MariCarmen Lafita Navarro, PhD.

Principal Investigator – Assistant Professor
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MariCarmen joined the University of Virginia in 2025 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine. Dr. Lafita Navarro earned her PhD in Biomedicine and Molecular Biology from the University of Cantabria, Spain in the laboratory of Dr. Javier León at the Biomedicine and Biotechnology Institute of Cantabria (IBBTEC). There, she studied the transcriptional regulation mediated by the oncogenic MYC network. Then, Dr. Lafita Navarro joined the laboratory of Dr. Maralice Conacci-Sorrell at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, where she discovered key metabolic and nucleolar regulators of MYC-driven cancer cells. Learn more.

Bidisha Prajapati

Postdoctoral researcher
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Hi, I am Bidisha. I joined the Lafita Navarro Lab at the University of Virginia as a Postdoctoral Fellow in October 2025. I obtained my Ph.D. in Cancer Biology from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India, where I studied the role of chromatin remodelers in glioma development and progression. I also hold Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Biochemistry from the University of Calcutta, which nurtured my strong interest in metabolism. I enjoy exploring the oncogenic signaling pathways driving cancer and am excited to use state-of-the-art technologies to understand how cellular metabolism influences glioma biology and to identify potential therapeutic targets - ultimately translating findings from bench to clinic. Outside the lab, I love cooking, eating, traveling, watching movies, and shopping.

Riddhi Ursekar, M.S.

Research technician
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I am Riddhi Ursekar, and I joined the lab in August 2025 as Lab and research tech 2. I am interested in learning how metabolic pathways are connected to glioblastoma, and I am excited to explore how changes in cell metabolism can influence cancer growth. Being in this lab gives me the chance to build new skills and dive deeper into questions that connect basic biology with real-world impact. Outside of science, I love to travel, discover new places, and try different cuisines.

Kristine Han

Research technician
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Kristine graduated from the University of Virginia in 2026 with a major in Biology and continues to ask questions about the how and why of biological processes. She joined the lab in 2025 as an undergraduate and became a lab technician in 2026 to investigate novel metabolic pathways and protein-protein interactions that facilitate glioblastoma growth and survival. Her interest in investigative experiments translates to her interest in Forensic Pathology. In her free time, she likes to spend time with her cat and make music.

Stanislaw Boznanski

Visiting Graduate Student BioLAB
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I am a medical student at Jagiellonian University Medical College in Kraków, Poland. I joined the Lafita-Navarro Lab in June 2026 as a participant in the BioLAB program. I’m fascinated by mechanisms that enable cancer cells to adapt to constant changes in the tumor microenvironment. I am focused on factors that trigger nucleolar stress in glioblastoma cells. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, photography, and fencing.

Abigail Lee

Undergrad student UVA
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Abigail Lee joined the lab in August 2025 and is eager to continue her work throughout the academic year. She is a second-year undergraduate student at the University of Virginia pursuing a major in Neuroscience and minor in Dance on the Pre-Health track. Abigail is especially interested in exploring the connections between the brain, behavior, and movement, and she looks forward to gaining hands-on experience in scientific research while building a strong foundation for a future career in medicine. Beyond the lab, she is an active member of the University Dance Club, where she enjoys performing and collaborating with other dancers. She is also involved in Kappa Delta sorority, where she values the sense of community and sisterhood, and she loves spending her free time discovering local coffee shops, hiking trails, and everything else Charlottesville has to offer.

Lilly FitzPatrick

Undergrad student UVA
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Lilly FitzPatrick is a post-baccalaureate student at the University of Virginia, where she is pursuing additional academic and clinical experiences in preparation for a future career in medicine. Before coming to UVA, she earned her bachelor's degree in finance from Virginia Tech in 2025, where she distinguished herself both academically and as a member of the women’s varsity swim team. Lilly enjoys many things outside of school too, like playing the piano, baking, staying active, and spending time with family and friends. Since joining the lab in March 2026, Lilly has been eager to immerse herself in the research environment, contribute meaningfully to ongoing projects, and continue developing her skills. She is excited to learn from her peers and mentors while building a strong foundation for her future in medicine.

Jackson Kang

Undergrad student UVA
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Hi, I'm Jackson and I joined the lab in May 2026. I am a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Virginia majoring in Neuroscience on a pre-medicine track, with a minor in Korean. I am interested in the biological pathways and properties unique to cancer, and enjoy spending time in the lab gaining experience within a research setting and learning new experimental techniques. I am excited to explore the mechanisms involved in cellular stress responses and how changes in these pathways may influence cancer cell behavior. In my free time I like to play basketball, snowboard, watch the NFL, and eat at Chipotle.