Meet The Team

Principal Investigator

Associate Professor
John B. West Endowed Chair in Respiratory Physiology
Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep Medicine, and Physiology
University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
Founder and Co-Director, Center for Physiological Genomics of Low Oxygen
National Geographic Explorer

tsimonson@health.ucsd.edu

Tatum S. Simonson, PhD

Dr. Simonson integrates multi-omic and physiological approaches to study human adaptation to environmental stress, informed by long-standing work in high-altitude populations. Her team focuses on understanding how variation in hypoxic responses across individuals shapes health and resilience, using differences in breathing during wakefulness and sleep as a model to connect molecular mechanisms with systemic physiology and long-term health outcomes. Her team’s research further examines how microbiome variation modulates pathways involved in hypoxic regulation, contributing to inter-individual physiology and health among individuals. Simonson lab publications

UC Presidential Postdoctoral
and IRACDA Fellow
barango@health.ucsd.edu

B. Gabriela Arango, PhD

Gaby is a comparative physiologist investigating human adaptations to intermittent hypoxia in conditions such as sleep apnea. Her research integrates cellular bioenergetics, metabolomics, and evolutionary physiology to uncover mechanisms of oxygen resilience with translational relevance to cardiovascular and metabolic health. She is also deeply committed to mentorship and advancing equity in science, fostering inclusive environments that broaden participation and promote scientific literacy across diverse communities. In her free time, she enjoys walking her dog on the beach.

PhD Candidate
Department of Bioengineering
m8kong@ucsd.edu

Mitchell Kong

Mitchell is a PhD candidate in the Department of Bioengineering. His thesis project seeks to link single nucleotide variants in HMOX2 to observed adaptive phenotypes in Tibetans and translate them to further the understanding and use of carbon monoxide releasing molecules in treating pulmonary arterial hypertension. Mitchell graduated from UC San Diego in 2020 with a BS in Bioengineering: BioSystems. His hobbies include cooking and photography.

PhD Student
Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics
ncamden@ucsd.edu

Nichelle Camden

Nichelle is a PhD student in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics department interested in characterizing noncoding variants that contribute to high-altitude adaptations. She received her BS in Biochemistry from Augsburg University, where she studied uncharacterized myosin proteins with Ben Binder, and her MS in Chemistry at UCSD with Colleen McHugh, focused on long noncoding RNA-protein interactions. In her free time, Nichelle likes to garden with her cat Stormy and tend to her Walstad aquarium.

Masters Student
Biological Sciences
lac003@ucsd.edu

Laurie Chang

Laurie is a MS student in the Department of Biology. Her project aims to understand how variants in PRKAA1, a gene previously associated with adaptation to high altitude, relate to breathing and sleep in individuals who reside at low altitude. She is also interested in investigating how these specific genetic changes lead to functional changes at the cellular level. Her hobbies include swimming, pilates, and collecting figurines.

Umi Steinwachs

Undergraduate Research Assistant
psteinwachs@ucsd.edu

Umi is a fourth-year undergraduate student studying Human Biology. He is interested in researching the physiological effects of hypoxia during high-altitude mountaineering and climbing expeditions. His favorite pastimes include rock climbing and film photography.

Eli Reamon

Undergraduate Research Assistant
ereamon@ucsd.edu

Eli is a second-year undergraduate student majoring in Human Biology and Global Health. He is interested in studying the physiological effects of acclimatization at varying altitudes, and how these adaptations relate to exercise science. His passions are making music, running, and watching sports. He also loves Ramuné!

Edward Sundahl

Undergraduate Research Assistant
esundahl@ucsd.edu

Edward is a third-year undergraduate majoring in Human Biology and minoring in Art History. He is interested in studying the cellular and mitochondrial responses to hypoxia, emphasizing changes in morphology, ROS production, bioenergetics, and other mitochondrial dynamics. In his free time he enjoys playing basketball and playing guitar.

Michelina Ng Solano

Undergraduate Research Assistant
mngsolano@ucsd.edu

Michelina is a fourth-year undergraduate student studying Biochemistry and Biology. She is interested in studying hypoxic conditions relative to metabolism and pregnancy, and its implications in women’s health. Outside of academics she loves to go sightseeing with her dog and go to the beach.

Rania Gauhar

Undergraduate Research Assistant
rgauhar@ucsd.edu

Rania is a second year undergraduate student studying General Biology. She is interested in studying the physiological effects of hypoxia, specifically its impact on sleep disordered breathing and women’s health. Outside of school she is interested in playing tennis, going to the beach, and traveling to new places.