Our team
Ash Duffee
Hi! My name is Ash Duffee, and I am a fourth-year neuroscience major with minors in computer science, biological science, and general psychology. I was initially drawn to Dr. Jeyifous’ lab because of my interest in the mechanisms underlying learning and memory, and I knew as soon as I first looked under the microscope that this is where I belonged. I’m excited to keep exploring this field after graduation, and I hope one day to earn a PhD and mentor the next generation of scientists as a professor. In addition to being a member of the lab, I serve as president of the Neuroscience Club and treasurer of the Nu Rho Psi chapter here at DePaul. Through my research and leadership roles, I strive to have a meaningful impact on both my campus community and the rest of society :)
Zainab Ibrahim
Zainab is a Neuroscience major with a minor in Biological Sciences, and a part of the class of 2026. She has a passion for medicine and plans to attend PA school after a few gap years. She’s a part of Radio DePaul’s only Muslim ran radio show called Fresh Eyes, and in her free time, you can find her at Fresh Eyes events or planning their weekly episodes. Outside of school, she works with a nonprofit Habesha-Muslim organization called Barakah Chicago to raise money for the mosque that they’re renovating. A fun fact about her is that she loves matcha and scrapbooking, and she’s a Chicago native.
Val Phillip Lorejo
Hello, my name is Val Philip Lorejo and I am majoring in neuroscience with a cellular/molecular concentration. One of my goals is to have a career doing research. In my spare time I enjoy boxing and cooking. On rare occasions I also like to read books from the library that seem interesting.
Juliet Peterka
Juliet first joined the Jeyifous Lab in the summer of 2023 through the DePaul USRP program and returned in 2025 to complete an Honors Thesis on the effects of hypoxia on Golgi satellites. She is a cellular/molecular neuroscience major at DePaul with minors in Spanish and Chemistry and aims to pursue a PhD and career in research. In her free time, she likes to explore Chicago events, relax by Lake Michigan, volunteer with community orgs, and play sports with friends!
Former members
Dede Assadji
Hello, my name is Dede Assadji. I'm majoring in Neuroscience, minoring in Psychological Research Methods and am part of the class of 2024. I’m also a part of the National Society for Leadership and Success, was a part of the Arnold Mitchem Fellows program, and am currently a Vincentian Service Scholar. I’m looking to gain experience with doing research so that I can be more sure of what I want to do post graduation. In my spare time, I enjoy working out, reading, and listening to and creating music. A fun fact about me is that I traveled abroad for the first time during AQ 2022 through DePaul’s study abroad program, where I visited three cities in France over the course of two weeks.