UCF Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences
Education
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2017- 2022 Post Doctoral Fellow, The University of Texas at Austin, Davies Lab
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2014-2017 PhD University of South Florida
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2009-2014 BS University of South Florida
Awards
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2017 Outstanding Research Award, University of South Florida
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2018 Outstanding Dissertation Award, University of South Florida
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2021 NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) - Converted in 2023 to the R00 phase
Google Scholar: Renee Fleeman
Principle Investigator
Current Lab members
research associates/assistants:
Berta Victoria-Martinez
Berta is an Adjunct Research Associate at Fleeman Lab. She graduated of BS. in Biochemistry from University of Havana, Cuba/ PhD. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain/ Postdoctoral fellow at University of Central Florida. During her career, Berta has been executing research on different biomedical fields: infectious diseases, metabolism, aging, neuroscience, and cancer. Her work had contributed to the molecular basis’s knowledge of different diseases across these fields. Currently, she is investigating some molecular mechanisms of virulence and drug resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae strains.
Robert Beckman
Robert is a senior at the University of Central Florida majoring in Health Sciences on the Pre-Clinical Track. He has experience working as a Laboratory Technician in a Chemistry Teaching Laboratory. Robert is currently an Emergency Medical Technician and plans on applying to medical school with the hopes of becoming an Interventional Cardiologist. He enjoys playing hickory golf, collecting vinyl records, and reading.
Sofia Assent
Sofia is a Biology major on the pre-health track at UCF. She has previously done statistical research regarding triple-negative breast cancer. Sofia plans on applying to medical school with the hopes of becoming a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon. She enjoys traveling, tutoring, scary movies, going to concerts, and spending time with loved ones.
graduate students:
Christina DeBarro
Christina joined the lab in January 2023 as a PhD student after working 5 years as a research assistant for Nemours Children's Hospital. She graduated in 2020 with B.S in Biomedical Science from the Burnett Honors College at the University of Central Florida, and in 2022 with an MBA. Christina is interested in hijacking and disrupting bacterial defense mechanisms in the hope to develop new therapeutics to target them as well as the exploring the relevance of the human microbiome and its importance on different parts of the human body. She enjoys videogames, Dungeons and Dragons, and target shooting in her free time.
Ridhwana Appiah
Ridhwana is currently studying MS. Biotechnology with an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. Ridhwana is interested in host-pathogen interactions and hopes to pursue a Ph.D. after graduation to explore and develop next-generation therapeutics for multi-drug resistant pathogens. She enjoys spending time in art galleries and trying new recipes.
undergraduate students:
Hannah Makhecha
Hannah is currently an undergraduate at the University of Central Florida pursuing a Health Sciences major on the Pre-Clinical Track. She has been working as an Immunizing Pharmacy Technician at Publix Pharmacy since 2022. She plans on applying to medical school in the hopes of pursuing an MD/PhD to do clinical research, development, and testing of new antibiotics. She enjoys collecting Lego Botanical sets, Formula 1 racing, trying new foods, and playing with her dog.
Flor Santiago
Flor is a senior at the University of Central Florida, majoring in molecular microbiology and obtaining minors in biomedical sciences and medical sociology. She's a teaching assistant for a microbiology lab at the University of Central Florida. She plans to continue her education by obtaining a master's and Ph.D. in biomedical sciences. She enjoys hiking, canoeing, spending time with her cats, and volunteering.
Previous Lab members
Research Associates/Assistants:
Laura de los Santos
Jeremy Sheiber
Abdullah Saqib
Graduates students:
Undergraduates:
Omar Elsayed
James Fields
Sofia Angeloff