dark eyes complement her clear complexion, and her prominent dimples add a touch of charm to her smiling face. She is wearing a long-sleeved black blouse, with small earrings adorning her ears. The photo captures her in a relaxed and joyful expression. She stands front positioned against a slightly blurred backdrop of a park with grass, a trail, and trees.

Assistant Professor & Principal Investigator

Débora Sobreira

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Débora is a passionate geneticist with a specialization in human genetics, developmental biology, and gene regulation. Her primary focus revolves around advancing our knowledge of non-coding genetic variations and their impact on biological processes. With a deep curiosity for the intricacies of the genome, Débora is dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of non-coding regions and their role in shaping development, disease susceptibility, and overall genetic diversity.

A Hungarian woman in her early 30's. Her straight, light brown hair is tied behind her head. Small butterfly earrings adorn her ears. Her hazel eyes are framed by well-defined eyebrows, in the same hair color. She wears a large and sincere smile, with dimples in her cheeks. She is dressed in a white polka dot light blue shirt. Positioned in the front, the background features a slightly blurred scene of dense vegetation, with a beautiful blossom Jacaranda tree exhibiting lilac flowers.

Postdoctoral Researcher

Hanna Liliom

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Hanna has a background in neuroscience, holding an MSc and a PhD from Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary. She conducted research under the guidance of Dr. Katalin Schlett, exploring neuronal signaling pathways and the cellular response to oxidative stress. Hanna also gained expertise in human stem cells and induced neuronal models while working with Dr. Kristin K. Baldwin at Columbia University during her first postdoc research. During this time , she co-led a pipeline focused on inducing human fibroblasts into specific neuronal subtypes. Currently, in her second post-doctoral position at the Sobreira Lab, Hanna's research focuses on genetic and epigenetic analyses. She investigates the functional implications of genetic variants in human GWAS, particularly in relation to human-specific brain disorders, across diverse backgrounds. Outside of her work, Hanna enjoys birdwatching and spending time in nature.

A captivating young Hawaiian woman in her 20s with long, wavy dark hair and delicate eyebrows. She has elongated, dark eyes, slightly brown skin with a few freckles, and a gently smiling expression. Her nose has a straight ridge and softly rounded tip. With a diamond face shape and high cheekbones, she wears a light gray turtleneck blouse. One flower is caught in a lock of her hair, which flies to the left side. She stands front positioned against a background showcasing a beautiful blossom cherry tree with intense pink flowers and a few leaves.

Kailee Yoshimura

Graduate Student

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Kailee is a graduate student in the Cell and Developmental Biology home area under MBI. She is originally from Hawaii, where she obtained her bachelors in Cell Biology at University of Hawaii at Hilo. In the Sobreira Lab, Kailee focuses on the integration of functional analyses with polygenic risk scores with the goal to improve its predictive capability in regards to obesity. In her free time she enjoys traveling, binge watching shows, hanging out with friends, and trying new restaurants.

Graduate Student

Seolyn (Lynn) Yang

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Lynn is a graduate student in the Gene Regulation, Epigenomics and Transcriptomics home area under MBI. Originally from Seoul, Korea, she moved to LA for her Bachelor’s and Master’s studies at USC, where she investigated transcription factors and differentially-bound enhancers in various cancer types. Lynn’s main focus in the Sobreira Lab at UCLA is to manipulate regulatory regions relevant to obesity and disease using CRISPR technology. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, going to concerts, hanging out with friends and family (cat included), and eating good food.

A Mexican-American woman in her early 30s, with long, slightly wavy, dark hair and a serene, relaxed expression. Her well-defined eyebrows match the color of her hair, and she has brown eyes with a gentle upturned shape. Her olive skin complements the discreet cat-eye eyeliner flick. She stylishly wears a dark draped front jacket over a light-colored shirt, showcasing her modern style. No adornments are present. The image captures her in front of a beautiful brick-patterned building with an arch construction in the background.

Meli Renteria

Undergraduate student

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Meli is a UCLA undergraduate student originally from Southern California. She is majoring in Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology. While living in San Francisco, she was involved in atrial fibrillation, hypertension, and renal denervation therapy research. In addition, she gained experience working with a team in the biodesign process for patients managing peritoneal dialysis with DxD Health Tech at Stanford University. She has recently joined Dr. Sobreira’s lab and is investigating how genetic variations influence development and function of adipocytes in complex diseases such as obesity. In her free time, she enjoys reading, dancing, spending time with family and enjoying the local beaches.

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