Team PHAGE Members
Sarah Frail is a junior Cell Biology and Genetics major with a minor in Planetary Science, is head of the team PHAGE website, and a member of the Salmonella lab team. She joined team PHAGE out of an interest in discovery and biomedical research, and wants to go to grad school to obtain a doctorate and pursue research as a career. Previously, she has held research positions in labs studying cancer treatments and antibody engineering at New Mexico Tech and Caltech. In particular, she is interested in chemistry and biology applied to extrasolar environments. Apart from research, she is an organic chemistry tutor, co-president of UMD Science Olympiad, and likes to play piano and go hiking.
Gina Liu is a junior Computer Science major. Although she has little background in biology, she joined Team PHAGE due to an interest in food-born illnesses. She is on the Salmonella lab team and helps write and revise supporting documents towards the team’s thesis. Outside of academics, Gina is social chair of Maryland Club Tennis, on the board of the Association of Women in Computing, as well as an organizer of the all-women’s hackathon Technica.
Grace Macatee is a junior Mechanical Engineering major with an International Engineering minor. She joined team PHAGE because she wanted to do research in a field outside of her major. She is on the Listeria subteam and helps out with lab work and writing and updating the team’s literature review and methodology. Outside of Team PHAGE, Grace is an active sister in the engineering sorority Alpha Omega Epsilon and enjoys going to the gym and cooking. She is also looking forward to studying abroad for the Spring 2017 semester in Madrid, Spain.
Tejas Mavanur is a junior Economics and Psychology double major intending to pursue a career in business. He is a member of the Listeria lab subteam and the team Ombudsperson, responsible for conflict resolution within the team. He drafted the original project idea, as well as gathered fellow coauthors to submit the proposal. The idea was born out of personal interest in developing a potentially marketable product. Outside of the team, Tejas is highly involved with club Ultimate Frisbee, especially with mentoring underclassmen, and also enjoys cooking and music.
Kerina Ochieng is a junior Cell Biology and Genetics major on the pre-med track. She is on the Listeria lab team, doing lab work and filling in on writing tasks if need be. She decided to join team PHAGE because it was a biology-based group that was geared towards creating a healthier environment for people, something she finds important in her pursuit of a career in healthcare. Outside of academia, she enjoys mentoring middle school girls on activities potentially gearing them towards STEM careers. In her free time, she enjoys dancing and has previously performed as a member of Dynamic Dance Team as well as Prima Dolls Dance Team.
Cara Purdy is a Junior Bioengineering major with an emphasis on Therapeutics. She joined Team Phage to develop a biological product that is environmentally sustainable and a benefit to public health. Cara is the financial manager of Team Phage, planning expenditures and scheduling scheduling conference attendance. She has several years of research experience with the US Army Research Labs genetically modifying bacteria, as well as neuro-pharmacokinetics. Aside from Gemstone, Cara is a TA for Introductory Microbiology through the Biological Sciences Department.
Thomas Tran is a junior Physiology and Neurobiology Major on a pre-dental track. He is the lead for the Salmonella lab team and the liaison for communications between the team and the Gemstone program. He is the cowriter of the original project, and has spent the last year working extensively in microbiological research both inside and outside of Gemstone. Outside of his undergraduate research, Thomas works as a teaching assistant for the Gemstone program and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. In his free time, he is an active member of the Maryland Club Tennis and volunteers with UMD Tzu-Ching.
Sarah Wain is a junior Chemical Engineering major and is the Library Liaison for Team PHAGE. She is a member of the Salmonella sub team and joined the team to learn about microbiology research and product development. On the team she helps in the lab and organized the team’s Launch UMD campaign. Outside of the team, she is an active member of the co-ed engineering fraternity Theta Tau and works as a Community Assistant for several residence halls. Sarah just returned from a Spring co-op located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After graduation, Sarah hopes to work in industry as a process engineer.