Lab Members

Neurosurgery Resident

Elena was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Despite being a loyal Packers fan, she attended Loyola University in Chicago for her undergraduate studies and obtained a degree in Molecular Biology. During this time she worked in a molecular genetics lab studying how repetitive sequences alter chromatin structure. She went on to get her Masters and then do a short stint as a research associate in an autoimmune lab and Lurie Children's Hospital. Elena always found cancer biology fascinating but it was during this time that she really began to appreciate the role of the immune system in disease pathology. Elena then returned to the motherland to pursue her medical degree at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She initially thought she would pursue a career in hematology/oncology and got involved in tumor immunology research. However, she unexpectedly fell in love with the field of neurosurgery during this time and chose to make this her specialty. She matched at the University of Utah for her neurosurgical residency but has not given up her interest in tumor immunology during her training. She is currently spending her research years as a member of the Roh-Johnson Lab studying CAR-Ms in Glioblastoma. She plans to subspecialize in pediatric neurosurgical oncology, a perfect marriage of her interests at the bench and passion at the bedside. Outside of work, you can find Elena in the mountains or at the dog park with her husband and dog. While the fried cheese curds aren't as great, she loves living out west and taking advantage of all the outdoor activities.

Lab Specialist

Mackenzie was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Arizona. Throughout college she studied actin remodeling and durotaxis in Ghassan Mouneimne’s lab. After graduating, she joined Paul Langlais’ lab where she studied insulin signaling and GLUT4 trafficking. Later on, she realized she had a true passion for studying cell migration, particularly in the context of cancer. This prompted her decision to come to the University of Utah where she joined the Roh-Johnson Lab. Outside of the lab she enjoys lapidary, gardening, hiking and hanging with her husband and dog Nacho.

Graduate Student

Julio was originally born in Mexico but moved to Salt Lake City at the age of five. After growing up in SLC, he moved to Cambridge, MA to attend Harvard College for his undergrad. While there, a rough go at organic chemistry (the absolute worst subject) paired with a budding interest in genetics steered Julio towards the world of research and he studied mechanisms of RNA interference under Craig Hunter. During his senior year of undergrad, Julio realized he desperately missed being surrounded by mountains and decided to move back to the SLC after graduation to teach for Marcus Pezzolesi in the department of Human Genetics at the University of Utah. After a couple of years of working as a lab tech, he decided to stay with the mountains and join the U’s Biosciences Program, ultimately joining the Roh-Johnson lab at the end of his first year to bring together his interests in evolutionary and cell biology. Outside of the lab, Julio can be found spending time outdoors, listening to music and podcasts, watching and/or playing a variety of sports, and visiting every coffee shop he can find in search of incredible coffee. If you have suggestions for dope coffee spots for Julio to try out, feel free to drop by, say hi, and chat!

Graduate Student

Like Minna, Daniel is also a native of Vancouver BC and maintains several Canadian idiosyncrasies including the ability to say eh. Since leaving Vancouver, Daniel has lived in Alaska, Seattle, Boise and finally SLC. He could live in all these places not because he lived in a van, but because he ran an online business for several years that gave him the flexibility to move. He returned to school in 2014 with the intention of becoming a lawyer but accidentally enrolled in a biology course, where he found a passion for science. This caused Daniel to change his career trajectory and he earned his Bachelor of Science at Boise State University. At BSU, Daniel studied the role of inflammatory cytokines on breast cancer with Cheryl Joryck. Daniel moved to Salt Lake with his wife and daughter in 2019 and decided to join Minna’s lab where he could continue studying the role the immune system plays in tumor development. When he’s not in the lab, Daniel likes to be outdoors. He can often be found hiking and backpacking with his dog Choe, an overly energetic German shorthaired pointer who Daniel has had to rescue from several near-death experiences thanks to her love of water. He also loves sports including hockey, soccer, football and climbing where he can play or watch others while enjoying a cold beer. If you have any of these interests, come by and say hi. Daniel is generally pretty friendly as long as he’s had his morning cup of coffee.

Graduate Student

Kara is originally from Atlanta, Georgia, but moved to the Blue Ridge mountains during high school. She attended Oglethorpe University, where she joined Lea Alford’s lab to study motile cilia using the algae Chlamydomonas. She then moved to Washington University in St Louis to work in Carmen Halabi’s lab. There, she studied how the extracellular matrix is involved in cardiovascular development. Knowing how much she loved the extracellular matrix, she joined the Roh-Johnson Lab as a grad student in 2023. When she’s not in the lab, you can usually find her in the mountains trail running with her GSP pup, Indy.

Graduate Student

Sophia grew up in Honolulu before leaving her tropical dream to attend college in Oregon, which did not have as welcoming of an ocean, but definitely had great mountains. At Reed College, Sophia’s love for cell biology (not before a fling with ecology) and IPAs, developed. After undergrad, Sophia’s thesis advisor thought his friend Minna and Sophia would get along great (spoiler: they did). Sophia ended up moving to SLC, where she was at first skeptical, and now claims winter as her favorite season. When she’s not in lab, check up on the mountains!

Graduate Student

Trinity is a Hawaii/Texas hybrid, having been born in Kahuku, raised near Houston, and returned to Laie to study at BYU-Hawaii (with a sprinkling of Alaska in between). While in Hawaii, he developed a love for adventure, surfing, lunch plates, and, most pertinently, research. Trinity had unique opportunities, such as catching and tracking pacific golden plovers in Moorea and studying the microbiology of Tahitian cultural gastronomy and presenting to French Polynesian government officials on that research. He then moved to Provo with his wife Shannon to study TRP channels in the developing chick embryo with Dr. Marc Hansen. It was fabulous, but he'll never look at an omelet the same way! Before he finished his Masters, his son Kodiak (like the bear) was born! Trinity was excited to attend the U of U and hoped to join the Roh-Johnson lab. Since the lab has found his offering acceptable and admitted him to the tribe, he is investigating interactions between macrophages and the education they might receive and/or share. Now that they have moved to Salt Lake City, they enjoy the weather, watching/playing soccer, the restaurants, and day trips like the zoo with Kodiak! So if you're into any of those things, come by and chat (unless we're still socially distancing)!

IM-PREP Trainee

Taylor was born and raised in Southern Virginia and grew up playing basketball year-round ever since she was 8 years old. After getting a full ride to Queens University of Charlotte to play basketball at the division II level, she received her bachelors of science in chemistry. Although Taylor is a native east coaster, it was never her vibe. Her mother was born and raised in the PNW as a Nez Perce/ Oglala Lakota Sioux woman and has influenced Taylor to experience and appreciate the western side of the US. Taylor loves to visit her family in the PNW and laugh, tell stories, go boating, and spend quality time with her extended family. She moved to Salt Lake City in June of 2022, after being a part of the NARI program in the summer of 2021 that made her realize how much she enjoys research and Utah (very surprising to her family and friends). Taylor is the black sheep of both sides of her family being vegetarian, a scientist, and recently getting into mountain biking / rock climbing (always getting injured but enthusiastic for the next time). She is currently working on finding the right and fulfilling professional career, so she is working towards taking the MCAT and applying to MD/PhD programs in 2024.

Graduate Student

Noah is from Columbus, OH, where he attended THE Ohio State University. While studying Neuroscience and Pharmaceutical Sciences, he conducted research on dopamine dysfunction in the mesolimbic system following traumatic brain injury under Dr. Cole Vonder Haar. Despite his continued interest in the brain, Noah decided to pursue his passion for intercellular communication and cell behavior in the context of cancer, which brought him to the Roh-Johnson Lab. Outside the lab, Noah enjoys skiing, rock climbing, playing the guitar, and being overly optimistic about the Cleveland Browns!