Team - The Herbst-Kralovetz Lab

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Melissa Herbst-Kralovetz, Ph.D.

Dr. Melissa Herbst-Kralovetz is a tenured Professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine–Phoenix, with appointments in Basic Medical Sciences and Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a leader within the University of Arizona Cancer Center (UACC). She serves as Director of the Translational Women’s Health Research Program and the Women’s Health Microbiome Initiative. A first-generation college graduate, she was raised in rural Arizona—an experience that continues to shape her commitment to addressing health disparities and improving access to care.

Her research program spans gynecologic cancers—including cervical and endometrial cancer—as well as broader obstetric and gynecologic conditions such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, and bacterial vaginosis (BV). She is internationally recognized for her work on the cervicovaginal microenvironment and microbiome, investigating how host–microbe interactions shape inflammation, disease risk, cancer development, and health disparities. Her lab integrates clinical biospecimens, advanced 3D human model systems, and cutting-edge multi-omics approaches to drive discovery and develop innovative, non-invasive diagnostics and therapeutic strategies.

Dr. Herbst-Kralovetz is the Contact MPI for the NCI-funded U54 Partnership for Native American Cancer Prevention, where she leads efforts to address cancer disparities in Indigenous populations. Her work is supported by the NIH and multiple foundations.

A recognized leader in women’s health research and innovation, she has received numerous honors, including the Phoenix Business Journal’s “40 Under 40,” the American Society of Reproductive Immunology’s J. Christian Herr Award, and the 2025 AZBio Bioscience Researcher of the Year.

Beyond the lab, Dr. Herbst-Kralovetz is a passionate advocate and science communicator. She is actively engaged in media, podcasts, and public-facing platforms, translating complex science into accessible insights to raise awareness of women’s health issues and accelerate impact. She is also deeply involved in translational and entrepreneurial efforts, advancing new technologies to improve diagnosis, prevention, and care for women across the lifespan.

Research Scientist

Paweł Łaniewski, Ph.D.

Dr. Paweł Łaniewski is a Research Scientist in the Herbst-Kralovetz Laboratory. He earned his Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Warsaw and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Arizona State University before joining the team in 2015. Trained as a bacteriologist, he has extensive experience in molecular biology, mucosal immunology, and “omics” technologies. His research focuses on in vitro modeling of complex host-microbe interactions to study pathophysiological mechanisms in gynecologic cancer and women’s health. He also has extensive expertise in translational clinical research regarding cervical and endometrial cancer, with specific interest in how microbiota-host interactions impact female reproductive health and disease.

Postdoctoral Researchers

Nicole Jimenez, Ph.D.

Nicole Jimenez is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Herbst-Kralovetz lab. She graduated from Arizona State University with a B.S. in Microbiology. In 2015, she moved to Richmond for Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program. In 2021, she defended her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology at VCU’s School of Medicine. Her graduate work was with VCU’s Vaginal Microbiome Consortium and centered on vaginal microbiome in pregnancy, preterm birth, obesity, trichomoniasis, and bacterial niche adaptation. She joined the Herbst-Kralovetz lab in the Summer of 2021 and utilizes her passion for advocacy work and science to assist with host-microbe interactions, microbiome, multi-omic integration, microbial cultivation, and genomic research. All in the context of gynecologic cancers and understudied gynecological conditions with a focus on health disparities within the Latinx and Native American communities.

Clinical Research Coordinator III

Erika Flores, B.S.

Erika Flores graduated from Arizona State University with B.S. degrees in Health Sciences (Pre-Professional), Biological Sciences (Genetics, Cells, and Developmental Biology), and Psychology. She has two years of research experience from the Psychology Department at Arizona State University and become involved in clinical research in 2019, working on Maternal Fetal Medicine and Vaccine Development studies. Erika joined the University of Arizona as Clinical Research Coordinator II for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in June of 2021. Her research interests include health disparities and social determinants of health—especially amongst those who are underprivileged and underrepresented. Erika hopes to use her Spanish-speaking skill to help drive the goal of diversifying clinical research among women. She hopes to attend medical school soon.

OB/GYN Residents

Megan Kline, MD

Graduate students

Treena Teh, B.S.

Treena Teh is a seventh-year M.D./Ph.D. (Molecular Medicine) candidate at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine. She earned her B.S. in Biology from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 2018 and completed her medical internship at the Philippine General Hospital in 2024. She joined the lab this year to investigate the impact of Lactobacillus iners and its microbial interactions on the cervical epithelium for her dissertation under the Research Enrichment Program of the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Health Research and Development. She is interested in immunobiology and women's health research, and plans to pursue residency training in emergency medicine or a postdoctoral fellowship after graduation.

Medical students

Nina Gautam, B.S.

Nina Gautam is a first-year medical student at the University of Arizona, College of Medicine-Phoenix. She earned her B.S. in Human Biology and Society with minors in Global Studies and Environmental Systems and Society from UCLA in 2021. She worked as an undergrad research assistant studying relationships between inflammatory responses and gut microbiome composition, and coordinated a clinical research project on IBD for a startup company. Following graduation, she worked in an internal integrative medicine clinic in Los Angeles. In the Herbst-Kralovetz lab, Nina is interested in investigating hallmarks for specific disease states, in the hopes of being able to clinically apply the findings through preventative screenings in the future.

Post-Baccalaureate students

Vianney Mancilla, B.S.

Vianney Mancilla graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Global Health and a minor in Biological Sciences. Vianney volunteers with the University of Arizona’s Mobile Health Unit to treat and serve under-resourced communities, and Street Medicine Phoenix to provide healthcare and other services to Phoenix’s homeless population. Her ultimate goal is to earn her MD-MPH and become a primary care physician to prevent and treat disease in underserved communities in Arizona. She joined the lab in 2022 and is passionate about women’s health and its intersection with minority populations.

Asiya Falak, B.S.

Asiya Falak graduated from Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University with bachelor’s degrees in computer science and biological sciences. She has a background in population genetics and genomics research. Asiya volunteers as a phlebotomist at a local non-profit clinic serving underrepresented Latinx and LGBTQ+ communities. She also works as a nursing assistant at a hospital in Phoenix. She hopes to be accepted into an MD/PhD program in the future.

LaToya Johnson, B.S.

LaToya Johnson graduated from New Mexico State University with a B.S. in Kinesiology and minor in Chemistry. She has worked in the healthcare field for 9 years as a certified clinical medical assistant in various specialty clinics. Her goal is to earn a MD-MPH and become an OB/GYN physician. LaToya is an ambassador for her tribal community and is passionate about Women's Health; with a focus of promoting HPV awareness to underserved communities. Her interest into research is understanding vaginal microbiome research in relations to gynecologic diseases and health disparities among the Native American women population. She joined the Herbst-Kralovetz lab in 2023 and hopes to matriculate into medical school soon.

Undergraduate Students

Rachel Opferman

Rachel Opferman is a recent Summer Flinn Intern (2025) in the lab and a recent graduate of Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University, where she earned a degree in Biomedical Engineering in Spring 2025. Her current project focuses on identifying potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of endometriosis, a painful condition characterized by the growth of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus. Rachel plans to attend medical school and pursue a career in obstetrics and gynecology.

Anmary Thomas

Anmary Thomas is a 2026 summer Flinn Intern and also a current undergraduate student at Arizona State University, majoring in Biomedical Sciences. She is also a part of Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University, where she is completing her thesis in biology education research. Her current project in the lab focuses on endometrial diagnosis and how specific bacteria interact with endometrial cancer. She plans on pursuing a career as a physician and attending medical school after graduating in fall 2026.

Logan Welsh

Logan Welsh is an undergraduate intern majoring in biology and minoring in gender, women, and sexuality studies on the pre-med track at the University of Washington. Logan’s current project includes determining the effectiveness of using biomarkers as a diagnostic for adenomyosis, a painful benign gynecological condition that affects many women. She joined the lab in Summer of 2024 and plans to attend medical school in the future.

Claire

Claire Njuguna is an undergraduate intern and former Flinn Intern in the lab. She is majoring in Biomedical Engineering on the pre-med track at Arizona State University. Claire is currently focusing on projects related to Ezakiella, as well as investigating the varying levels of phthalates in women and the impact they have on vaginal microbiome. After graduating in 2027, she plans to attend medical school.

Charley Holmes

Charley Holmes is a current student at the University of Bath, studying a BSc in biomedical sciences. She is currently undertaking a year-long placement in the Herbst-Kralovetz laboratory. Charley is currently focusing on projects related to endometrial cancer diagnostics, as well as investigating the impact of different bacteria in gynecologic health using an in-vitro model of epithelial cells. After graduating in 2027, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Bioinformatics.

Gwenllian Anwyl

Gwenllian Anwyl is a Biomedical Sciences undergraduate at the University of Bath. She is completing a year-long professional placement at the Herbst-Kralovetz Laboratory, where she is gaining research experience aligned with her interests. Her current projects explore non-invasive diagnostic methods of endometriosis. After completing her BSc in 2027, she intends to pursue a PhD.

High School Students

Manassa Suresh

Manassa Suresh is our current high school intern from the University of Arizona KEYS program from BASIS Scottsdale. She is currently focusing on projects related to Ezakiella and drafting genome assemblies and annotating a microbial isolate. Aftr graduating in 2027, she plans on majoring in Human Biology and joining the pre-med track.

Lab Alumni

Visiting Scientist
Masahiro Ito, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor at Kitasato University (Japan)

Post-doctoral Researchers
Jason Maarsingh, Ph.D - Castle Biosciences Inc.
Zehra Esra Ilhan, Ph.D. - INRA French National Institute for Agricultural Research (France)
Andrea Throop, Ph.D. - Technical Director at LabCorp

Clinical Research Coordinators
Elisa Martinez, MBA, CCRC - HonorHealth
Alice Treuth, B.A. - Medical student at Emory University
Regina Montero, MSN, RN, CNOR - Retired

OB/GYN Residents
Alicia Muhleisen, MD
Rebecca Ludwig, MD
Gabriella Smith, MD
Lelan McCann, MD
Addison Alley, MD
Taylor Norton, MD

Medical Students
Victoria Yarbrough, MD
Alison Goulder, MD
Rachel Mendoza, MPH, MD
Jacob Shaner, MD

Graduate Students
Emerald Bell, Ph.D.
Jameson Gardner, Ph.D. - Graduate student at Brigham Young University Law School
Anna Tuzimek, M.S.
Wioletta Piotrowska, M.S.
Sylvie Doerflinger, M.S., Ph.D.

Technicians
Darwin Tsinajinnie, B.S.
Sean Winkle, B.S.

University of Bath Placement/Exchange Program
Natasha Aitchison (2024-2025)
Anita Garwolinska (2024-2025)
Holly Chatenoud (2023-2024)
Hannah Harris ( 2023-2024)
Phoebe Crossley (2022-2023) - Ph.D. student at University of Glasgow (UK)
Georgia Lorentzen (2021-2022) - Ph.D. student at Imperial College (UK)
Ross McKenzie (2020-2021)
Mary Salliss (2019-2020) - Ph.D. student at Newcastle University (UK)
Kimberley Owen (2018-2019) - MRes student at Imperial College London (UK)
Ellen Wilkinson (2017-2018)
James Baker (2016-2017) - Postdoc Fellow at University of Manchester (UK)

Undergraduates
Claire Njokie Njugna (2024), Diadala, B.S. (2023-2024), Hajer Rahee, B.S. (2022-2023), Eiven Mugo, B.S. (2023), Michelle Aminov, B.S. (2022-2023), Michael Khnanisho, B.S. (2019-2022), Camryn Garza, B.S. (2019-2021), Sylvia Karjala, B.S. (2019-2020), Tess Alexander, B.S. (2017-2019), Natalie Thomas, B.S. (2018-2019), Sara Stowers, B.S. (2016-2018), Dani Krasinski, B.S. (2016-2018), Ryan Smith, B.S. (2015-2017), Greg Frasco, B.S. (2016-2017), Natalie Van Ert, B.S. (2016-2017), Adriana Gomez, B.S. (2015-2016), Geoff Hire, B.S. (2015-2016)

High School Summer Interns
Elena D'Avanzo (2019), Cynthia Ianova (2018), Anamika Basu (2017), Jasmin Menjivar (2016)