Graduate Students

Hey! I’m Maddie. I grew up in Solana Beach, CA (just north of San Diego), then I spent 7 years Seattle, WA where I went to undergrad at the University of Washington. I’m stoked to now be here in the Bay – right in the middle of my two former homes. I’ve also bounced around a good bit scientifically. In undergrad, I studied limb regeneration in frogs in Andrea Wills’ lab. Then – after falling in love with microbes in my undergrad coursework – I spent about 3 years studying bacterial anti-phage defense systems as a technician in Alex Meeske’s lab. Now, I’m hooked on microbes, and I’m thrilled to be studying viruses that infect methanogens in the Nayak Lab. Outside of lab, you can either find me passionately-but-mediocrely doing outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, and surfing or passionately-and- expertly playing fetch with my dog, Soggy.

Maddie Williams (she/her)

Email: mcwilliamsATberkeleyDOTedu

Graduate Student
August 2023-present
Molecular & Cell Biology

B.S. Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology; minor in Microbiology. University of Washington; Seattle, WA.

Hi, I’m Annelise! I grew up in Evanston, IL. I completed my undergraduate studies at Rice University in Houston, TX, where I worked in Jonathan Silberg and Caroline Masiello’s labs on genome mining of microbial sensing proteins from the terrestrial deep subsurface. Through this project, I became fascinated with “weird” microbial metabolisms and their environmental impacts. After undergrad, I did an internship in Johannes Rebelein’s group at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg, Germany, where I developed a high-throughput anaerobic screen for directed evolution of nitrogenase for formate production. There I became interested in gaining biochemical and mechanistic understanding of central carbon metabolisms as well as metalloenzymes in general. The combination of my interests led to me to join the Nayak Lab, where I’m very excited to study methanogenesis regulation and the role of metals in the methanogenesis pathway and archaeal physiology. Outside of the lab, I’m usually playing with my cats, trying new recipes, reading fiction, practicing my French and German, or hiking local routes to attempt to become an outdoorsy person.

Annelise Goldman (she/her)

Email: annelise_goldmanATberkeleyDOTedu

Graduate Student
August 2023-present
Graduate Group in Microbiology

BS Biosciences magna cum laude, minor in French Studies, Rice University; Houston TX.

Hello! I’m Gavin, a PhD student in Cal’s department of Molecular and Cell Biology. I was born right here in Alameda County but I’ve lived all over the country – most recently in Portland, OR for my undergraduate studies at Reed College. Nowadays you can find me checking out local restaurant openings, begging my fern collection to stay alive, or failing to harness train my cats. My work in lab focuses on the molecular machinery that enable methanogenic archaea to conserve energy from some of Life’s least favorable metabolic reactions. I am also interested in how archaea affect to the landscape of metabolites in their environment, particularly with an eye towards how this drives the evolution of bacteria and eukaryotes.

Gavin Dury (they/he)

Email: gavinduryATberkeleyDOTedu

Graduate Student
August 2022-present
Molecular & Cell Biology

B.A. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Reed College; Portland, OR.

Hello, I’m Alienor! I grew up on the coastline of southern California, where I fell in love with science and the natural world. While I was an undergraduate, I studied biochemistry and molecular biology in the MCB department at UC Berkeley. During that time, I worked with Dr. Abby Dernburg studying the evolution of meiotic recombination mechanisms in nematodes. After undergrad, I worked as a technician in Dr. Gary Karpen’s lab, where I studied how liquid-liquid phase separation contributes to the organization of heterochromatin in the nucleus. For my graduate work, I wanted to combine my background in cell biology with my love for microbial physiology and evolution. I’m really excited to be a member of the Nayak Lab, where I will be studying the function of histones and other DNA binding proteins in the model archaeon Methanosarcina acetivorans. Outside of the lab, I can usually be found in the ocean, climbing things (mountains, rocks, trees…), or living my best medieval princess life (via making costumes). I’m also continually hunting for mushrooms and the best sour beers in the Bay Area.

Alienor Baskevitch (she/her)

Email: kbaskevitchATberkeley DOTedu

Graduate Student
August 2020-present
Graduate Group in Microbiology

B.A. Molecular and Cell Biology cum laude. University of California, Berkeley; Berkeley, CA.

Hi! I’m Katie. I grew in Los Angeles, CA where I developed a love for nature and all of the science that comes along with it. During my time as an undergrad I explored all kinds of research ranging from environmental science to plant pathology, eventually landing on microbiology. Over the past couple of years, I’ve become fascinated by how evolution and metabolism intersect, resulting in unique strategies that microbes use to adapt to and shape their environment. After graduating in 2019, I spent a year as a technician in the Nayak lab where I fell in love with metabolism and methanogens. I joined Berkeley’s PMB department in Fall 2020 and am super excited to be back here as a grad student! Outside of research I love being outdoors (especially backpacking & climbing!), crafting, and doing the crossword!

Katie Shalvarjian (she/they)

Email: kshalvATberkeleyDOTedu

Graduate Student
August 2020 – present
Graduate Group in Microbiology

B.S. Microbiology. University of California, Berkeley; Berkeley, CA

Hello! I’m Sophia, a PhD student in the MCB department here at Berkeley. I am originally from Jenkintown, PA. I did my undergrad at Temple University in north Philly where I worked in the Wengryniuk Lab developing novel oxidation reactions using nitrogen-ligated hypervalent iodine reagents. As I began grad school, my interests shifted away from the synthetic chemistry that we as scientists can do and towards understanding the incredible biochemistry that living organisms have been doing for billions of years. I am incredibly excited to be part of the Nayak Lab where I will be studying the process of methane production in methanogenic archaea. By utilizing an interdisciplinary approach of both genetic and biochemical tools, I will be examining the final enzyme of methanogenesis, Methyl-coenzyme M Reductase (MCR), as well as trying to understand the genes and proteins that interact with and regulate it. Besides being a scientist, I am also an artist and an avid lover of the arts in general. If I’m not in the lab, you will likely find me making handmade jewelry or exploring one of the many thrift and/or craft stores in Berkeley.

Sophia Adler (they/she)

Email: Sophia_adlerATberkeleyDOTedu

Graduate Student
August 2020 – present
Molecular & Cell Biology

B.S. Biochemistry summa cum laude. Temple University, Honors Program; Philadelphia, PA.

Hi, I’m Blake. Scientist. Choir kid. Hiker. Sour beer aficionado. Jedi (wannabe). A bit about me: I grew up on the gusty, sun-baked plains of Oklahoma, but exchanged that life for a taste of bitter cold, cheese curds, and a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology at the University of Minnesota. During my time in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, I conducted research in Dr. Jeff Gralnick’s lab where I fell in love with microbial metabolism. I came to Berkeley’s PMB Department hoping to study the genetic underpinnings of metabolic pathways, and I am absolutely thrilled to be a graduate student in the Nayak Lab where I get to make that dream come true. My project in the lab focuses on using genetic tools in M. acetivorans to explore pathways for substrate consumption and energy conservation during growth on acetate.

Blake Downing (he/him)

Email: blkdwnngATberkeley DOTedu

Graduate Student
August 2019-present
NIH Genetics Predoctoral Trainee
Graduate Group in Microbiology

B.S. Microbiology cum laude. University of Minnesota; Minneapolis, MN.