Carinna Householder

Cell/Molecular Biology PhD Candidate | Graduate Research Assistant at University of Maryland | Development, Genetics, and Visual Biology |

---

Education

Expected 2026 University of Maryland, College Park, MD

• Ph.D. in Biological Sciences - Molecular & Cellular Biology

2021 Roanoke College, Salem, VA

• B.S. in Biology
• magna cum laude

Funding

2025 1F31EY038082-01

• Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (Parent F31), NEI

Relevant Coursework

Biology of Vision, Genetics, Cell Biology, Statistics and Modeling for Biologists, Molecular Biology, Gene Expression, Evolution, General Physics, General Chemistry (I&II), Organic Chemistry (I&II), Biochemistry I, Genetic Analysis, Nucleic Acids I, Cell Biology: Structure and Function, Immunology, Tropical Marine Biology (Baja, Mexico).

Attended Research Training

2024 Emerging Leaders in Regenerative Biology and Development (ReBilD) Program

• Mount desert Island Biological Labratory (MDI-BL), Bar Harbor, ME

Research Experience

2023-Present Graduate Research Assistant

• Dr. Juan M Angueyra, Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
• Characterized the transcriptional regulation of retinal progenitor cells mediated through two transcription factors, tbx2a & tbx2b in Danio rerio.

2022-2023 Graduate Research Assistant

• Dr. William R Jeffery, Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
• Analyzed the effects of hypoxia on the reversal of visceral heart asymmetry during early development in Astyanax mexicanus.

2018-2021 Undergraduate Research Assistant

• Dr. Leonard Pysh, Department of Biology, Roanoke College, Salem, VA
• Analyzed Lignin gene expression of transcriptional reporter lines of in the roots of cellulose deficient Arabidopsis plants. Discovered that roots grown in light had increased transcripts of monolignol synthesis genes and hypothesized to be a defense mechanism for A. thaliana.

Presentations (1 Invited, 3 Oral, 6 Posters)

2025 Rising Stars In Cell Biology Symposium

• Washington, DC
• Poster: Transcriptional regulation creates diversity within UV cone photoreceptors
• Authors: Carinna Householder, Juan Angueyra

2024 Invited Guest Lecturer in Biology Seminar Series

• York College, York, PA
• Provided a general overview of genetic regulation in cellular development and discussed my scientific journey into biological research.
• Talk: Transcriptional regulation creates diversity within UV cone photoreceptors
• Authors: Carinna Householder, Juan Angueyra

2024 Visual System Development Gordon Research Conference (GRC)

• Lucca (Barga), Italy
• Poster: Transcriptional regulation creates diversity within UV cone photoreceptors
• Authors: Carinna Householder, Juan Angueyra

2024 Mid-Atlantic Regional Zebrafish (MARZ) Meeting

• Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
• Poster: Transcriptional regulation creates diversity within UV cone photoreceptors
• Authors: Carinna Householder, Juan Angueyra

2024 Astyanax International Meeting for Cavefish

• Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Talk: Hypoxia as a driver of Sonic Hedgehog dependent trait evolution in Astyanax cavefish
• Authors: William R. Jeffery, Helena Bilandžija, Carinna Householder, Mandy Ng, and Corine van der Weele

2023 Molecular and Cellular Biology 2023 Retreat

• University of Maryland, College Park, MD
• Talk: A Tale of Two Paralogs: Characterizing Functionally Distinct Roles of Tbx2 Paralogs in Final UV Cone Specification
• Authors: Carinna Householder, Juan Angueyra

2023 Mid-Atlantic Regional Zebrafish (MARZ) Meeting

• National Institute of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD
• Upstream regulation and downstream processing of Tbx2 paralogs diverge in function within a single cell to contribute to final fate decisions
• Poster: Characterizing Functionally Distinct Roles of Tbx2 Paralogs in Final UV Cone Specification
• Authors: Carinna Householder, Juan Angueyra

2023 Molecular and Cellular Biology Seminar Series

• University of Maryland, College Park, MD
• Hypoxia alters left-right visceral heart asymmetry and organization in early heart development.
• Talk: Characterizing the role of hypoxia on heart reversal in surface fish and cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus
• Authors: Carinna Householder, William R Jeffery, Juan Angueyra

2021 University of Missouri

• Online
• Exposure of light to developing roots results in upregulation of monolignol biosynthesis genes in Arabidopsis thaliana.
• Poster: Monolignol Gene Expression of Arabidopsis thaliana Root Cells Grown in the Dark
• Authors: Carinna Householder, Leonard Pysh

2019 FASEB Meeting on Plant Development

• Olean, NY
• Cellulose deficiency causes an upregulation of monolignol biosynthesis genes in the Arabidopsis thaliana.
• Poster: Role for Monolignol Synthesis in the Expanded Root Phenotype of Cellulose-Deficient Arabidopsis thaliana Mutants
• Authors: Leonard Pysh, Matthew Watts, Carinna Householder, and Frankie Sefcik

Teaching Experience

2025 Neurobiology Course: Synapses and Circuits (SYNC)

• Marine Biological Labratory, Woods Hole, MA
• Position: Teaching Assistant
• Mentored two graduate students (Nicole Ferugson & Alanis Delgado-Suarez) through an intensive 2-week research project exploring disruption of photoreceptor subtypes and assessing functional recovery of residual circuits.

2025 Society for Developmental Biology Course: GetHIRED!

• Online
• Position: Course Assistant
• Ran a virtual 12-week course to help postdocs prepare materials for going on the academic job market under the guidance of Dr. Nicole Theodosiu & Dr. Vicky Prince.

2024 Neurobiology Course: Synapses and Circuits (SYNC)

• Marine Biological Labratory, Woods Hole, MA
• Position: Teaching Assistant
• Mentored two graduate students (Malissa Ramsukh & Jovan Grujicic) through an intensive 2-week research project exploring the role of TBX2 transcription factors in photoreceptor ablation and regeneration in zebrafish.

2021-2023 Introductory to Principles of Cell and Molecular Biology

• University of Maryland, College Park, MD
• Position: Graduate Teaching Assistant
• Taught approximately 250 undergraduate students, many of which have gone on to pursue undergraduate research positions. Skills included agarose gel electrophoresis, principles of PCR, and basic labratory instruments.

Student Research Mentorship (4 undergraduate researchers)

2025-Present Eleni Antoniades

• University of Maryland, College Park, MD
• Research Topic: Exploring the role of a rod-specific transcription factor (Nr2e3) to distinguish between and generate rods and cones.
• Research Program: UMD Undergraduate Biology Honors Program

2025-Present Annabella Rinaldi

• University of Maryland, College Park, MD
• Research Topic: Creating novel mutant lines to understand the role of a TF to generate photoreceptor subtypes using a complementation experiment.
• Research Program: UMD Undergraduate Biology Honors Program

2023-2025 Leah Kwak

• University of Maryland, College Park, MD
• Research Topic: Cloning novel trangenic lines that label interneuronal subtypes in the zebrafish retina.

2023-2025 Meghan Hnilo

• University of Maryland, College Park, MD
• Research Topic: The Influence of Early Synaptic Connectivity on the Generation of Retinal Cell Subtypes
• Research Program: UMD Undergraduate Biology Honors Program

Teaching and Mentoring Workshops Attended

2024 Enhancing Teaching through Peer Observation

• Teaching and Learning Transformation Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD

2024 Decentering Whiteness

• Teaching and Learning Transformation Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD

2024 Getting Started with Your Teaching Philosophy Statement

• Teaching and Learning Transformation Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD

2022 Introductions and Maintaining Effective Communication

• University of Maryland Graduate School, University of Maryland, College Park, MD

2022 Aligning Expectations and Assessing Understanding

• University of Maryland Graduate School, University of Maryland, College Park, MD

2022 Addressing Equity and Inclusion

• University of Maryland Graduate School, University of Maryland, College Park, MD

2022 Fostering Independence and Promoting Professional Development

• University of Maryland Graduate School, University of Maryland, College Park, MD

Honors/Awards

2025 Dr. Eugenie Clark Scholarship, Department of Biology Endowed Fellowships, University of Maryland - College Park, MD

2024 Best Graduate Student Talk Award, Biological Sciences Molecular and Cellular Biology (MOCB) Retreat, University of Maryland - College Park, MD

2024 Best Graduate Student Poster Award, Mid-Atlantic Regional Zebrafish Meeting (MARZ), Rutgers University, NJ

2024 Scholarship, Biological Sciences (BISI) Travel Award, University of Maryland - College Park, MD

2024 Scholarship, International Conference Student Support Award (ICSSA), University of Maryland - College Park, MD

2024 Scholarship, Jacob K. Goldhaber Travel Grant, University of Maryland - College Park, MD

2021 Member, Phi Beta Kappa, Roanoke College, Salem, VA

2021 Member, National Honor Society for First-Generation College Students (Tri-Alpha), Roanoke College, Salem, VA

2021 Dr. George G. Peery Achievement Award, Roanoke College, Salem, VA

2020 President, Omicron Delta Kappa, Roanoke College, Salem, VA

2020 Member, Biological Honors Society (Tri-Beta), Roanoke College, Salem, VA

2019 Member, Alpha Epsilon Delta, Roanoke College, Salem, VA

2018 Member, Alpha Lambda Delta, Roanoke College, Salem, VA

Professional Service and Associations

2023 - 2024 Chaired at Molecular and Cell Biology (MOCB) Retreat

• University of Maryland - College Park, MD

2024 - Present Member, Women in Bio (WIB)

• Washington Capital Region

2023 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

• Washington, DC.
• Independently attended workshops on governmental fellowships, scientific communication, journalism, and grant writing.

2023 - 2025 Secretary, Graduate Student Association for Biological Sciences (GSA)

2022 - Present Member, Society for Developmental Biology (SDB)

Outreach

2025 Mentoring of undergraduate researchers by junior scientists

• Panelist
• Biology Honors Program, University of Maryland
• Spoke on an interdisciplinary panel for prospective undergraduate students in the UMD Biology Honors Program interested in applying to graduate school.

2024 ESO x BISI GSA x DEIWG Graduate Student Roundtable

• Panelist
• University of Maryland
• Spoke on an interdisciplinary panel for prospective undergraduate students interested in applying to graduate school. The panel answered questions about identifying the correct advisor and program for your goals .

2023 All Things Biology Podcast

• Featured on the pilot episode of an emerging podcast targeting early career scientists. Openly discussed my academic journey and experience working in research labs. Covered specific areas of interest including epigenetics, retinal organization and structure, and avenues of regenerative therapeutics to combat degenerative retinal diseases.

2021-2023 Univeristy of Maryland Biological Sciences Orientation Panel

• Panelist
• Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of Maryland
• Answered questions on a panel for incoming graduate students from the Univeristy of Maryland Biological Sciences graduate program. Represented and discussed the Molecular and Cellular Biology (MOCB) concentration area of the program and gave insights into the required courses, teaching assitantships, and tips on time management.