Natalia Quinete
Natalia Quinete is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Institute of Environment at FIU. She received her Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry at Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She did her postdoctoral research at FIU in the Southeast Environmental Research Center (SERC). She worked as a Research Scientist in Germany (Uniklinik Aachen) and at NC State in the Department of Environmental Engineering.
Luciana Teresa Dias Cappelini
Luciana is a Postdoc in the Institute of Environment at FIU working on the NTA Solution Project funded by EPA STAR. She has a B.S. degree in Agronomy from the Julio de Mesquita Filho University (2002), graduate in Chemistry and Biological Sciences from the Metropolitan University of Santos (2013/2015), Master of Science (Analytical Chemistry) in 2008, and Ph.D. in Science (Analytical Chemistry) in 2013 both from the University of São Paulo (USP) – Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos (IQSC), Brazil. She has prior postdoctoral experience in the Department of Biology (Molecular Biology concentration area) at the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) and carried out an internship abroad (BEPE) at Northwestern University – Evanston – IL in the laboratory of natural products with excellence in proteomics of Professor Neil Kelleher.
Macarena Rojo
Macarena is a is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Institute of Environment at FIU working with target and non-targeted PFAS in water using advanced analytical techniques (LC-MS/MS and HRMS) and characterizing their degradation products following electron beam (EB) treatment. She earned her Ph.D. in Exact Sciences from the National University of La Plata (UNLP), Argentina, focused on the bioaccumulation and effects of pharmaceuticals in Neotropical fish and included a research stay at the Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA) in Spain. Prior to joining FIU, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Baylor University in the area of ecotoxicology. Macarena has also held leadership roles in SETAC Argentina and has taught university-level courses in ecotoxicology and environmental assessment.
Sidney Sales Jr
Sidney Sales is a Postdoc in the Department of Chemistry and the Institute of Environment at Florida International University (FIU). He holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Public Health and Environment from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), and a B.Sc. in Environmental Sciences from the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO). His research focuses on the detection and quantification of PFAS in urban aquatic environments. He has worked extensively with biomarker responses related to oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and cytotoxicity. Before joining FIU, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the Laboratory for Environmental Health Assessment and Promotion (LAPSA/IOC-Fiocruz), and taught Ecotoxicology and Statistics at Fiocruz, as well as Solid Waste Management at UNIRIO.
Maria Eugenia Guerra de Navarro
Maria Eugenia is a graduate student pursuing her Ph.D in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry working on the assessment of non-point sources (atmospheric deposition) of PFAS in South Florida. She received her B.S. in Chemistry in 2006 at the Universidad Simón Bolívar, and Master in Environmental Sciences in 2014 at the Universidad del Zulia, Venezuela. She has worked many years as consultant, analyst and quality assurance at different companies.
Carolina Cuchimaque Lugo
Carolina is a graduate student pursuing her Ph.D in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry focused on assessing the occurrence of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water from South Florida areas using Liquid Chromatography in tandem/ Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) technique. She received her B.S. in Chemistry in 2006 from the Universidad Industrial de Santander, Colombia. She has working experience as chemistry in quality control at different companies.
Joshua Ocheje
Joshua is a graduate student pursuing his Ph.D in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry focused on the development of LC-MS/MS based methods to assess PFAS in biosolids and e-waste leachates. He received her B.S. in Industrial Chemistry in 2013 from the University of Jos and a Master of Science in Analytical Chemistry (2016) from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He has prior experience as Assistant Lecturer in Nigeria.
Grace Obiyo
Grace is a graduate student pursuing Ph.D in the Department of Biology co-advised by Jeremy Kiska and Natalia Quinete working on the assessment of emerging contaminants (PFAS and Phthalates) on some marine mammals and their direct implications for human consumption. She received her B.S. in Zoology and Environmental Biology in 2013 from the University of Nigeria and a Master in 2017 from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Md_ Abdur Razzaq
Abdur is a PhD student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry focused on the development of a SPME-GC-MS/MS method for assessment of volatile FTOHs in outdoor air, and modeling PFAS transport in water systems He received her B.S. in Leather Engineering in 2011 from the University of Dhaka and a Master Degree in Applied Chemistry (2017) from the Islamic University, Bangladesh. He has prior research experience as Senior Scientific Officer at the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
Maria Mendoza Manzano
Maria Karla is a PhD student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry working on the characterization of PFAS in compost by targeted and non-targeted analysis and PFAS bioaccumulation in crops in South Florida. She received her B.S. in Biology with minor in Chemistry in Fall 2024 at FIU. She was a undergraduate student in our lab from Summer 2023 to Fall 2024. She received NSF CREST PhD fellowship.
Andy Distrubell
Andy is a Master student in the Department of Earth and Environment co-advised by Jennifer Rehage and Natalia Quinete. His thesis research focuses on the threat of emerging contaminants in red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), a recreationally important species found throughout Florida. He received his BA in Natural and Applied Sciences and B.S. in Environmental Studies in Spring 2021 at FIU.
Monica Perez
Monica has a Bachelor’s in Psychology from FIU and is the Project Coordinator at the Center for Children and Families and affiliated with the Institute of Environment, responsible for the recruitment of families and children of the EPA STAR funded Project “NTA SOLUTION”.
Previous Postdocs
Bahareh Tajdini
Bahareh (“B”) Tajdini was a Postdoc in the Institute of Environment at FIU from August 2024 to January 2025 working on the elucidation of PFAS degradation by e-beam irradiation using targeted analysis, TOP assay and non-targeted analysis. She has a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering, an Master in Environmental Engineering from Leibniz University of Hanover, Germany, and a Ph.D. degree in Environmental Engineering from Colorado School of Mines.
Leila Lemos
Leila S. Lemos was a Postdoc in the Institute of Environment at FIU working with cortisol, PFAS and phthalate analysis in oysters and dolphins, and coral lipidomic assessments. She has a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences from the Santa Ursula University (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 2006), an MBA specialization degree in Environmental Planning and Management from the Veiga de Almeida University (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 2009), a M.Sc. degree in Public Health and Environment from Public Health National School / Oswald Cruz Foundation (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 2012), and a Ph.D. degree in Wildlife Science from the Oregon State University (Corvallis, United States – 2020). She got a position as Lab Manager in July 2024 in the Seagrass Ecosystems Research Lab at FIU.
Danni Cui
Danni Cui earned her B.S. in applied chemistry from Liaoning University in 2011 and since 2018 her Ph.D. in Environmental Chemistry at FIU. In 2019 she worked at North Carolina State University. She has joined the group in 2020 as a Postdoctoral Associate working on method development and determination of phthalates and PFAS in environmental matrices. She also worked on the EPA Project to assess chemical exposure to children through soil and dust ingestion. She left January 2023, when she got a permanent position at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Joseph Cox
Joe Cox was a Postdoc Associate for one year from January 2022 to 2023 in the Institute of Environment at FIU working on the EPA project developing new nontargeted analysis methodologies for estimation of soil and dust rate ingestion in children. He was a former Forensic Toxicologist and Lab Manager for ExperTox in Deer Park, Tx and recently graduated from West Virginia University (WVU) with a doctorate in Forensic Science (Fall 2021). He got a permanent job with the forensic team at Miami-Dade Police Department.
Previous students and staff
Olutobi Daniel Ogunbiyi
Daniel was a graduate student pursuing his Ph.D in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry working on the assessment and bioaccumulation of PFAS in recreational fish and processed food from South Florida. He received his B.S. in Chemistry in 2018 at the University of Ibadan, in Nigeria. He got his PhD in Fall 2024 and has started a postdoctoral position at Agilent.
Xuerong Li
Xuerong was a PhD candidate in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry working on the assessment of the occurrence, distribution and transport of PFAS in surface waters and drinking water in South Florida, including preserved areas of the Everglades. She got her B.S. in Biotechnology in 2014 from Jilin University, China. She successfully graduated in Fall 2022!!
Courtney Heath
Courtney was a graduate student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry focused on the development of targeted analysis methods for the determination of PFAS in surface water from South Florida using LC-MS/MS. She received her B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2021 from the University of South Carolina with Susan Richardson. She has been selected as CREST fellow and received her MSc. degree in Spring 2025.
Emily Mejias
Emily has a Bachelor’s in Psychology from FIU and is the Project Coordinator at the Center for Children and Families and affiliated with the Institute of Environment, responsible for the recruitment of families and children of the EPA STAR funded Project “NTA SOLUTION”.
Kevin Drai
Kevin was an undergraduate student in psychology (major) with a minor in chemistry in our lab from Fall 2021 until Spring 2022. He graduated and is now a research intern working on recruitment and chemical analysis of the EPA STAR funded Project “NTA SOLUTION”.
Amanda Di Perna
Amanda is an undergraduate student in the Department of Biology interested in gaining undergraduate research experience in the assessment of emerging contaminants in biological samples. She is working on phthalates analysis in dolphins plasma. She joined the group in Fall 2022.
Carla Colon Montalvo
Carla was a REU for Summer 2022 in the Institute of Environment. She received a scholarship from PRLSAMP (Research Opportunities for Undergraduate Students for Summer 2022). She is biology student from University of Puerto Rico working on the determination of phthalates to evaluate their effects in the behavior of land crab larvae, Cardisoma guanhumi.
Marie F. Corujo Bonilla
Marie was a REU for Summer 2022 in the Institute of Environment. She received a scholarship from PRLSAMP (Research Opportunities for Undergraduate Students for Summer 2022). She is biology student from University of Puerto Rico working on the determination of phthalates to evaluate their effects in the behavior of land crab larvae, Cardisoma guanhumi.
Neumiah Massenat
Neumiah was an undergraduate student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and REU in the Institute of Environment investigating PFAS profiles and distribution in Biscayne Bay, South Florida. She joined the group on Summer 2022. She graduated in Summer 2022 and got an accepted into the Ph.D. program in Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
Estela Manfrin
Estela was an undergraduate student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry working on the assessment of PFAS in dolphins from Orlando, California and San Diego. She joined the group from Spring to Summer 2022, when she graduated.
Yosmely Reyna
Yosmely was an undergraduate student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry working on the assessment of PFAS in rainwater in South Florida. She joined the group in Spring 2022 until Summer 2022, when she graduated.
Christian Hernandez Fajardo
Christian was a undergraduate student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry working on the Firefighter Cancer Initiative project in Spring until end of June 2022. He was measuring PFAS exposure through protective gears and clothes. He has been accepted to a graduate program (Master in Biomedical Engineering) at the University Paris-Cite in France.
Morgan Fatowe
Morgan was a Honor undergraduate student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry working together with Xuerong Li on the determination of PFAS in different areas of Florida. She was accepted in the Advanced Research and Creativity in Honors (ARCH) Program and joined the group in Falls 2020 and continued in the lab until graduation Spring 2022. She got accepted at SUNY ESF (State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry; Syracuse, NY) for a Ph.D. in Environmental Chemistry!
Laura Gantiva
Laura was an undergraduate student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry working on the development of an analytical method for the determination of phthalates in oysters from Florida. She graduated in Spring 2021 and continued working in the lab during Summer 2021.
Catherine Kaylor
Catie was a REU for Summer 2021 through the program in the Institute of Environment. She is Oceanography student from Texas A&M University working on the determination of PFAS in oysters from Florida.
List of undergraduate students along the years:
Melissa Ricardo, FIU, Fall 2020-Spring 2021
Leo Angarica, FIU, Fall 2020- Summer 2021
Morgan Fatowe, FIU, Fall2020- Fall 2021
Laura Gantiva, FIU, 2021-Summer 2021
Catherine Kaylor, Texas A&M University, NSF REU Summer 2021
Alessandra Sanchez- Florida International University, Summer 2021-Fall 2021
Jesleen Gonzalez- Florida International University, Fall 2021
Estela Manfrin Da Silva -Florida International University, Fall 2021-Spring 2022
Yosmely Reyna- Florida International University, Fall 2021- Spring 2022
Kevin Drai- Florida International University, Fall 2021-Spring 2023
Christian Hernandez-Fajardo- Florida International University, Spring- Summer 2022
Lavínia Volpini- Universidade Vila Velha, Brazil, Spring 2022
Neumiah Massenat- Florida International University, NSF REU Summer 2022
Carla Colon- University of Puerto Rico, NSF REU Summer 2022
Marie Corujo- University of Puerto Rico, NSF REU Summer 2022
Yordano Matos, Florida International University- Summer 2022- Spring 2023
Amanda Di Perna, Florida International University- Fall 2022-Fall 2023
Sophia Salazar, Florida International University – Spring 2023
Paule Samantha E Jean Pierre, Florida International University – Spring 2023-Summer 2023
Alexandra Alvarado, Florida International University- Summer 2023-Fall 2023
Breana Champagne, Florida International University-Fall 2023-Summer 2024
Vanessa Gustave, Florida International University- Fall 2023
Mariana Botero, Florida International University- Spring 2024-Fall 2024
Alex Perdomo, Florida International University- Spring 2024-Fall 2024
Lisandra Menendez, Florida International University- Spring 2024-Fall 2024
Joyce Borges, Florida International University- Summer 2024-Fall 2024
Isabelle Martinez de Osaba, Florida International University- Summer 2024-Spring 2025
Richard Zurbaran, Florida International University- Fall 2024-present
Caidence Brill, Florida International University- Fall 2024-Summer 2025
Vongai Kimberley Mandibaya, Florida International University- Fall 2024-Spring 2025
Roberto Estrada, Florida International University- Fall 2024-Spring 2025
Baylee Holcomb, Florida International University- Spring 2025-present
Diana Lima, Florida International University- Summer 2025- Fall 2025
Alejandro Barrios, Florida International University- Summer 2025