Post-doctoral Fellow
Saurav Ranjitkar, Ph.D.
Saurav Ranjitkar is a postdoctoral fellow in the lab. He received his Ph.D. from the Department of Animal Science at the University of Connecticut in July 2024, during which, he worked on various multi-disciplinary projects involving genome editing, bioinformatics, and toxicology. Currently, he is working on projects related to understanding the role of cytokines and the molecular mechanisms of mast cell-induced food allergies. In his free time, he enjoys photography, mountain trekking, and motorbiking.
Graduate Students
Caitlin Tedeschi
Caitlin Tedeschi is a current Ph.D. student in the lab. Caitlin received her B.Sc. in Neuroscience from Western New England University in 2023 and joined the Mathias lab in the Fall of 2023. Caitlin’s research interests include studying the role of dietary factors in the modulation of mast cell responses in the context of inflammatory disease. She has also been studying the effects of protein disulfide isomerases on mast cell responses and is very interested in learning more about the interactions between the immune and nervous systems. Outside of lab, Caitlin loves painting, photography, reading horror/science fiction, and baking.
Nathan Jordan
Nathan Jordan is currently a Pharm.D./Ph.D. student in the lab. He received his B. S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Western New England University in 2023 and joined the lab in 2023 as a Ph.D. student. Nathan’s research is focused on exploring interactions between mast cells and the complement system in mediating allergic responses. Outside of his academic pursuits, Nathan finds enjoyment in cooking, scuba diving, and playing volleyball.
Nicole Maldonado Perez
Nicole Maldonado Perez is currently a Ph.D. student in the lab. She earned her B. Sc. in Microbiology from the University of Puerto Rico in Arecibo, P.R. in 2020. In the Mathias lab, Nicole’s research has been focused on assessing the effects of diet and epigenetic modifications during mast cell-mediated allergic responses. Nicole enjoys reading novels, observing wildlife, crafting, visiting museums, and taking nature photographs in her free time.