THE LI LABORATORY
Department of Biology
Center for Biological Clocks Research
Texas A&M University
Meet Our Members
Brissa Castillo
Graduate student
B.S. Texas A&M University
Brissa earned her Bachelor's of Science in Biomedical Science in 2022 and has since been working as the lab manager and research assistant in the Li Lab. In Fall 2024, she will begin her journey as a Ph.D. student. Brissa is eager to delve deeper into her research, focusing on the perception of social isolation, the behavioral impacts and mechanisms of circadian disruption, and their roles in genetic diseases and cancer progression. Beyond her research pursuits, Brissa enjoys going for runs, tasting new dishes and traveling to new places.
Kelsey Mainard
Graduate student
B.S. Texas A&M University
Originally from California, Kelsey received her B.S. in Biology from Texas A&M University in 2023 and will begin her Ph.D. in Biology in Dr. Li's Lab in 2024. In her undergraduate years, she assisted Dr. Garcia’s C. elegans lab for two years, personally examining if stress behavior may be spreadable. Over time, she has developed a particular interest in epigenetics, neuroscience, and bioinformatics. In her spare time, Kelsey enjoys drawing, ice skating, being outdoors, and listening to music!
Esther Doria
Graduate student
B.S. Texas A&M University
Esther joined the Li Lab in 2022 during her undergraduate program as a student research assistant. In 2024, she received her bachelor's degree in International Studies and started graduate school in Biology, continuing her research in the Li Lab. Her interests lie in social trauma, transgenerational behavior change, and cognitive adaptation to unpredictability. In her off-time, Esther enjoys doing puzzles of all kinds, crocheting, playing board games, and being in nature.
Doris Migliaccio
Graduate Student
B.S. Clemson University
Doris grew up in New Jersey before moving to South Carolina in high school and attending Clemson University. She earned her B.S. in Genetics and B.S. in Psychology from Clemson University in 2024. Her undergraduate research experiences focused on modeling and treating Parkinson's disease in zebrafish, as well as coral propagation using human regenerative medicine techniques. Her interests lie in behavioral and social impacts on genetic factors. In the future, Doris hopes to teach genetics as a professor. Outside of the lab, she loves reading, baking, and spending time with friends!
Sydney Christensen
Graduate Student
B.S. Texas A&M University
Sydney grew up on a small farm in Nebraska and moved to Texas in 2020 to earn her Bachelor's degree in Genetics and Microbiology from Texas A&M University. Her undergraduate research was focused on developmental biology in Dr. Bruce Riley's lab, but her true passion lies in cancer research, which she is excited to pursue in Dr. Li's lab. In her free time, she loves to cook, bake, and sing in her church choir.
Fiona Gugala
Research Program Associate I
B.S. Texas A&M University
Fiona received her B.S. in Neuroscience major in 2024, and she is following the pre-med track! She was born and raised in Houston around the medical center, so medicine has been around her for her entire life. Fiona hopes to become a neurologist, and learn more about the brain and circadian rhythm by joining the Li lab. When she is not in the lab, Fiona loves to stay at home and watch some of her favorite shows or critically-acclaimed movies like Game of Thrones and Parasite. She also loves to explore new locations to see all the different cafes and restaurants they have!
Yangyuan Li
Research Engineer
Research Program Associate I
M.S. Texas A&M University
B.Eng. Southern University of Science and Technology, China
Yangyuan graduated from the Mechanical Engineering Department of the Southern University of Science and Technology in China. He received his master's degree in Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University in August 2024.
Travis Nguyen
Student Research Assistant
Travis is a junior biology major at Texas A&M and will graduate in May 2026. Originally from Houston, TX, he wants to pursue a career in medicine and become a pediatrician. He joined the Li Lab to learn more about the similarities between Drosophila melanogaster and humans, especially how certain factors influence circadian rhythms. Outside of research, Travis enjoys interacting with the fashion community, eating various foods from around the world, playing basketball, and meeting new people.
Jingjing Yan, Ph.D.
Assistant Research Scientist
Ph.D. Ocean University of China, China
B.S. Qingdao Agricultural University, China
​Jingjing received her Ph.D. in ocean biology from the Ocean University of China, where her research focused on genetics studies in aquaculture. She came to the United States with her husband in 2013. She joined the lab in 2023 and is interested in using molecular techniques to reveal the relationship between chronic stress and chronic diseases. Jingjing spends her spare time with her family to discover exciting places and interesting things to do.
Min Feng, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Postdoc Texas A&M University
Ph.D. Zhejiang University, China
B.S. Shandong Agricultural University, China
Min earned her Ph.D. in baculovirus molecular biology from Zhejiang University in China, focusing on viral gene function and virus-host interaction. During her previous postdoctoral training in a synthetic biology lab, she studied the impact of bacterial genetics on animal development. Min has a deep interest in understanding how animal behavior impacts pathological progression. By joining Dr. Li’s lab in 2024, she will explore the mechanism of how social behavior and circadian rhythms affect tumor progression using genetic tools in Drosophila. Outside of research, Min enjoys crafting with fabrics and yarns, baking, and spending time with her family.
Fei Zhang, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Ph.D. Michigan State University
M.S. Michigan State University
M.S. Dalian Medical University, China
B.S. Dalian Medical University, China
Fei joined the Li Lab in 2024 as a postdoctoral researcher. He holds a Ph.D. in Animal Science and an M.S. in Statistics from Michigan State University. Prior to his doctoral studies, Fei worked as a Bioinformatics Engineer at Novogene. He is passionate about exploring how genetic and environmental factors interact to regulate gene expression across molecular and cellular processes through large-scale omics data analysis. In the Li Lab, Fei leverages advanced computational techniques to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying rhythmic behavior in Drosophila. Beyond research, Fei enjoys gaming, exploring new cuisines, and outdoor activities.
Xin Chen, Ph.D.
Scientific Administrator
Research Associate
Ph.D. University of Oxford, UK
B.A. Peking University, China
Xin received her Ph.D. in Art History from the University of Oxford. She has worked with leading research institutions and museums in the USA, UK, and China as a researcher, editor, instructor, and curator for over fifteen years. She is interested in using her expertise in arts and humanities to help scientific works.
Our Alumni
Socrates Shawn, former Student Research Technician, received his B.S. degree in Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University in May 2024.
Sreeram Pasupuleti, former Student Research Assistant, received his B.S. degree in Biology at Texas A&M University in May 2024.
Dr. Fumihiro Ito, Postdoctoral Research Associate 2023-2024, is now a Bioinformatician at the Bioengineering Lab Co., Ltd.
Hunter Lindsey, former Student Research Assistant, received his B.S. degree in Biology at Texas A&M University in May 2025.
Daniel Nguyen, former Student Research Assistant, received his B.S. degree in Molecular & Cellular Biology at Texas A&M University in May 2025.​
Jennifer Dong, former Research Assistant, retired after many years of services in various biological laboratories at Texas A&M University in June 2025.
Robin Erickson, former Student Research Assistant, is now a medical student at UT Health San Antonio.