He/Him/His
My academic background is a Masters in Biological Sciences and a Ph.D. in Protein Biochemistry at the University of Cologne in Germany. Since 2005, I have been working on structural and functional analysis of soluble and membrane proteins in a variety of organisms. During that time, I have been a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Experimental Physics Department at the University of Osnabrueck, in the Marine Science Institute at UC Santa Barbara, and at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) at UC San Diego. My areas of expertise are Protein Biochemistry, Structural Biology, and Molecular Toxicology.
In my (limited) free time, I like to run with my wife, son, and dog Yoshi or practice different types of martial arts (Vo Dao Vietnam, Muay Thai, Escrima, Capoeira).
Graduate Students
Helen Li (AGC)
Helen received her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry
from the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) in 2024, where she worked on inorganic synthesis of optical materials and quality evaluation of undergraduate STEM research at UCB. Outside of the school, she worked with Dr. Cristina Bilbao at USDA-ARS on physicochemical analysis of food to determine the optimal storage conditions. After her B.S., she continued to work under Dr. Bilbao’s mentorship as a researcher.
At UC Davis, Helen is pursuing her Ph.D. degree in Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry. Her current research focuses are metabolisms of pesticides in honey bees and their pests.
In her free time, Helen enjoys painting, dancing, and playing games with her friends.
Zeke Spooner (AGC)
He/Him/His
Zeke is a PhD Student in the Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry Graduate Group at UC Davis. His current research focuses are environmental fate of microplastics in the Bodega Marine Reserve and toxicology of fibrous microplastics.
Growing up in the Monterey Bay Area, Zeke learned to love the ocean at an early age. This developed into an interest in aquatic toxicology that led him to pursue a B.S. in Environmental Toxicology from UC Davis. He worked in several research labs during his undergraduate career, including the AHP Aquatic Toxicology Laboratory, the Air Quality Research Center and the Nicklisch Lab. Afterwards, he sought to pursue his interests in modern marine pollutants, leading him to his current PhD program under the mentorship of Dr. Christina Pasparakis (ToPEC Lab) and Dr. Sascha Nicklisch.
Outside of school and work, Zeke enjoys spending time with his friends, playing basketball, baking, learning Spanish, and playing the piano.
Eli Wooliever (AGC)
He/Him/His
Eli received his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Physics at Roanoke College. While there, he worked on a variety of environmental research, including determining the effect of temperature and precipitation fluctuations on soil microbial nutrient cycling as well as a meadow, forest, and wetland restoration project. His senior thesis was an analysis of microplastic distribution in surface waters by proximity to a historic landfill using microscopy and Raman spectroscopy.
At UC Davis, Eli is pursuing his Ph.D. in Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry. Under the mentorship of Dr. Nicklisch and Dr. Randy Carney, he is investigating the mechanisms of toxicity of aerosolized pollutant-adsorbed nanoplastics (PANs) on lung epithelia. Currently, he is measuring the inflammatory, carcinogenic, and oxidative stress response in vitro through genetic regulation and bioassay endpoints. In the future, he will assess the bioavailability and efflux of adsorbing pollutants in the presence of nanoplastics by lung epithelia.
In his free time, Eli enjoys reading, drawing, playing board games, and hiking.
Laboratory Assistants
Lisa Hueck
she/her/hers
Lisa received her bachelor’s in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UC Davis in 2025, and continued her work at the Nicklisch Lab as a research Assistant.
In the lab, she studies the effects of cannabinoids & Vaping metabolites on the ABCB1 transporter and the blood-brain barrier. Studying interactions between transporters and cannabinoids is foundational research to discover drug-drug interactions at the ABCB1 transporter site, between cannabinoids and medications.
With a strong passion for molecular biology and protein biochemistry, she is still exploring her exact career path but is excited about the future impact of her work in healthcare and contributions to advancements in medicine.
Outside of work, Lisa enjoys listening to music while she’s crocheting and knitting (tries to at least), but also enjoys going out to see her friends and traveling.
Undergrads
Leo Konefat
He/Him/His
Leo is a second-year student at UC Davis pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Medical Microbiology. Through environmental restoration projects in service organizations like the Boy Scouts of America and AmeriCorps; Leo became interested in bioremediation of environmental contaminants and work mitigating the effects of pollutants on human health.
He is currently working with the Nicklisch Lab on updating a database logging transporter-interfering chemicals and their known interactions for the future use of toxicologists and healthcare providers.
For fun, Leo enjoys reading, playing guitar, making friendship bracelets and executing his plan to become the silliest goose on planet Earth.
Zachary Gillette
Zach is currently in his third year at UC Davis pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Toxicology. Having grown up in the Bay Area, he had many field trips to the Santa Cruz Mountains, salt marshes, and Redwood forests. These experiences were his gateway into the fields of biology and environmental science and his interest in studying the effects of environmental pollutants within local ecosystems.
Zach is currently working with the honey bee branch of the laboratory under the mentorship of Angela. The project studies the effects of xenobiotics (pesticides and pharmaceuticals) on protein expression of ABC transporters and other defense genes across multiple honey bee hive members.
In his free time, Zach is often found on his bike — his favorite route is riding out to Winters and back. He also spends time pursuing his interest in modern and medieval European history and hanging out with his friends.
Gemma Kim Fernandez
she/her/hers
Gemma is a second-year student at UC Davis pursuing a double major, a Bachelor of
Science in Environmental Toxicology and a Bachelor of Arts in Design. Gemma grew up in the Bay Area, and through her work at local nurseries and the East Bay Regional Park District, she became interested in studying the environmental science field.
Additionally, her love for fashion led her to combine her interests in toxicology and design to pursue sustainable design and mitigating the effects of the fashion industry on the environment.
Currently, Gemma is working with the Nicklisch Lab under the mentorship of Zeke on his research of the environmental fate of microplastics in the Bodega Marine Reserve. She is studying the ecotoxicology of microfiber dyes, chemicals, and microplastics released from textiles.
In her free time, she enjoys film, reading, creating art, and spending time with friends
Emely Ellis
TBD
Volunteers
Honorary Members
Yoshi (吉 good luck, 義 righteous, or 良 good)
Yoshi is a male Standard Poodle (Canis lupus familiaris) and joined the lab on December 24th, 2018. His main interests are in distracting the PI (and lab members) from overworking and not getting enough sleep during the week. Yoshi is carnivorous with noticeable omnivorous traits, including left-out shoes, sandals, socks, carpet corners, and kitchen towels. Initially bred as a water dog in Germany for retrieving game from ponds and rivers, Yoshi is supposed to belong to one of the most intelligent dog breeds after Border Collies. Interestingly, Border Collies belong to a group of dog breeds that harbor a heritable MDR1 drug transporter gene mutation, making those dogs highly sensitive to neurotoxic drugs.
Yoshi’s current project is on developing novel strategies to keep up the high morale and to boost positivity in the Nicklisch Lab. In addition, he relentlessly embodies and promotes some of the most critical values for a successful scientist in many fields of research by being calm, adventurous, social, hard-working, devoted, loyal, people-friendly, easy-to-train, alert, hyperactive, trustworthy, sure-footed, willing-to-learn and just HAPPY!
Salvatore “Sal” Monella
Enter the Dragon: Sal is a male Central Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps) that originates from the deserts in Australia and joined the Nicklisch Lab as a rescued lizard in October 2019. His main interests are in devouring giant mealworms, pooping, and getting daily head scratches and pets from all lab members. 
While Sal is well-tamed, his bite is actually venomous with a similar toxin composition as in rattlesnake venom. However, the proteinogenic toxins in Sal’s mucous are mild and not harmful to humans.
Sal likes to chill on his rocks and branches under the basking lamps and watch stressed-out students and postdocs through his glass terrarium in the lab office. Sal enjoys being at the center of the action, which is why lab members often put him on their shoulders while searching for literature or analyzing data on their computers. Sal then typically rewards them with cuddling up to their ears and neck or just by simply falling asleep. Legend has it that if you listen closely, Sal will give you good ideas for your next publication!