Maria Celeste Lopez Vasquez | Keel Billed Toucan

Graduate Student

Maria Celeste received her B.S in Biochemistry from Rowan University. There, she was a URISE fellow partaking in research, working at elucidating the RAF kinase mechanisms of activation and autoinhibition through RAS under the Wang lab. Maria Celeste rotated in the Starbird lab and independently worked on a collaboration project with Shelton Earp’s lab to express and isolate mFeimin, an intrinsically disordered ligand with a role in glucose metabolism that’s said to bind to TAM receptors. She exuberantly joined the Starbird lab April 2026 and is currently working on determining the structure of the Axl:Gas6 complex alongside Nicole. Outside of academics, Maria Celeste enjoys crocheting, karaoke, thrifting, movies, going to concerts (if she has the funds…), and spending time with her friends! Her favorite music ranges across various genres like soft punk rock, indie, folk lore, hip-pop, and pop.