Left to right: Patricia, Gwen, Denise, Ana, Chelsea

Ana A. Weil, MD, MPH

Principal Investigator
Ana is originally from Fairbanks, Alaska, but spent most of her time growing up on a small farm in Washington. She worked in infectious disease research and public health, primarily in Africa, prior to attending medical school. She became interested in cholera research after spending one year in the laboratory of Dr. Firdausi Qadri at the International Centre for Diarrheoal Disease Research, Bangladesh, in 2008. She lives in Seattle with her family.

Denise Chac, PhD

Postdoctoral Researcher
Denise is a postdoctoral researcher with a background in microbiology and immunology. Denise has always been dealing with poop - first studying how the primate gut aids in seed dispersal for her undergraduate honors thesis, then analyzing the gut microbiota of mice with different diets and infections, and now investigating the human microbiota and cholera. Outside of lab, Denise’s passion is random DIY projects and playing board and video games.

Susan Markiewicz

Research Scientist | Engineer 1
Susan is a research scientist with a background in molecular biology. She has a passion for learning about the gut microbiome and loves working with tiny things. She has a special interest in genetics and is interested in learning how both human and microbial genetics could play a role in vaccine efficacy or disease severity. When not working in the lab, Susan likes to relax playing video games, tending to her balcony vegetable garden, or working on various crafting projects.

Joyce Liu

Work Study Student 
Joyce is an undergraduate researcher majoring in Biochemistry and Philosophy, with a minor in neuro computation and bioethics. She is currently on a pre-medicine pathway and working towards becoming a physician. She is passionate about exploring both the research and clinical aspects of medicine. Outside of lab, Joyce enjoys traveling, spending time with friends and family, and playing tennis. 

Amelia Rice

Summer Student
Amelia is an undergraduate student at Barnard College, majoring in Cellular and Molecular Biology with a minor in Spanish and Latin American Studies. She has a special fascination for the human microbiome and its role in disease and wants to improve health outcomes for patients by conducting research with clinical impacts. Outside of the lab, she enjoys running, playing cello, and competing against her friends at the New York Times mini crossword.

Possible open positions at the Weil Lab! 
Please   contact   Ana   at   [email protected]


Pathobiology Graduate Students (Department of Global Health)
Other students

Lab Alumni

Gwen ​Dumayas

  • Weil Lab Position: Undergraduate researcher, 2021-2024
  • Current Position: Molecular Laboratory Technician at GenScript
  • Weil Lab Project: Vibrio cholerae gene expression, microbe identification

Mirra Chinta

  • Weil Lab Position: Summer student, 2023
  • Current Position: Undergraduate, University of Washington​
  • Weil Lab Project: Bacteroides uniformis microbiology

Kristine Tandoc

  • Weil Lab Position: Graduate Rotation Student, 2023
  • Current Position: Pathobiology PhD Student at University of Washington​
  • Weil Lab Project: Toxin co-regulated pilus phenotype of Vibrio cholerae with genetic mutations

Chelsea Dunmire

  • Weil Lab Position: Research Scientist, 2020-2022
  • Current Position: Research Associate at Outpace Bio
  • Weil Lab Project: Isolation of anaerobic bacteria, investigating Vibrio cholerae genomic evolution between the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract

Emerson Smith

  • Weil Lab Position: Summer Undergraduate Lab Assistant, 2022
  • Current Position: UC Berkeley Masters in Public Health, Infectious Disease and Vaccinology
  • Weil Lab Project: Vibrio cholerae evolution during household transmission of cholera

Patricia Silva

  • Weil Lab Position: PREP NIH Scholar - Post-baccalaureate student, 2021-2022 
  • Current Position: Molecular Microbiology Graduate Student at Tufts University
  • Weil Lab Project: Interactions between Vibrio cholerae and Rothia mucilanginosa​

Fred Heller, MD

  • Weil Lab Position: Medical Student Researcher (from Duke University), 2020-2021
  • Current Position: Psychiatry Resident (Mount Sinai)
  • Weil Lab Project: Metagenomic data analysis for identification of bacterial strains correlated with protective immunity to oral cholera vaccination

Meti ​Debela

  • Weil Lab Position: Research Technician, 2017-2019
  • Current Position: Medical Student at University of Massachusetts Medical School
  • Weil Lab Project: Interactions between Vc and Paracoccus aminovorans​

Alaina Ritter, MD

  • Weil Lab Position: Postdoctoral Researcher, 2017-2019
  • Current Position: Assistant Professor at University of Florida
  • Weil Lab Project: Innate immune responses generated by human duodenal enteroids in Vibrio cholerae infection

Purva Patel, MD

  • Weil Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher, 2017
  • Current Position: Resident Physician
  • ​Weil Lab Project: Vibrio cholerae virulence expression in the setting of Vc-host microbe co-culture measured by qPCR

Emma Krolicki

  • Weil Lab Position: Undergraduate Researcher, 2018
  • Current Position: Data Analyst Intern at International Packaging Corporation
  • Weil Lab Project: Isolation of anaerobic bacteria from stool of cholera patients and their household contacts