Faculty

Dr. Adriana Trujillo earned her B.S. in biology at CSU Fullerton where she conducted research in the lab of Dr. Robert Koch to investigate the cell signaling mechanisms involved in fertilization. She subsequently completed her M.S. at SDSU and Ph.D. through the SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Cell and Molecular Biology. Her doctoral research in the lab of Dr. Sanford Bernstein focused on elucidating the structural, cellular, and physiological mechanisms of dilated cardiomyopathy. In Dr. Bernstein’s lab and in collaboration with Dr. Girish Melkani, she also co authored studies investigating the disease mechanisms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, restrictive cardiomyopathy, tau-induced cardiomyopathy, laminopathies, myosin storage myopathy, Huntington’s disease-induced cardiac amyloidosis, and vinculin-mediated cytoskeletal remodeling during aging.

Dr. Trujillo has over 15 years of experience in electron microscopy. From 2021 to 2025, she served as a Senior Scientist at NanoImaging Services in San Diego, where she led R&D initiatives to fully automate cryo-EM data collections, significantly increasing microscope throughput and operational efficiency. She also managed microscope and support equipment across two sites, established a new cryo-EM laboratory, managed internal reviews for GMP compliance, coordinated client projects, and trained scientific staff.

Dr. Trujillo has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and brings broad expertise in electron microscopy, X-ray crystallography, protein biochemistry, molecular cloning, and muscle physiology to advance innovative and collaborative scientific research.

E-Mail: atrujillo4@sdsu.edu

Born and raised in San Diego, Yasmin Javed is a third year undergraduate Biology major at San Diego State University. She previously attended Westview High School where she was actively involved in student government and basketball. She was first introduced to basic microscopy in high school and that peaked her interest to pursue biology in college. Yasmin is also a peer mentor in the SDSU Health Professions Advising Office and an eye clinic volunteer in San Diego. Yasmin hopes to one day become a Doctor of Optometry, focusing on glaucoma and ocular diseases. Along with her career aspirations, Yasmin finds imaging to be a unique way to understand organisms and their characteristics. She hopes to one day combine her interests of imaging and Optometry to better understand the diseases of the eye.

Born in San Diego, CA, but raised in Tijuana B.C., Mexico—where she lived until 2012—Isabel Moreno is now a fourth year Microbiology student at San Diego State University. She graduated from Chula Vista High School where she was an active member of the Student Council for Visual and Performing Arts. She is a peer mentor for the Women in Science Society, as well as the International Student Center at SDSU. During the spring semester of her junior year, Isabel studied abroad in Canterbury, England for five months where she had the opportunity to visit some cities in the United Kingdom, as well as travel to the Netherlands, Czech Republic, and France. She says it was an amazing and rewarding experience that she looks forward to incorporating into her career. She strives to become a Doctor of Optometry and go into vision science and clinical research. Isabel became interested in research when she returned from studying abroad—her interests peaked especially once she learned more about microbiology and microscopy. She looks forward to learning more about research careers and polishing her laboratory skills.