Aliyah earned her B.S. in Biochemistry and a minor in math from Spelman College in 2024. As an undergraduate, she worked as an organic chemistry research assistant to optimize the Syntheses of Aspirin and Acetaminophen lab procedures and co-develop a chemistry coloring book. She also conducted biology research on biosynthetic gene clusters to identify novel producers of known antibiotics in the root microbiome, as well as analytical chemistry research on lead concentrations in soil and drinking water around Atlanta’s West End.
Aliyah’s previous internships include her work with G.C. Therapeutics, Inc. on neurodegenerative disorders that could benefit from cell therapy; her research at The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine on the efficacy of CEST MRI evaluation of glutamine utilization and ASCT2 transport for detecting human prostate cancer; and her fellowship with Station1, a higher-education institution dedicated to socially-directed science and technology. In the Meyer lab, Aliyah is using C. elegans to study the mechanisms by which environmental pollutants induce neurotoxicity via mitochondrial interference and contribute to abnormalities observed in human neurobehavioral and neurological disorders. She plans to leverage her environmental toxicology background to get justice for marginalized citizens disproportionately exposed to pollutants and reduce the prevalence of adverse health outcomes in their communities. In her free time, Aliyah likes to go to the gym, volunteer at her church, spend time with friends and family, and go to concerts and music festivals.
PhD Program: Environment
Faculty Advisor: Joel Meyer, PhD
2025-2026 Status: 2nd year
Contact: aliyah.webster@duke.edu
Pronouns: she / her / hers
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliyahwebster/
