UW Biology undergraduate students, Sunny Dighe (Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology) and Roxanne Madden (Physiology) were named 2025-26 Levinson Scholars.
The Levinson Emerging Scholars (LES) Program is designed to support students who work on creative and sophisticated research projects in biosciences and related fields under the guidance of University of Washington faculty members.
Profile of Sunny Dighe:
Sunny is a junior at the University of Washington pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology with a minor in Education. He joined the Rasmussen Lab in April 2024 to explore his interest in sensory biology, influenced by his grandmother’s fierce battle with neuropathy resulting from diabetes. His project explores the role of a cell-adhesion molecule, Protocadherin-9, in the biology of mechanosensory cells in the skin, using the zebrafish as a model organism. The goal of this project is to unshroud the role of the protein, which has been implicated in autism, in the spatial arrangement and neuronal wiring of Merkel cells. Understanding Protocadherin-9 in the context of the epidermis could open many translational doors in sensory biology research, thanks to the molecular similarity of zebrafish Merkel cells to those of both humans and mice. Sunny plans to pursue graduate school after his studies at the UW, either with an MD/PhD dual degree or a dedicated PhD, where he will continue to explore his broad interest in the molecular mechanisms underlying biological processes. He hopes to combine his passion for molecular biology with his interest in education, tackling impactful research questions while teaching his love for science to those who follow. In his free time, you can find him playing music and putting on live shows with UW Husky Jam or finding a new book to engross himself in. Sunny wants to extend his heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Jeff Rasmussen and Erik Black for their indispensable mentorship throughout his time in the lab. He would like to specifically thank Erik for patiently responding to his endless questions at all hours of the day. Additionally, he wants to thank the entire Rasmussen Lab for creating a nurturing and dedicated environment in which he could learn so much. He is beyond thrilled to be a Levinson Emerging Scholar and thanks Art and Rita Levinson for their willingness to support his passion for science.
Profile of Roxanne Madden:
Roxanne is a senior at the University of Washington pursuing a degree in Biology with a focus in Physiology and a minor in Spanish. Intrigued by the heart’s reliability and adaptability, she joined the Moreno Lab in Summer 2023. Here, she works on understanding the molecular-level changes that influence the slowdown of cardiac pacemaking rate with age. Specifically, she is interested in L-type calcium channels, pore-forming ion channels which play an integral role in bringing calcium into pacemaker cells, causing the heart to beat. Interestingly, the lab has previously reported that the expression of these channels is reduced at the plasma membrane of old pacemaker cells, translating into a slowed pacemaking rate. During her time as a Levinson Scholar, Roxanne aims to unveil the mechanisms behind this reduction. She will study whether there is a reduction in L-type calcium channel trafficking, or transport, to the plasma membrane in old pacemaker cells. Specifically, she will study the expression of and interactions between L-type calcium channels and vesicle-associated proteins important in trafficking. Additionally, she will look into possible changes in channel subunit expression at the mRNA and protein level as they have been shown to play an essential role in L-type calcium channel trafficking. Roxanne’s time in the Moreno Lab has developed her interest in pursuing a graduate degree in cardiac physiology after her undergraduate studies. Roxanne is incredibly thankful to her mentors Dr. Claudia Moreno and Dr. Oscar Vivas as well as all her lab members for their support of her learning. Roxanne is deeply honored to be supported by the Levinson family and their contributions to advancing aging research. She thanks the Levinson family for their generous support of her and other young scientists’ research.
Congratulations, Sunny and Roxanne!
Read the Levinson Scholar profiles on the UW Undergraduate Research webpage.