Research Administration Team

James Burns
Research Administrator, Transplant Surgery
James Burns serves as a Research Administrator in the Comprehensive Transplant Center, which includes assisting with Research Administration for faculty investigators holding primary appointments in the Department of Surgery’s Division of Organ Transplantation as well as for Transplant Nephrologists, Transplant Hepatologists and Transplant Infectious Disease Specialists holding secondary appointments in the Department of Surgery’s Division of Organ Transplantation. His duties include, but are not limited to, submission of research proposals, pre- and post-award management, and oversees spending of research.
Lynnette Dangerfield
Research Project Manager, Vascular Surgery
Lynnette Dangerfield serves as a Research Project Manager in vascular surgery and the administrative assistant to Karen Ho. Her duties include, but are not limited to: submission of research proposals; pre- and post-award management and oversees spending of research and discretionary accounts for the Ho Lab; and manages ACUC protocols for vascular surgery.

Mike Doran
Research Administrator, Surgery
Mike Doran serves as a Research Administrator for the divisions of Breast Surgery, Surgical Education, GI/Endo Surgery, Plastic Surgery, and Surgical Oncology. His duties include, but are not limited to, submission of research proposals, pre- and post-award management, and oversees spending of research.
Elle Kiznyte
Associate Research Administrator, Transplant Surgery
Elle Kiznyte serves as an Associate Research Administrator in the Comprehensive Transplant Center, which includes assisting with Research Administration for faculty investigators holding primary appointments in the Department of Surgery’s Division of Organ Transplantation as well as for Transplant Nephrologists, Transplant Hepatologists and Transplant Infectious Disease Specialists holding secondary appointments in the Department of Surgery’s Division of Organ Transplantation. Her duties include, but are not limited to, submission of research proposals, pre- and post-award management, and oversees spending of research.

Kelly Memmer
Assistant Director of Research and Finance, Comprehensive Transplant Center
Kelly Memmer serves as the Assistant Director of Research and Finance in the Comprehensive Transplant Center, which includes overseeing Research Administration for faculty investigators holding primary appointments in the Department of Surgery’s Division of Organ Transplantation as well as for Transplant Nephrologists, Transplant Hepatologists and Transplant Infectious Disease Specialists holding secondary appointments in the Department of Surgery’s Division of Organ Transplantation. Kelly oversees the NU research administration and finance team. Her tasks include, but are not limited to: Managing departmental annual budget and grant budgets (federal, foundations, and industry); coordinating the annual NU budgetary process for the Division of Organ Transplantation and the Comprehensive Transplant Center; Planning, implementing, and executing annual operating budgets; Managing departmental finances including discretionary, gift, endowment, and grant funds (NIH, foundations, industry-sponsored clinical trials); Managing payroll for faculty and staff, and reconciling with effort reporting in order to maintain compliance with federal regulations; Monitoring and tracking the department’s research metrics in order to achieve departmental goals; Facilitating all research proposals through InfoED PD on behalf of transplant investigators.

Melanie Mkrdichian
Director of Research Operations, Surgery
Melanie Mkrdichian oversees both the research administration and NU finance teams. Her tasks include, but are not limited to: managing departmental annual budget and grant budgets; overseeing the NU budgetary process for the Department of Surgery: planning, implementing, and executing annual operating budgets; managing departmental finances including discretionary, gift, endowment, and grant funds; managing payroll for faculty and staff and reconciling with effort reporting in order to maintain compliance with federal regulations; monitoring and track the department’s research metrics in order to achieve departmental goals; reviewing and endorsing all research proposals, IRB, and ACUC applications on behalf of the Department of Surgery.
Marilyn Nunez
Senior Research Administrator, Surgery
Marilyn Nunez serves as a Senior Research Administrator and oversees Research Administration for faculty investigators holding primary appointments in the Divisions of Breast Surgery, Cardiac Surgery, Surgical Oncology, Thoracic Surgery and Trauma Critical Care. Her duties include, but are not limited to, submission of research proposals, pre- and post-award management, and oversees spending of research.

Kashmeen Raza
Sr. Finance Administrator, Surgery
Kash Raza serves as the Senior Financial Administrator for the Department of Surgery. She is responsible for payroll management, financial management of non-sponsored accounts, and aids in the annual budget process.