Lab Members

Daniela completed her B.S. in Biology at the Universidad de Los Andes, Venezuela, and her Ph.D y Microbiology at the University of Puerto Rico. Daniela is interested in understanding the balanced relationship between a host and its microbiomes and studying what happens when this equilibrium is disrupted by practices of our lifestyle. In the lab, she works with the data that just came out from a particular experiment or project. She first does the data cleaning and has it ready to process it. Then, she analyzes it and generates plots and tables that help interpret biological phenomena. Daniela discusses and proposes different approaches to how to process and treat the data to extract the most relevant information. In her free time, she loves dancing, climbing, and doing outdoor activities.

Kairo is interested in gastroenterology, and using diet to promote health. Kairo joined the Maldonado-Contreras Lab in 2025 because of the lab's focus on using dietary interventions to decrease gut microbiome-mediated inflammation in the context of different immune-mediated disorders. Her project will focus on the overlap between preeclampsia development and maternal gut microbiome health, which can be manipulated through dietary probiotics and biotherapeutics.

Lymarie received her bachelor’s degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. At same institution, she completed her PhD in Biology where she described the microbial community associated with sea cucumbers (Holothuria glaberrima) undergoing intestinal regeneration and evaluated the impact of the microbiota during intestinal regeneration of this holothuroid. Meanwhile, she acted as a consultant to the DAIN project, where her roles ranged from informative material editor to social media content creator. Currently, she is integrated into our group as the Postdoctoral Associate and will oversee the effects of DAIN on microbial and molecular profiles of CD patients. 

“Since I was a child, my grandmother taught me about the medicinal properties of food and herbs. I grew up thinking that I could cure people with the crops I plant. Indubitably, she inspired me to become a biomedical researcher, which I would plan to continue as post-doctoral fellow in Dr. Ana Maldonado-Contreras lab. In addition to planting, I am a passionate teacher/mentor, and I have multiple hobbies such as singing, salsa dancing, watching musicals and comedies, jewelry crafting, and traveling, among others.” 

Madeline has been at UMass Chan Medical School over 20 years of experience in project coordination, community outreach, and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. She excels in uniting diverse stakeholders to achieve impactful outcomes and enhancing operational efficiency. Currently pursuing her bachelor's degree in Public Health.

Madeline is passionate about public health and equity, driven by a commitment to creating healthier and more inclusive communities. She believes in the power of collaboration and bilingual communication to bridge gaps and empower individuals, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to thrive.