Omar S. Akbari earned his B.S./M.S. in Biotechnology (2005) and Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology (2008) from the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), and completed postdoctoral training at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering (BBE). He began his independent career at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) in 2015 and joined the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in 2017, where he was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2019, Professor in 2021, and nominated as Tata Chancellor’s Endowed Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology in 2025. Dr. Akbari is a bioengineering innovator holding over 20 patents and co-founding Agragene (2018), Synvect (2022), and Cloak Biotech (2025), companies translating genetic engineering technologies into scalable solutions for sustainable pest control, vector suppression, and engineered living therapeutics. In 2026, he was elected to the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) in recognition of his sustained contributions to genetic engineering innovation and commercialization. In 2026, he became an investigator with the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI) at UC Berkeley.
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Principal Investigator
Omar S. Akbari, Ph.D. Tata Chancellor’s Endowed Professor Department of Cell and Developmental Biology School of Biological Sciences University of California, San Diego, USA Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Investigator at the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), University of California, Berkeley, USA Link to Linkedin Profile Link to X Profile Link to ORCID Link to Google Scholar Link to PubMed Mailing Address: University of California San Diego, Tata Hall 5101 9500 Gilman Drive La Jolla, CA 92093-0335, USA Office Phone: +1 (858) 246-0640 (leave message) Email Address: [email protected] Office Location: 5101 Tata Hall Lab Location: 5th floor Tata Hall Curriculum Vitae (CV) |
Robyn Raban, Ph.D.
Research Data Analyst
Robyn Raban received her B.S. in Environmental Science/Ecology from UC Berkeley. She also received an M.S. in Entomology from the University of Florida and a Ph.D. in Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology from Colorado State University. Before joining the Akbari lab in 2017, she worked in industry and academia as a project manager, scientist and grant writer.
Contact: [email protected] Phone: (858) 246-2066 Google Scholar Click here for current CV
Robyn Raban received her B.S. in Environmental Science/Ecology from UC Berkeley. She also received an M.S. in Entomology from the University of Florida and a Ph.D. in Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology from Colorado State University. Before joining the Akbari lab in 2017, she worked in industry and academia as a project manager, scientist and grant writer.
Contact: [email protected] Phone: (858) 246-2066 Google Scholar Click here for current CV
Judy Della Rocca
Staff Research Associate II (SRA)
Judy Della Rocca joined the Akbari Lab in 2016 and is currently the head Lab Technician of the Akbari mosquito insectary space. Her work is the maintenance and rearing of wildtype and transgenic Aedes and Anopheles mosquitos.
Contact: [email protected]
Judy Della Rocca joined the Akbari Lab in 2016 and is currently the head Lab Technician of the Akbari mosquito insectary space. Her work is the maintenance and rearing of wildtype and transgenic Aedes and Anopheles mosquitos.
Contact: [email protected]
Iliano Coutinho-Abreu, Ph.D.
Staff Research Associate III (SRA)
Iliano Coutinho-Abreu received his B.S. in Biology and M.S. in Genetics from the Federal University of Pernambuco (Brazil). In 2011, Iliano Coutinho-Abreu finished his PhD in Entomology at Kansas State University, with the dissertation entitled “Molecular aspects of sand fly-based vaccine development”. In the same year, Dr. Coutinho-Abreu joined the Ray Lab at UC Riverside as a postdoc to investigate the olfactory systems of the Asian citrus psyllid and mosquitoes for the development of odor-based control methods. In 2014, Dr. Coutinho-Abreu moved to the Valenzuela Lab at NIH and as a postdoc studied Leishmania-sand fly molecular interaction, the evolution of salivary proteins, and the development of saliva-based vaccines. As a SRA in the Akbari Lab at UCSD since September 2020, Dr. Coutinho-Abreu has been working on the development of novel genetic strategies for the control of insect disease vectors.
Contact: [email protected] Google Scholar
Iliano Coutinho-Abreu received his B.S. in Biology and M.S. in Genetics from the Federal University of Pernambuco (Brazil). In 2011, Iliano Coutinho-Abreu finished his PhD in Entomology at Kansas State University, with the dissertation entitled “Molecular aspects of sand fly-based vaccine development”. In the same year, Dr. Coutinho-Abreu joined the Ray Lab at UC Riverside as a postdoc to investigate the olfactory systems of the Asian citrus psyllid and mosquitoes for the development of odor-based control methods. In 2014, Dr. Coutinho-Abreu moved to the Valenzuela Lab at NIH and as a postdoc studied Leishmania-sand fly molecular interaction, the evolution of salivary proteins, and the development of saliva-based vaccines. As a SRA in the Akbari Lab at UCSD since September 2020, Dr. Coutinho-Abreu has been working on the development of novel genetic strategies for the control of insect disease vectors.
Contact: [email protected] Google Scholar
Andie Smidler, Ph.D.
Staff Research Associate III (SRA)
Andie (Andrea) Smidler received her B.S. in Biology from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill in 2011, where she completed her honors thesis on the topic of plant cell death. Soon after, she became interested in using GM technologies to control vector-borne disease and began research on the topic at the University of Strasbourg, France. While there she earned her M.Res, and pioneered the use of TAL-endonucleases to create targeted gene knockouts in Anopheles gambiae. After returning to the US, she pursued a Ph.D. at Harvard University jointly between the Flaminia Catteruccia and George Church Labs, and graduated in 2019. Her dissertation research focused on developing transgenic tools for vector control, including CRISPR-based gene drive and genetic sterilization technologies, a line of research she is continuing at UCSD.
Contact: [email protected] Google Scholar
Andie (Andrea) Smidler received her B.S. in Biology from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill in 2011, where she completed her honors thesis on the topic of plant cell death. Soon after, she became interested in using GM technologies to control vector-borne disease and began research on the topic at the University of Strasbourg, France. While there she earned her M.Res, and pioneered the use of TAL-endonucleases to create targeted gene knockouts in Anopheles gambiae. After returning to the US, she pursued a Ph.D. at Harvard University jointly between the Flaminia Catteruccia and George Church Labs, and graduated in 2019. Her dissertation research focused on developing transgenic tools for vector control, including CRISPR-based gene drive and genetic sterilization technologies, a line of research she is continuing at UCSD.
Contact: [email protected] Google Scholar
Hsing-Han (Jade) Li, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Scholar
Hsing-Han (Jade) received her B.S in Department of Biotechnology (2010) at Asia University, Taiwan, and M.S. in Institute of Biological Science and Technology (2012) at the China Medical University, Taiwan, Ph.D. in Institution of Biotechnology Science and Technology (2020) at National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan, while working with Chun-Hong Chen at the National Institute of Infectious Disease and Vaccinology at the National Health Research Institute (NHRI) in Taiwan. During her Ph.D. she worked on using CRISPR in mosquitoes. She joined the Akbari lab in late 2021 and is interested in working on gene-editing transgenic tools for vector-borne disease and pest control, including CRISPR-based gene drive technologies.
Contact: [email protected]
Hsing-Han (Jade) received her B.S in Department of Biotechnology (2010) at Asia University, Taiwan, and M.S. in Institute of Biological Science and Technology (2012) at the China Medical University, Taiwan, Ph.D. in Institution of Biotechnology Science and Technology (2020) at National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan, while working with Chun-Hong Chen at the National Institute of Infectious Disease and Vaccinology at the National Health Research Institute (NHRI) in Taiwan. During her Ph.D. she worked on using CRISPR in mosquitoes. She joined the Akbari lab in late 2021 and is interested in working on gene-editing transgenic tools for vector-borne disease and pest control, including CRISPR-based gene drive technologies.
Contact: [email protected]
Fangying Chen, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Scholar
Fangying Chen is from Inner Mongolia, China. She received her B.S. of Plant Protection and M.S of Agricultural Insects and Pest Control in the Northwest A&F University, China. Fangying then went to the Netherlands and obtained her Ph.D. at the University of Groningen. At the end of 2021, she will continue her research as a postdoctoral scholar in the Akbari lab and use gene-editing tools to answer applied biological questions. She will be joining the Akbari Lab - December 2021.
Contact: [email protected]
Fangying Chen is from Inner Mongolia, China. She received her B.S. of Plant Protection and M.S of Agricultural Insects and Pest Control in the Northwest A&F University, China. Fangying then went to the Netherlands and obtained her Ph.D. at the University of Groningen. At the end of 2021, she will continue her research as a postdoctoral scholar in the Akbari lab and use gene-editing tools to answer applied biological questions. She will be joining the Akbari Lab - December 2021.
Contact: [email protected]
Weilu Zheng, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Scholar
Weilu Zheng received her B.S. in Forestry and B.A. in English from Anhui Agricultural University, China, in 2017. She earned her Ph.D. in Zoology from the Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), where she studied mosquitoes and agricultural pest insects, with a dissertation focused on the mechanisms of different invasion routes in entomopathogenic fungi. In 2025, she came to the US and joined Scripps College as a postdoctoral researcher, working on genetic tools in wasps and biology of selfish B chromosomes. Weilu will continue her postdoctoral research and join the Akbari Lab in July 2026. Her research will focus on the genetic biocontrol of the New World screwworm and vector-borne diseases, with the aim of reducing their impact on agriculture and public health.
Contact: [email protected]
Weilu Zheng received her B.S. in Forestry and B.A. in English from Anhui Agricultural University, China, in 2017. She earned her Ph.D. in Zoology from the Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), where she studied mosquitoes and agricultural pest insects, with a dissertation focused on the mechanisms of different invasion routes in entomopathogenic fungi. In 2025, she came to the US and joined Scripps College as a postdoctoral researcher, working on genetic tools in wasps and biology of selfish B chromosomes. Weilu will continue her postdoctoral research and join the Akbari Lab in July 2026. Her research will focus on the genetic biocontrol of the New World screwworm and vector-borne diseases, with the aim of reducing their impact on agriculture and public health.
Contact: [email protected]
Salvador Salazar, B.S.
- Lab Assistant 2
- I am interested in applying genetics and genetic engineering to develop next-generation technologies for the control of insect pests. In the Akbari Lab, I work on the New World screwworm, focusing on insect rearing, embryo microinjections, transgenesis, molecular genetics, and CRISPR-based genetic engineering to advance innovative genetic biocontrol strategies. Outside of the lab, I enjoy spending time outdoors and in nature, going to the beach, running, cooking, and watching sports—especially football. Go Bears!
- Contact: [email protected]
UCSD Graduate Student Researchers
Alena LaSalvia, B.S.
Alena LaSalvia joined the Akbari Lab in 2025 as an undergraduate researcher and received her B.S. in Molecular and cellular biology from UCSD. She is working to apply the genetic engineering techniques CRISPR and SEPARATOR in Anopheles gambiae and other species such as the New World Screwworm, helping control their populations in areas they are pests.
Contact: [email protected]
Contact: [email protected]
Linyi Dai, B.S.
Linyi Dai is a first-year M.S. student in Biochemistry at UC San Diego. She joined the Akbari Lab in September 2026 and is currently working on the New World Screwworm project. She has previous research experience in molecular cloning, CRISPR-based systems, and mammalian cell culture. Her research interests include genome engineering and the development of genetic technologies for biological applications.
Contact: [email protected]
Contact: [email protected]
UCSD Undergraduate Student Researchers
Xiaotong Jiang
Xiaotong Jiang is a 4th year Microbiology major at UCSD, planning to pursue the BS/MS program in Biology. She joined the Akbari Lab in April 2026 as an undergraduate researcher. She has gained experience in molecular cloning and working with Drosophila and is currently focusing on different mosquito projects. Her long-term goal is to pursue a career in the biotechnology industry.
Contact: [email protected]
Contact: [email protected]
Sara Mo
Sara Mo transferred to UCSD as a Molecular and Cell Biology major in 2025 and joined the Akbari Lab as an undergraduate volunteer in April 2026. Her work focuses on the SEPARATOR system and mosquito behavior assay. She is interested in using genetic approaches to study mosquito-borne disease and develop potential strategies for mosquito population control. She plans to continue her research in Akbari Lab as a BS/MS student after completing her bachelor’s degree.
Contact: [email protected]
Contact: [email protected]
Akbari Lab Alumni with Independent Research Programs
We are proud that many former members of the Akbari Lab have gone on to establish successful independent research programs around the world. Their laboratories continue to make important contributions to genetics, biotechnology, vector biology, and genome engineering.
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Dr. Jackson Champer
Champer Lab – Peking University
https://jchamper.github.io/
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Dr. Ming Li
Li Lab – Sun Yat-sen University
https://zssom.sysu.edu.cn/en/teacher/liming
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Dr. Guan-Hong Wang
Wang Lab – Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shandong Agricultural University
http://www.wanglab.com.cn/default.aspx
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Dr. Shih-Che Weng
Weng Lab – College of Medicine, National Taiwan University
https://hello.cv/wengshizhe
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Dr. Feng Liu
Liu Lab – Shenzhen Bay Laboratory
https://en.szbl.ac.cn/info/1018/2236.htm
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Dr. Duverney Chaverra Rodriguez
Rodriguez Lab – UNAL Colombia
http://www.hermes.unal.edu.co/pages/Docentes/Docente.jsf;jsessionid=3CCD42F9754D3450AAA5CB87461B611A.tomcat5?u=dchaverra
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Dr. Jonny Edward Duque Luna
Luna Lab - Universidad Industrial de Santander, Colombia
https://profesores.uis.edu.co/en/school-medicine/jonny-edward-duque-luna-en/index.html
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Dr. Stelia Carolina Mendez-Sanchez
Mendez-Sanchez Lab - Universidad Industrial de Santander, Colombia
https://profesores.uis.edu.co/en/school-chemistry/stelia-carolina-mendez-sanchez-en/index.html
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We are proud that many former members of the Akbari Lab have gone on to establish successful independent research programs around the world. Their laboratories continue to make important contributions to genetics, biotechnology, vector biology, and genome engineering.
****************************************************************************************************************
Dr. Jackson Champer
Champer Lab – Peking University
https://jchamper.github.io/
****************************************************************************************************************
Dr. Ming Li
Li Lab – Sun Yat-sen University
https://zssom.sysu.edu.cn/en/teacher/liming
****************************************************************************************************************
Dr. Guan-Hong Wang
Wang Lab – Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shandong Agricultural University
http://www.wanglab.com.cn/default.aspx
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Dr. Shih-Che Weng
Weng Lab – College of Medicine, National Taiwan University
https://hello.cv/wengshizhe
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Dr. Feng Liu
Liu Lab – Shenzhen Bay Laboratory
https://en.szbl.ac.cn/info/1018/2236.htm
****************************************************************************************************************
Dr. Duverney Chaverra Rodriguez
Rodriguez Lab – UNAL Colombia
http://www.hermes.unal.edu.co/pages/Docentes/Docente.jsf;jsessionid=3CCD42F9754D3450AAA5CB87461B611A.tomcat5?u=dchaverra
****************************************************************************************************************
Dr. Jonny Edward Duque Luna
Luna Lab - Universidad Industrial de Santander, Colombia
https://profesores.uis.edu.co/en/school-medicine/jonny-edward-duque-luna-en/index.html
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Dr. Stelia Carolina Mendez-Sanchez
Mendez-Sanchez Lab - Universidad Industrial de Santander, Colombia
https://profesores.uis.edu.co/en/school-chemistry/stelia-carolina-mendez-sanchez-en/index.html
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