Our Team

We've filled all our positions at the moment.

Stay tuned for new openings next year!

Our research sits at the interface of cell, molecular and developmental biology of the placenta. We use cell lines, animal models, and microscopes all the time! There are a number of possible projects to choose from but your ideas for related projects are welcome and encouraged!

We have filled all the positions in the lab. However, informal inquiries and expressions of interest in working with us are always welcome, especially if come with their own training funding. Please, stay in touch and write an email to us or Dr. Guardia.

The Team

Carlos (Charly) Guardia

Principal Investigator

Argentinean doing my science in the US. I'm a chemist who fell in love with biology. During my training, I went from the computer to the test tube, and from the cell to a whole organism. Can't live without my husband, our cat Linda Jean, all types of cheese, and Wheel of Fortune while having dinner. In my spare time, I play field hockey and some Sonatas of Beethoven on the piano.

Asmita Singh

Postdoctoral Fellow

I did my Ph.D. training in the Department of Cell Biology of infectious diseases at CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India. I am a research enthusiast and always curious to learn new things. In my spare time, I enjoy going on walks, playing table tennis, and doing video calls with my family.

Ruchir Bobde

Postdoctoral Fellow

Looking at the world’s smallest possible details was one of the most fascinating things I have ever come across, and that’s what I always try to do in research!!! I did my Ph.D. in structural biology from the Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, India. Research is my passion and my current interest is to look for some cool proteins in reproductive biology. I have a beautiful wife and I love her a lot. In my free time, I enjoy watching movies, playing cricket, and spending time with my family and friends.

Carolina Marvaldi

Postdoctoral Fellow

I am an Argentinian biotechnologist. Since I was a little girl, I was interested in biology and life sciences. I did my PhD in reproductive biology, studying mechanisms involved in the triggering of preterm birth at the University of Buenos Aires. I am a curious person, and I always want to learn new things and share my experience with younger students. During my free time, I enjoy swimming, reading, and spending time with my family and friends.

Tessa Christner

Postbac Fellow

I graduated with a B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Appalachian State University here in NC, where my amazing mentors helped me realize that research is the perfect combination of my passions for science/medicine and discovery. I am always curious and eager to understand how things work, so learning is one of my favorite things to do. My other favorite things are music, traveling, ice cream, and spending time with friends and family.

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Linda Jean

Lab Mascot

Linda Jean is the best cat in the world. Originally from NC, but adopted in Washington, DC. Loves to snuggle, but at her own time (duh!). She doesn't have any teeth, but that doesn't stop her from loving her dry food.

Elizabeth (Lisa) Padilla-Banks

Lab Manager

I grew up in Puerto Rico where my family is originally from. I have a stepson and two daughters with my husband, a 15-year-old cat, and a small dog. When I’m not working, I enjoy looking for opportunities to be outdoors where I do amateur photography, motorcycle riding, gardening, relaxing on the beach, or paddle boarding on the lake.

Nadia Whalen

Summer Intern

I am studying biology at Carleton College with minors in Biochemistry and Neuroscience. I’ve always asked how and why questions but often found dead ends when I realized they hadn’t been answered. When I discovered I could make a career out of being the one finding those answers, I knew research was for me. In my free time I like to play with my cat, Jiffy Pop, watch sitcoms and Marvel movies, listen to music, and spend time with my friends and family!

Anton Novikov

Postbac Fellow

I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Growing up in San Jose, CA, I quickly found a passion in the natural sciences from a young age while visiting the many amazing aquariums and natural science museums in the Bay Area. Through my many years of scientific learning, I’ve been influenced by many amazing teachers and mentors, and have a strong resulting passion in structural biology and protein science. My main hobbies are going for walks, reading, and playing video games.

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Keyshla Negron Rios

NIH OxCam Pre-doctoral Fellow

I was born and raised in Puerto Rico. Currently, I am in the NIH Oxford-Cambridge PhD program. Alongside Dr. Guardia, I will be co-mentored by Profs. Laura Dearden and Susan Ozanne at Cambridge researching the placenta-brain axis in maternal obesity. Outside of lab I love running, and I will most likely mention something running related in every conversation I have (whoops!). Besides running I like going to the gym, thrifting and reading. I am also attempting to learn how to sew.

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Hannah French

Postbac Fellow

I am Irish American who grew up primarily in Hong Kong. When I was in high school, I learned about research in women’s health and developed curiosity for the field. I am particularly passionate for better understanding the underlying causes of adverse pregnancy outcomes. This motivated to me pursue a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry minor from Gonzaga University, in Spokane, Washington. When I am not in the lab, I love to travel, thrift, draw, watch anime, or go to the gym.