![](https://garmannlab.sdsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2022/02/Rees600x800_72ppi-01.jpg)
Rees F. Garmann, PI
Rees is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and a member of the Viral Information Institute at SDSU. He joined the SDSU faculty after doing a postdoc in Applied Physics at Harvard University with Vinny Manoharan. Before that he completed his PhD in Physical Chemistry at UCLA under the guidance of Bill Gelbart and Chuck Knobler.
![](https://garmannlab.sdsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2021/07/Ferni_website.jpg)
Fernando Vasquez, Graduate student
Fernando is a second year masters student studying RNA structure and RNA-protein interactions. He received a BS in Chemistry from UCLA.
![](https://garmannlab.sdsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2021/07/Daniel_website.jpg)
Daniel Villarreal, Graduate student
Daniel is a second year doctoral student studying viral capsid assembly and disassembly. He received a BS in Physics and a BS in Biochemistry from UCSD.
![](https://garmannlab.sdsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2022/02/Herman600x800_72ppi-01.jpg)
Herman Dhaliwal, Graduate student
Herman is a first year masters student studying RNA structure and dynamics. She received her BS in Biochemistry from Western Washington University, doing research with Professor Gregory O’Neil.
![](https://garmannlab.sdsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2022/02/Amineh600x800_72ppi-01-01.jpg)
Amineh Rastandeh, Graduate student
Amineh is a first year masters student studying how RNA phage identify and package their genomes with high specificity. She received her BS in Biochemistry from UCSD.
![](https://garmannlab.sdsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2022/02/Elmer600x800_72ppi-01.jpg)
Elmer Gamez, Undergraduate
Elmer is a fourth year Microbiology major at SDSU who is using electron microscopy to image phages and other virus-like particles.
![](https://garmannlab.sdsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2022/05/Sophia600x800_72ppi-01.jpg)
Sophia Alvarez, Undergraduate
Sophia is a second year undergraduate student at SDSU who is making mutant phages and phage genomes.
![](https://garmannlab.sdsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2022/08/Alaina600x800_72ppi-01-01.jpg)
Alaina Sekany, Undergraduate
Alaina is a fourth year undergraduate student at SDSU working on the self-assembly of DNA-functionalized virus-like particles.