Dr. Lee is an Associate Professor at NAU whose work is focused on novel vaccine development. Her research is rooted within Indigenous health disparities; weaving together the fields of biochemistry, vaccinology, as well as education. Her recent research is a cultural investigation to the persistence of Native Americans in scientific fields.

TJ's is working on research of Native American cervical cancer health disparities through the lens of the vaginal microbiome whilst pursing an Interdisciplinary Health PhD. She was awarded Biochemistry BS by Fort Lewis College. TJ joined our Research Group after participating in NIH/NINDS Health Disparities in Tribal Communities Internship, JHU school of Medicine PREP scholar program, and Genomic Science & Leadership Initiative.

Caleb's research focuses on developing a therapeutic vaccine against methamphetamine addiction. Caleb conducts both manual and automated solid-phase peptide synthesis to develop peptides for conjugation with a methamphetamine hapten. Caleb is a chemistry student pursuing an ACS-certified biochemistry bachelor's degree on a pre-med track.

Andrina’s current research focuses on developing virus-like particles (VLPs), specifically synthesizing and purifying them to support vaccine conjugation for treating methamphetamine addiction. She is completing a bachelor's degree in biomedical sciences on a pre-medical track.

Olivia is an undergraduate researcher working on peptide synthesis for a pancreatic cancer vaccine. She is majoring in ACS-certified chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry and minoring in biology. Her interests focus on applying chemistry to medical and pharmaceutical research, especially in developing new treatments. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in biochemistry and hopes to work in pharmaceutical or medical research in the future.

Dr. Charley received a B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from the University of New Mexico (UNM) in 2016. She earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Utah in 2024. At Northern Arizona University (NAU), she is a Postdoctoral Fellow in Dr. Naomi Lee’s lab. Her research focuses on Human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer in Native American communities in the Southwest region. She collaborates with partners at the University of Arizona and Medstar Health Research Institute. Her work is supported by the Native American Cancer Prevention (NACP) organization at NAU, which provides opportunities and support in cancer biomedical research. Within NACP, she serves as the Research Education Core (REC) and GUIDeS Program Coordinator. She is also a scholar and training champion (TC) with the Southwest Transformative Educational Advancement Mentoring Network (STEAM). This program supports graduate students to early-career investigators through research and educational activities, including webinars, travel scholarships, training, and networking opportunities.

Amaya's research focuses on peptide development in conjunction with the multivalent display of silver nanoclusters on a peptide-based scaffold. Amaya is now focused on practicing conjugations of peptides working towards conjugations with the silver nanoclusters. She is pursuing a BS in Chemistry with a health professional emphasis, BS in Applied Indigenous Studies, and BS in Biomedical Science.

Amber is a sophomore majoring in Public Health with a minor in Applied Indigenous Studies. She is from the Navajo Tribe and wants to help her community by bringing awareness about health disparities and prevention. Her project focuses on recruiting women through culturally sensitive social media campaigns, flyers, and community engagement, along with word of mouth. In addition, we are developing educational materials that highlight the vaccine’s safety, benefits, and the importance of cancer prevention.

Cynthia is a sophomore at Northern Arizona University pursuing a degree in Biomedical Science. She hopes to attend medical school so she can combine her love of science with compassionate patient care. Under the guidance of Dr. Lee, her goal is to develop skills in creating high-yield, high-purity MS2 double-modified plasmids, preparing samples for sequencing, and gaining confidence in analyzing sequencing data.

Max has been a co-researcher investigating conjugation techniques of Ag-nanoclusters to peptide fibrils with Ashley. This coming semester he will begin next stages of the project, including bacterial assays and testing bioactivity of various types of fibrils and species of nanocluster

Hazel’s research centers on the microbiological development of virus-like particles (VLPs), specifically in synthesizing and purifying to support the conjugation of pancreatic cancer vaccines. She is a Biomedical Science student with a pre-medical focus.

Beck is a sophomore pursuing a BS microbiology. His project focuses on finding a broader and cheaper vaccine for high-risk HPV viral strains, that disproportionally affect Native American populations. He uses PCR and aid in the synthesis of KAYAK, dmMS2, and pDSP62 MS2 VLPs. He dreams of becoming a medical Pathologist with a PhD in molecular biology.

Kayla is a sophomore at Northern Arizona University who is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She is from the Navajo Tribe and is currently focusing on creating culturally sensitive and accessible forms of HPV education. She is currently working on a text message based outreach program that aims to educate rural communities in Arizona about HPV and HPV vaccination. She's hoping to continue her education in medical school to specialize in thoracic surgery or neurosurgery.