Justin Sarkis
Research Development Lead
Phone: 949-824-9698
Office: Hybrid / 5214 Natural Sciences II
Justin supports researchers in the Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences in securing funding for their projects through proposal development, team building, and strategic initiatives. He has specialized in proposal development since 2017 and holds an M.S. in Psychology from the University of Michigan. He also earned a proposal management certificate from the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP). Outside of work, Justin enjoys listening to classical music, reading books, and caring for his pet fish and beetles.
Yergalem Meharenna
Senior Training Grants Coordinator
Phone: (949) 824-4783
Office: Hybrid / 5201 Natural Sciences II
Dr. Yergalem Meharenna serves as Senior Training Grants Coordinator for both the Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences and the School of Medicine. In her dual role, she supports faculty members across both Schools in developing competitive training grant proposals. She leverages her scientific expertise to navigate the complex landscape of research funding, providing guidance to faculty members throughout the proposal development process.
Dr. Meharenna earned her Ph.D. in Genetic Engineering and brings years of experience as a research scientist to her training grant role. Her technical background enables her to guide faculty through every aspect of training grant preparation, from crafting compelling research training plans to developing robust evaluation metrics and assembling diverse mentor teams. She helps faculty members align their proposals with sponsor review criteria, ensures training tables meet sponsor requirements, and helps develop institutional letters of support. Her deep understanding of both the scientific content and sponsor administrative requirements streamlines the submission process and helps faculty applicants avoid common pitfalls that can derail otherwise strong proposals.