Officers & Advisors

Kevin Kim
President
LinkedIn

Kevin earned his BS degree in Biology from Pennsylvania State University in 2021. After receiving his degree, he joined Dr. Lin Guo's lab at Thomas Jefferson University as a Research Technician, where he focused on elucidating the pathogenic role of dipeptide repeats in promoting the aggregation of RNA binding proteins in ALS. He has continued his research in the Guo Lab as a current fourth-year PhD student, where he is studying the impact of nucleocytoplasmic transport dysfunction in C9-ALS. As president of BizBio, he is excited to help students explore various career paths within the scientific field.

What is your favorite hobby, and why?
My favorite hobby is to play a round of golf because it is a great way to spend time with friends and family.

Danielle Almstead
Vice President
LinkedIn

Danielle earned her bachelor's degree in Biology from Princeton University in 2020. She then worked at the University of Pennsylvania Frontotemporal Degeneration Center as a Clinical Research Coordinator, where she ran industry-sponsored clinical trials. She is currently in her third year as a PhD candidate in the Neuroscience program. Her thesis work in the lab of Dr. Diane Merry is focused on investigating the patterns of somatic instability in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy. Danielle is also a member of Jefferson's all-female a cappella group, the Arrhythmias, and is looking forward to connecting with a greater number of JCLS students and alumni through BizBio.

What are your favorite hobbies?
My favorite hobbies include skiing, traveling, playing and listening to music, and exploring new restaurants!

Rileigh Owens
Chair of Communications

Rileigh earned her BS in Biology from Ursinus College in 2024 and is now in her third year as a PhD student in the Biochemistry, Structural, and Molecular Biology program at Thomas Jefferson University. Rileigh's research in the lab of Dr. Diane Merry focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms that influence polyglutamine expanded androgen receptor aggregation, transcriptional dysfunction, and toxicity in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). Rileigh is excited for her second year on the BizBio executive board and is looking forward to helping students explore potential career paths.

What is your favorite hobby, and why?
My favorite hobby is yoga because it is a great way to flow and relax, or to wake up and energize yourself for the day!

Miguel Prysakar
Chair of Programming
LinkedIn

Miguel earned his bachelor's degree in Medical Diagnostics from the University of Delaware in 2024. He then spent a year working as an associate scientist at Eurofins testing pharmaceutical raw materials. He is now a second-year PhD student in the Biochemistry, Structural, and Molecular Biology program. His work in Dr. Dmitry Temiakov's lab focuses on structural and functional insights into mitochondrial DNA replication. As Chair of Programming, he looks forward to organizing events that support students throughout the career development process.

What is your favorite hobby, and why?
My favorite hobby is figure skating because it combines both athleticism and creative expression.

Mustafa Shakir
Chair of Network Development
LinkedIn

Mustafa earned his bachelor's degree in Biochemistry with a minor in Mathematics from the University of the Sciences (now Saint Joseph's University) in 2024. There, he characterized structural interactions of RNA triple helices found in long non-coding RNAs in the laboratory of Dr. Nathan Baird. Currently, Mustafa is a third-year PhD student in the Biochemistry, Structural, and Molecular Biology program. His research in Dr. Zheng Ruan's lab focuses on characterizing the molecular mechanisms of MuSK signaling and its implications in neuromuscular junction formation. As Chair of Network Development, Mustafa is excited to collaborate with students and industry professionals to organize career-building events that highlight diverse career paths in life sciences, and provide practical guidance on how to pursue them.

If time travel was a possibility, what era would you visit and why?
If I could time travel anywhere, I would choose to travel far into the future to see how the world has changed and evolved. I think it would be fascinating to observe which parts of life remain familiar and which aspects have transformed completely after 1,000 years; there are likely many lessons to gain from that.

Jillian Shelly
Secretary
LinkedIn

Jillian earned her bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from the University of Delaware in 2025. Her undergraduate research focused on the development of Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTAC) to target ubiquitin-interacting proteins. Jillian is a second-year PhD student in the Biochemistry, Structural, and Molecular Biology program researching in Dr. Lin Guo's lab.

What is your favorite hobby, and why?
My favorite hobby is dance; it has always served as a creative outlet for me outside of the sciences!

Zhangerjiao (Jeff) Yuan
Treasurer
LinkedIn

Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering and Mathematics from Drexel University in 2023. During his undergraduate studies, he worked as a research assistant in Dr. Erik Debler's laboratory at Thomas Jefferson University, where he investigated how histone methyltransferases cooperate to promote ubiquitin-independent trimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 76 in kinetoplastids. Currently, Jeff is a fourth-year PhD candidate in the Biochemistry, Structural, and Molecular Biology program, researching in Dr. Fadia Ibrahim's lab. His thesis research focuses on how cellular stress influences translation-coupled mRNA degradation.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
In my free time, I enjoy exploring new restaurants and cafes in Philly.

Jacquelyn (Jackie) DePierro
President Emeritus
LinkedIn

Jackie earned her bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from Rowan University in 2021. Afterward, she worked as a research technician at Thomas Jefferson University in the lab of Dr. Charles Scott. Her research focused on identifying small molecule drugs with therapeutic potential for obstructive airway disease and heart failure. Currently, Jackie is a fifth-year PhD student in the Biochemistry, Structural, and Molecular Biology program, researching in Dr. Lin Guo's lab. Her research focuses on modulating the aberrant phase separation of the ALS-linked protein FUS. As President Emeritus, Jackie is excited to continue supporting the BizBio Executive Board and encourage Jefferson students to explore diverse career paths in the life science field.

What are your favorite hobbies?
My favorite hobbies include skiing, paddleboarding, and hiking!

Lisa Kozlowski, PhD

Dr. Kozlowski is the Associate Dean for Student and Postdoctoral Affairs at Thomas Jefferson University.  She received her PhD in Immunology from the University of Pennsylvania and did a postdoctorate at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, where she was an officer in their postdoctoral association.  She then worked as Program Director at Science's Next Wave, which is now part of ScienceCareers.org.  She moved on to become a consultant, helping disciplinary societies and universities provide career workshops to their trainees.

Since October 2003, she has directed the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at Thomas Jefferson University.  Her administrative accomplishments include implementing a required minimum salary and revising the annual performance evaluation.  Her enhancements for postdoctoral fellows include providing professional development workshops, establishing English as a Second Language (ESL) classes and co-organizing the annual Postdoctoral Research Symposium.

On the regional level, Lisa is a past president of the Philadelphia chapter of the Association for Women in Science.  On the national level, she has been on the planning committee of the NPA annual meeting.  She is also a past chair of the Postdoctorate Leaders Section Committee of the AAMC GREAT Group.