THE CVETANOVIC LAB!
Dr. Marija Cvetanovic, Principal Investigator
Dr. Marija Cvetanovic received her BSc in Molecular Biology and Physiology from the University of Belgrade in 1998. She completed her PhD at the Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Virology at the University of Illinois in Chicago in 2004, studying recognition of apoptotic cells by macrophages. As a postdoctoral fellow she worked in the laboratory of Dr. Puneet Opal, exploring the molecular pathology of Purkinje neurons in the Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type1 (SCA1).
In 2012, Marija joined the Department of Neuroscience and Institute for Translational Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota as the Assistant professor. In her time away from the lab Marija enjoys to walk with her dog, June, read, rock climb, cook, watch movies, and study yoga.
Dr. Gourango Talukdar, Research Professional 5 - Preclinical Researcher
Dr. Gourango Talukdar is a researcher who joined Dr. Marija Cvetanovic’s laboratory in August 2024. His research focuses on understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration, with particular emphasis on glial cell biology, protein homeostasis, and disease-associated pathways. He is also interested in research on myelin disorders.
He completed his Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. He also completed his PhD in Molecular Neuroscience from the University of Toyama, Japan in 2017. He worked as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Primeasia University, Bangladesh. He was also a Postdoctoral fellow of Dr.Wensheng Lin and Dr. Harry Orr’s laboratory respectively from 2019 to 2024. He likes to play soccer, cricket, table tennis, and volleyball during his leisure time.
Dr. Francisco "Emmanuel" Labrada Moncada,
Research Professional 5 - Preclinical Researcher
Dr. Mekala Gunasekaran,
Research Professional 4 - Preclinical research
Emmanuel started as a postdoc in the Cvetanovic Lab in spring of 2022, bringing expertise in calcium imaging and fiber photometry to the lab which he perfected under his previous mentor Alfonso Araque. When he's not in lab devising cool strategies for understanding the interactions between purkinje cells and bergmann glia, you can bet he's off playing with his adorable husky.
Dr. Mekala Gunasekaran has been a researcher at Dr.Marija Cvetanovic’s laboratory since March of 2026. She is passionate about studying the cellular/molecular biology processes and understanding the molecular signaling pathways of neurodegenerative diseases. Her work primarily involves generation of iPSC derived cerebellar organoids.
She finished her Bachelor’s in Biomedical Engineering from India. She then completed her Master’s in Biomedicine from Sweden. She earned her PhD from the Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany. She was a Postdoctoral associate of Dr. Kang’s lab from 2021-2025 at the University of Minnesota. Outside of the lab, she is interested in hearing music and reading.
Graduate Students
Crystal Clark, Ph.D. Candidate (Lab Mom)
Brittenny De La Cruz, Ph.D. Student
Brittenny is a student in the Graduate Program in Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota. She joined the lab as a rotation student in May 2026. She graduated from the University of California, Riverside in 2020 with a B.S. in Neuroscience and a minor in Creative Writing. Prior to joining UMN, Brittenny worked as a research associate at the Loma Linda VA in the Clinical Research Group. In this role, she collected blood samples as a licensed phlebotomist, screened and consented patients, monitored study participants, and recorded research data. Brittenny is particularly excited about neurodegeneration, molecular pathways and the cerebellum. Outside of graduate school, Brittenny enjoys reading books, coloring, puzzles, snail mail and taking long, aimless walks.
Gavin Fuchs, Ph.D. Student
Gavin graduated from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in May 2024 with a B.S. in Neuroscience and a B.A. in Spanish Studies.
Post-Baccalaureate Researchers
Adri McCall, Lab Manager
Adri graduated from Macalester College in May 2023 with a B.A. in Neuroscience and a B.A. in Theater & Dance with minors in Biology and Performance Technologies. Adri is hoping to attend graduate school to study cellular and molecular biology!
Undergraduate Researchers
Ian Brooks
Ishaan Parnerkar
Available positions:
Undergraduate volunteer (optional funding via UROP/Work Study)
Postdoctoral Research Associates
Reach out to mcvetano@umn.edu!
Lab Creative Catalysts
Oscar, Alyssa Soles
Cucumber, Katie Hamel
Soup, Kaelin Sbrocco
Sable, Kaelin Sbrocco
Milli (Millikan) and Dumples, Carrie Sheeler
Margo, Alyssa Soles
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Bruno, Stephen Gilliat
![IMG-9052[1].JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b4688e_f7e370e3a01d4a5b848bc780b78f3016~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_336,h_222,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/IMG-9052%5B1%5D_JPG.jpg)
Maddy, Laurel Schuck
![IMG-9098[1].JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b4688e_a3f8fb007a184b5b85e948daf0cc45c9~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_488,y_0,w_3579,h_3247/fill/w_266,h_234,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/IMG-9098%5B1%5D_JPG.jpg)
Birdie, Dr. Cvetanovic
Junebug, Dr. Cvetanovic
Bee, Laurel Schuck
Stevie, Adri McCall
Calico, Adri McCall
Onyx, Ian Brooks
Basil, Ian Brooks
Yuki, Brittenny
Luna, Ian Brooks
Lab Alumni
Adem Selimovic, Ph.D.
Aaron Mellesmoen, M.S
Melissa Asher, M.S.
Wenhui Qu, M.S.
Genevieve Benjamin, M.S.
Andrea Johnson, M.D.
Abigail Lukowicz
Anushka Chaudhari, B.S.
Matthew McKinney, B.S.
Alyssa Soles, PhD
Christina Cummings, B.S.
Kaitlyn Bousk
Catrina Pereda, Summer Intern
Ryan Barnett, Summer Intern
Ben Wurst, High School Intern
Joo Hyun Kim, Ph.D.
Austin Ferro, Ph.D.
Carrie Sheeler, Ph.D.
Katie Hamel, Ph.D.
Lauren Glassburn, GPN Rotation
Alex Roman, GPN Rotation
Adem Selimovic, GPN Rotation
Nicole Zarate, GPN Rotation
Adriana Cushnie, GPN Rotation
Morgan Richter, Summer Intern
Adaeze Kalu, Summer Intern
Sarah Fentaw, Summer Intern
Teju Akinola, Summer Intern
Ornela Gigolaj, Summer Intern
Adanna Ekekwe, LSSURP Student
Austin Dellafosse, LSSURP Student
Ryan Kang, LSSURP Student
Ren Thigpen, LSSURP Student
Juao Guillerme Rosa, B.S.
Ella Borgenheimer, B.S.
Merin John, B.S.
Alisha D'Souza, B.S.
Stephen Gilliat, B.S.
Ferris Ghannoum, B.S.
Laurel Schuck
Sriyan Reddy, B.S.
Bailey Newman, B.S.
Anushka Chaudhari, B.S.
Vamika Sharma, B.S.
Kalybe VanWatermeulen, B.S.
Juan Nogueron-Hernandez, McNair Scholar, B.S.