Renna Nouwairi is a Ph.D. candidate with Professor James Landers in the UVA Chemistry Department. Her research focuses on developing microfluidic assays and automated mechatronic platforms for point-of-need nucleic acid analysis in forensic science and clinical diagnostics. In addition to her doctoral work, she is a Jefferson Scholars Foundation Fellow, has published multiple scientific papers, submitted provisional patents, and presented her research at various conferences. Beyond her research, she has interned with the UVA Licensing and Ventures Group and is an active member of Virginia Bio, CAV Angels, and Cville BioHub – organizations working to foster collaboration, innovation, and commercial success in the Virginia life science ecosystem. Renna received her B.S. in chemistry with a minor in mathematics from James Madison University in 2017 and taught chemistry, physics, and robotics at a private school prior to entering graduate school.