Efraín (“Efra”) Rivera-Serrano, Ph.D. (he/him)
I was born and raised in Ponce, a small beach town in the southern part of Puerto Rico. My areas of expertise revolve around the areas of cell biology, virology, and immunology. For over 10 years, my research has focused on the cell biology of viral infections—with an emphasis on how viruses enter and exit their host cells, how cells defend themselves against viruses, and how viruses evolve to escape from such antiviral forces. Outside of science, I am an avid runner and the proud parent of six rescue dogs.
Education (click here to download my CV):
• B.Sc. in Biology and Chemistry, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico (2009)
• M.Sc. in Plant Biology and Biotechnology, North Carolina State University (2012)
• Ph.D. in Comparative Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University (2016)
Courses taught at Elon:
- BIO1013 — General Biology Lab
- BIO1050 — Infectious Diseases & Social Transformations (Winter only)
- BIO1064 — Biology: The Science of Life
- BIO1112/1113 — Introductory Cell Biology + Lab
- BIO2122/2123 — Microbiology for Health Professionals + Lab
- BIO2412/2413 — Human Physiology + Lab
- BIO2970 — Introductory (Sophomore) Seminar
- BIO4999/HNR4998 — Independent Research
CURRENT LAB MEMBERS
Alice Efremov (they/them) – Biology ’26
Alice was born in Albuquerque, NM, and after some moving around, grew up in Winston-Salem, NC. They are a Senior majoring in Biology with minors in Neuroscience and Theatre. After going into college with a vague understanding of what they wanted to do in the future, they took Human Physiology with Dr. Efra which solidified their interest in medical research, and in joining Dr. Efra’s lab. Planning to use this research experience to apply to graduate school, Alice aims to pursue a career in research in the future. In their free time, they love dancing, theatre, and making jewelry. | LinkedIn
Ryder Hutchinson (he/him) – Nursing ’28
Ryder grew up in Charlotte, NC. He is currently a Sophomore pursuing a major in Nursing with a minor in Biology. Ryder is currently shadowing experiments and learning about virology research. His research project aims at understanding how oncolytic viruses can be used in conjunction with traditional chemotherapy to limit or prevent oral cancer resistance to treatments. Outside of academics, he enjoys playing classical piano and training in martial arts. | LinkedIn
Nivea Walker (they/them) – Biology ’26
Nivea has lived all over North Carolina, but currently lives in Pittsboro, NC. They are a Senior double majoring in Integrative Biology and Literature. Nivea joined the group in the Fall of 2024 and their Honors thesis focuses on analyzing previous research on the public’s accessibility and perception of scientific research. In their spare time, if they are not reading, you can find them hiking or watching 80s slasher films. | LinkedIn
Elise Butterbach (she/her) – Biomed Engineering ’27
Elise grew up in Clarendon Hills, IL. She is a Junior majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics. Elise’s dad is an emergency room doctor, and her family’s experiences with the COVID19 pandemic led her to take an interest in the medical field. Due to her interdisciplinary interest in both mathematics and biology, Elise is being co-mentored under Dr. Ryu in the Math department. Her research focuses on the mathematical modeling of cardiac inflammation to identify potential therapeutic targets. In her free time, she enjoys going to the gym, walking her dogs, reading, and spending time with family. | LinkedIn
Alex Roberts (he/him) – Biology ’27
Alex grew up in California, but now lives south of Charlotte, in Matthews, NC. He is a Junior majoring in Biology with a concentration in Biotechnology, with minors in Neuroscience and Business Administration. He will be starting with the lab in Spring of 2026 and will be investigating the connection between the interferon signaling system, PKR, and the oncolytic potential of the reovirus. Alex wants to use research to learn more about biotechnological techniques and equipment. Post-graduation, Alex plans to either apply to a graduate program or work in the biotechnology industry after a gap year or two. In his free time, he swims with Elon’s Club Swim Team, is involved with Biology Club, and loves learning about new technologies. | LinkedIn
Kalialani Choate (she/her) – Biochemistry ’28
Kalialani is “an Army brat” who was born in Hawaii and moved often before settling in North Carolina. She is currently a Sophomore majoring in Biochemistry and her research will focus on the immune response against viruses. She plans to use her lab experience to apply to medical schools and eventually become a pathologist. In her free time, Kalialani likes to sing, travel, and spend time with friends and family (including her dog!!!)
LAB ALUMNI
Charlotte Dagli (she/her) – Biology ’25
Charlotte grew up in Charlottesville, VA. She received her B.S. in Biology with a minor in Food Studies in 2025. She joined the lab in the Fall of 2023 and spent 2+ years in the lab researching the use of oncolytic viruses against malignant fibrosarcoma cells. She is currently working on a Postbac at the NIH in Bethesda, MD. | LinkedIn
Accomplishments and research presentations
• Acorn to Oak Senior Award from the Biology Department
• SURE ’24 and NCICU funding
• Presentations at NCUR ’25 (Pittsburgh, PA) and Immunology2025 (Honolulu, HI), IRIS ’25, Elon SURF ’25 and other local venues.
Ethan Grossberg (he/him) – Biology ’25
Ethan grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated with a B.S. in Biology with minors in Art and Neuroscience in 2025. Ethan joined the lab in Spring ’24 and his research focused on generating novel reoviruses insensitive to the neutralizing effects of monoclonal antibodies through directed evolution. Ethan is currently getting ready to apply to Medical School. | LinkedIn
Awards received and research presentations
• Reddish Morgan Scholarship (Elon Bio, ’24)
• Phi Kappa Phi Vice-President 2024-2025
• Presentations at NCUR ’25 (Pittsburgh, PA), IRIS ’25, and Elon SURF ’25.
Thomas McKiernan (he/him) – Biology ’25
Thomas grew up in Rougemont, NC . He graduated with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Business Administration. He joined the lab in Spring ’24 and his research examined the impact of bacterial infections in triggering immune and pro-inflammatory responses in cells derived from the tongue and gingiva. Thomas is currently getting ready to apply to Dental School. | LinkedIn
Awards received and research presentations
• Elon Biology 2024 Rising Star Award
• Elon Biology 2024 Keystone Species Award
• Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) Tutor for Introductory Cell Biology
• Research presentation at Elon SURF ’25.
Owen Carter (he/him) – visiting High School student
Owen was born in Matthews, NC and currently attends Weddington High School as a rising senior. After taking AP Biology in his junior year, he solidified his plan to major in biology in college to enter the medical field. He spent the 2025 summer analyzing changes in nuclear and mitochondrial morphology induced by reovirus and developing a software pipeline for high-throughput imaging analyses. Outside of school, he enjoys playing soccer, editing videos, and hanging out with friends. | LinkedIn
Research presentations
• Poster presentation at the Elon Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Symposium 2025
Are you an Elon student majoring in Biology or Biochemistry interested in joining our group? Reach out and join the party!
Rivera-Serrano research laboratory 