Niya Buckner | Raven
Niya received her B.S. in Biochemistry with a minor in Materials Science Engineering from Hampton University in May of 2026. During her undergraduate studies, she developed a strong passion for biomedical research and gained experience in biochemical and structural biology research, including projects involving protein structure, molecular modeling, and enzyme characterization. All while being a D1 triathlete all four years, she was also heavily involved as a McNair Scholar, student leader, and honors\ student. Her research experiences strengthened her interest in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying disease and developing new approaches to biomedical research. As part of the Starbird Lab, Niya’s goal is to characterize how specific fluorescent peptide substrates bind to and activate the TAM receptors Tyro3, Axl, and Mer. She will also assess TAM receptor activation in the presence of viral infection using poliovirus, a model virus known to package viral particles into extracellular vesicles to spread through these receptors. Outside of the laboratory, Niya enjoys traveling, exploring new places, spending time with her dog Benji, and discovering opportunities to connect science with real world biomedical applications.
