Current Students

Fifth + Year

Katie Augspurger

Katie Augspurger

she/her

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
BS, Biochemistry

PI: Abigail Buchwalter, Barbara Panning

Research summary: Understanding the role and regulation of sex-specific variation in Lamin A

Varun Bhadkamkar

Varun Bhadkamkar

Williams College
BA, Chemistry

PI: Shaeri Mukherjee

Research summary: Understanding pan-Ras family small GTPase ubiquitination during Legionella infection

Derek Bogdanoff

Derek Bogdanoff

University of British Columbia
BS, Microbiology & Immunology

PI: Tom Nowakowski

Research summary: Technology Design and Development

Gabi Canales

Gabi Canales

University of Maryland Baltimore County
BS, Biological Sciences

PI: Jeremy Reiter

Research summary: Studying the mechanism of activation and function of MC4R at the primary cilia

Chris Carlson

Chris Carlson

University of California, San Diego
BS, Biochemistry and Cell Biology

PI: David Morgan

Research summary: Activation of the Anaphase Promoting Complex

Pervin Choksi

Pervin Choksi

University of Western Australia
BS, Biomedical Science

PI: Holger Willenbring

Research summary: Manipulating oval cells to restore liver function in alcoholic hepatitis patients

Megan Chong

Megan Chong

she/her

Bowdoin College
BA, Biology

PI: Sophie Dumont

Research summary: Detecting errors in chromosome attachment to ensure mitotic fidelity

Amanda Chung

Amanda Chung

She/her/hers

Western New England College
BS, Biology, Forensic Biology

PI: Luke Gilbert, Barbara Panning

Research summary: TET enzymes regulation and their roles in gene regulation

Daniel Conrad

Daniel Conrad

he/him

University of California, Santa Barbara
BS, Cell & Developmental Biology

PI: Zev Gartner

Research summary: Single-Cell Sequencing Technology Development

Lorenzo Del Castillo

Lorenzo Del Castillo

California State University, Northridge
BS, Cell and Molecular Biology

PI: Jeremy Reiter

Research summary: I am using optogenetic tools in cells to manipulate hedgehog signaling and look at pathway dynamics in different developmental systems.

Francesca Del Frate

Francesca Del Frate

she/her/hers

Harvard University
AB, Molecular and Cellular Biology

PI: Sandy Johnson

Research summary: Regulation of Mating in Yeast as Model for transcriptional regulation in eukaryotes

Roberto Efraín Diaz

Roberto Efraín Diaz

he/él

University of Miami
BS, Neuroscience

PI: James Fraser

Research summary: Studying the pH-dependent activity of mammalian chitinases using structural biology and enzymology

Ulises Diaz

Ulises Diaz

San Francisco State University
BS, Cell and Molecular Biology

PI: Wallace Marshall

Research summary: Organelle scaling and regulation in giant unicellular organisms.

Veronica Escalante

Veronica Escalante

University of Texas at El Paso
BS, Cellular and Molecular Biochemistry

PI: Peter Turnbaugh

Research summary: Understanding the effects of statin drugs on members of the human gut microbiome

Gabriella Estevam

Gabriella Estevam

she/her

University of California, Santa Cruz
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

PI: James Fraser

Research summary: Structural biology of kinases, RTK autoregulation and inhibitor sensitivity

Jason Garcia

Jason Garcia

He/Him/His

San Francisco State University
BS, Biology, Biology, Cell and Molecular Biology

PI: Su Guo

Research summary: Investigating the polarization and function of Par3 during asymmetric cell division in radial glia neural stem cells

Haley Gause

Haley Gause

she/her/hers

California State University, Long Beach
BS, Microbiology

PI: Sandy Johnson

Research summary: Mechanisms behind Candida and Bacterial Interactions in the Gut Microbiome

Wei Gordon

Wei Gordon

she/her

University of California, San Diego
BS, General Biology/Marine Sciences

PI: Nadav Ahituv

Research summary: Functional Examination of Genetic Elements Involved in Dietary Specializations

Muryam Gourdet

Muryam Gourdet

San Francisco State University, Holy Names College
MS, BA, Cell and Molecular, Biological Sciences

PI: Geeta Narlikar

Research summary: Understand the how domains of INO80-C and SWR-C regulate their chromatin remodeling function,

Lana Harshman

Lana Harshman

she/her/hers

University of Washington
BS, Biology

PI: Nadav Ahituv

Research summary: Exploring how non-coding regulatory elements and 3D genome structure have contributed to modern human evolution

Sarah Heater

Sarah Heater

University of Washington
BS, Biology:Physiology and Spanish

PI: Anita Sil

Research summary: Elucidate the Mechanism of Temperature Sensing in a Thermally Dimorphic Fungi through Investigating the Candidate Thermosensor Msb2

Benjamin Herken

Benjamin Herken

Lewis and Clark College
BA, Biochemistry/Molecular Biology

PI: Luke Gilbert

Evelyn Hernandez

Evelyn Hernandez

she/her/hers

University of California, Los Angeles
BS, Biochemistry

PI: Roshanak Irannejad

Research summary: Regulation of intracellular signaling of Beta-1 adrenergic receptors

Clara Herrera

Clara Herrera

she/her

Reed College
BA, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

PI: Joanne Engel

Research summary: I will be characterizing the predicted interaction between C. trachomatis protein CT224 and a human E3 ubiquitin ligase as well conducting a ubiquitination screen in chlamydia-infected cells.

Dana Kennedy

Dana Kennedy

San Francisco State University
BS, Biochemistry

PI: Bassem Al-Sady

Research summary: Understanding the mechanisms underlying heterochromatin formation and maintenance using biochemistry and biophysical techniques

Lili Kim

Lili Kim

She/Her

University of Wisconsin-Madison
BS, Biochemistry

PI: Carol Gross

Research summary: Surveying the Phenotypic Landscape of Bacillus subtilis

Matthew Kim

Matthew Kim

University of California, Berkeley
BA, Molecular and Cell Biology

PI: Hana El-Samad

Research summary: Degron mediated proteolysis for synthetic T cell engineering and regulation

Victor Lam

Victor Lam

University of Texas-Austin
BS, Biology Honors

PI: John Gross

Research summary: Interaction and evolution of HIV1 Vif with human antiviral APOBEC3G

Jose Liboy

Jose Liboy

He/Him/His

University Of Puerto Rico Mayaguez
BS, Industrial Biotechnology

PI: Stephen Floor

Research summary: I am currently studying the role of G3BP stress granules in mRNA translation regulation and cell adaptation to exogenous stress.

Adam Longhurst

Adam Longhurst

He/Him/His

University of California Santa Cruz
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

PI: David Toczyski

Research summary: Epigenetic Regulation of G1 Progression

Jocelyne Lopez

Jocelyne Lopez

She/Her/ Hers

University of California, Irvine
BS, Biological Sciences

PI: Frank McCormick

Research summary: Investigating novel roles and regulation of SPRED2 in RAS/MAPK signaling

Harold Marin

Harold Marin

He/Him

University of California, Davis
BS, Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

PI: Abigail Buchwalter

Research summary: H3K9me2 heterochromatin tethering to the nuclear periphery in mammals

Gregory Mohl

Gregory Mohl

he/him

Brigham Young University
BS, Microbiology

PI: Martin Kampmann

Research summary: Elucidating the Mechanisms Controlling Toxicity of Protein Aggregation in Neurons

Thomas Moss

Thomas Moss

University of Virginia
BS, Biology

PI: Shaeri Mukherjee

Research summary: Mechanistic investigation into translational abrogation by Hsc70 phosphorylation

Elise Munoz

Elise Munoz

she/her

University of Arizona
BS, Biochemistry, Applied Math, Mol and Cell Biology

PI: Geeta Narlikar

Research summary: Elucidating the role of Rvb1/Rvb2 ATPases in chromatin remodeling complexes

Henry Ng

Henry Ng

he/him/they/them

State University of New York at Stony Brook
BS, Biology

PI: David Morgan

Research summary: Cyclin B phospho-binding pocket is required for multisite phosphorylation of Cdk substrates

Eliza Nieweglowska

Eliza Nieweglowska

University of Chicago
BS, Biochemistry and Chemistry

PI: David Agard

Research summary: Elucidating the Mechanisms Driving the Assembly of a Nucleus-like Bacteriophage Compartment

Chari Noddings

Chari Noddings

she/her/hers

University of Texas-Austin
BS, Cell and Molecular Biology

PI: David Agard

Research summary: Mechanistic understanding of how the molecular chaperone Hsp90 activates the glucocorticoid receptor

Carlos Nowotny

Carlos Nowotny

San Diego State University
BS, Chemistry Biochemistry

PI: David Agard

Research summary: A Mechanistic understanding of Hsp90-mediated kinase degradation

Jesslyn Park

Jesslyn Park

she/her

Winthrop University
BS, Chemistry

PI: Stephen Floor

Research summary: Elucidating the role of stress granule scaffold proteins in cellular viability

Natasha Puri

Natasha Puri

University of California, Berkeley
BA, Integrative Biology

PI: Roshanak Irannejad

Research summary: Compartmentalized signaling of dopamine receptor

Manuela Richter

Manuela Richter

she/her

Stanford University
BS, Biology

PI: Sophie Dumont

Research summary: Length Regulation in the Mitotic Spindle

Rosa Rodriguez

Rosa Rodriguez

University of California, Berkeley
BA, Molecular and Cell Biology

PI: Anita Sil

Research summary: Exploring how a family of small-secreted effectors manipulates macrophages during Histoplasma capsulatum infection

Mashel Fatema Saifuddin

Mashel Fatema Saifuddin

University of Texas-Austin, Natl Univ of Singapore
BS, Biochemistry, Exchange Program

PI: Noelle L'Etoile

Research summary: Memory Consolidation, Maintenance and Recall in C. Elegans

Hayden Saunders

Hayden Saunders

he/him/his

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
BS, Biology BS

PI: Geeta Narlikar

Research summary: Nucleosome conformational dynamics

Reuben Saunders

Reuben Saunders

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
BS, Chemistry

PI: Jonathan Weissman

Research summary: Improving phenotype quality in functional genomic screens.

Janine Sengstack

Janine Sengstack

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
BS, Biological Sciences, Cell and Molecular Focus

PI: Hao Li

Research summary: Cellular Aging and Rejuvenation

Eric Simental

Eric Simental

University of Arizona
BS, Biochemistry/Molecular and Cellular Biology

PI: Barbara Panning, Bassem Al-Sady

Research summary: Designing a heterochromatin spreading sensor

Sushil Sobti

Sushil Sobti

University of Missouri-Columbia
BS, Chemistry

PI: Hani Goodarzi

Research summary: Sources and role of noise in gene expression

Adriana Steinbach

Adriana Steinbach

She, her, hers

University of Chicago
BS, Biological Chemistry

PI: Shaeri Mukherjee

Research summary: Investigating the mechanism of lysosomal fusion evasion during Legionella pneumophila infection

Luke Strauskulage

Luke Strauskulage

Syracuse University
BS, Biotechnology

PI: Barbara Panning

Research summary: Differential regulation of TET enzymes by OGT during development

Seesha Takagishi

Seesha Takagishi

she/her/hers

University of Washington, Northwestern U Sch Contng Stud
BS, Certificate of Completion, Biochemistry, Programming

PI: Hana El-Samad

Research summary: Optogenetic method to investigate transcription factor signaling in mammalian cells

Nia Teerikorpi

Nia Teerikorpi

University of California, Berkeley
BA, Molecular and Cellular Biology - Biochemistry II

PI: Jeremy Willsey

Research summary: Characterization of the Neurodevelopmental DNA Regulatory Pathways Underlying ASD

Chris Waters

Chris Waters

he/him/his

University of Massachusetts Amherst
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

PI: Lani Wu, Steven Altschuler

Research summary: Understanding emergent behaviors in mitophagy

Natalie Whitis

Natalie Whitis

she/her

Iowa State University of Science and Technology
BS, Biophysics

PI: David Agard

Research summary: Understanding host-pathogen interactions at the molecular level.

Connie Yan

Connie Yan

University of Washington
BAS, Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology

PI: Wallace Marshall

Research summary: Role of Sfi1 proteins in Stentor regeneration

Fourth Year

Liz Bond

Liz Bond

She/her/her

University of Massachusetts Amherst
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

PI: Allison Williams

Tim Casey-Clyde

Tim Casey-Clyde

University of California, Davis
BS, Cell Biology

PI: David Raleigh

Research summary: Epigenetic regulation of Schwann cell differentiation and schwannoma tumorigenesis.

Nathan Cho

Nathan Cho

he/him

Stanford University
BS, Biology with Honors

PI: Sophie Dumont

Research summary: Defining the mechanisms by which NuMA drives spindle mechanical robustness

Jocelyne Fadiga

Jocelyne Fadiga

University of California, Merced
BS, Chemical Sciences

PI: Orion Weiner

Research summary: Mechanisms of polarity and substrate topology integration during neutrophil migration

Kelsey Hennick

Kelsey Hennick

University of California, Davis
BS, Genetics

PI: Tom Nowakowski

Research summary: cortical development

Fredrick Leon

Fredrick Leon

he/him/his

Emory University
BS, Biology

PI: David Booth

Research summary: The influence of iron on cell differentiation and nutrient sharing in the closest living relatives of animals

Jessica Mella

Jessica Mella

University of Utah
BS, Biology

PI: Abigail Buchwalter

Research summary: The sorting of emerin protein between the nuclear envelope and the secretory pathway

Anna Morrison

Anna Morrison

She/her/hers

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
BS, Cellular and Molecular Biology

PI: Anita Sil

Research summary: Investigating the molecular mechanisms that underlie temperature response in Histoplasma capsulatum

Ali Palla

Ali Palla

University of California, Berkeley
BS, Chemical Biolody

PI: Danica Galonic Fujimori

Research summary: Investigating the mechanisms and functions of histone modifier KDM5A beyond the histone H3 tail

Nathan Rossen

Nathan Rossen

Macalester College
BA, Biology

PI: David Julius

Research summary: Physiology and pathophysiology of enterochromaffin cells

Frederick Santana

Frederick Santana

he/him/his

San Francisco State University
MS, Cell and Molecular Biology
BS, Biology (Microbiology)

PI: Natalia Jura

Research summary: Pseudokinase regulation of Akt-mTOR signaling and its implication in malignant melanoma

Jasmine Sims

Jasmine Sims

San Francisco State University
MS, Cell and Molecular Biology
BS, Biochemistry

PI: Nadav Ahituv

Research summary: studying candidate pathogenic sequences recurrent in cancer.

Brian Wysolmerski

Cambridge University
M PHIL, Genetics
Pomona College
BA, Biology

PI: Mark Von Zastrow

Research summary: Subcellular trafficking of the heterotrimeric G protein, Gs, after activation by GPCRs

Jenny Zhang

Jenny Zhang

She/Her/Hers

University of California, Berkeley
BA, Molecular Cellular Biology

PI: Sandy Johnson

Research summary: Molecular components that mediate Candida-Pseudomonas antagonism.

Third Year

Trase Aguigam

Trase Aguigam

He/Him

University of California, Los Angeles
BS, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology

PI: John Gross

Research summary: mRNA decapping and chromatin structure and function

Camila Benitez

Camila Benitez

University of California, Berkeley
BA, Molecular and Cell Biology emphasis in neuroscienc

PI: Aimee Kao

Research summary: How TSC1 haploinsufficiency leads to the specific accumulation of Tau

Zach Cogan

Zach Cogan

University of California, Santa Barbara
BA, Biology

PI: Peter Walter

Brandon Courteau

Brandon Courteau

University of Rochester
BS, Biological Sciences - Biochemistry

PI: Natalia Jura, Kliment Verba

Research summary: Structural studies of oligomeric states of HER receptors

Addie Dwyer (Cady)

Addie Dwyer (Cady)

Duke University
BS, Biology

PI: David Raleigh

Research summary: Molecular mechanisms that drive meningioma pathology

Carla Espinoza

Carla Espinoza

she/her

University of California, San Diego
BS, Biochemistry and Cell Biology

PI: Natalia Jura

Research summary: Investigating structure and signal activation of proto-oncogene RON receptor with it's ligand, Macrophage Stimulating Protein (MSP).

Alex Hong

Alex Hong

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
BS, Biology

PI: Joseph Bondy-Denomy

Research summary: Characterizing P. aeruginosa antiphage defense systems – Gabija and "ImmunoX" – particularly how their putative proteins target infecting phage DNA and the regulatory mechanisms behind these systems.

Claire Kokontis

Claire Kokontis

she/her/hers

University of Chicago
BS, Biology

PI: Joseph Bondy-Denomy

Research summary: Mechanisms of a bacteriophage-encoded protective "nucleus-like" structure and anti-CRISPR proteins

Armando Martinez

Armando Martinez

San Jose State University
BS, Molecular Biology

PI: Frank McCormick

Research summary: Investigating SOS1 two distinct RAS binding sites: a catalytic site and an additional allosteric RAS binding site

Melissa Mendez

Melissa Mendez

she/her

Univ of London-King's College London
BSC, Biochemistry

PI: Peter Walter

Research summary: A novel role for the ER HSP70 in proteotasis via a nucleotide-independent interaction with the UPR sensor IRE1⍺

Kim Meneses

Kim Meneses

University of California, Los Angeles
BS, Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics

PI: Zev Gartner

Research summary: The role of basement membrane on the structural niche of insulinlow beta cells in pancreatic islets

Camille Moore

Camille Moore

University of California, Berkeley
BA, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

PI: Vijay Ramani, Geeta Narlikar

Research summary: Investigating the structure of heterochromatic domains using a minimal in vitro system and high throughput sequencing

CJ San Felipe

CJ San Felipe

he/him/his

University of California, Berkeley
BA, Molecular and Cell Biology

PI: James Fraser

Research summary: Developing SARS-CoV-2 antiviral therapeutics targeting Tom70-Orf9b.

CJ Sarabia

CJ Sarabia

He/Him/His

University of California, Santa Cruz
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

PI: Roshanak Irannejad

Research summary: Investigation of cAMP signaling specificity from intracellular membrane compartments

LauraAnn Schmidberger

LauraAnn Schmidberger

She/ her/ hers

Denison University
BS, Biology

PI: David Booth

Research summary: Studying choanoflagellate genes to understand early evolution

Steve or Steven Sun

Steve or Steven Sun

He/His/Him

San Francisco State University
MS, Cell and Molecular Biology
BS, Cell and Molecular Biology

PI: Ryan Hernandez

Research summary: impact of associative overdominance on nucleotide diversity and the site frequency spectrum

Vanna Tran

Vanna Tran

Southwestern University
BS, Biology

PI: Sophie Dumont

Research summary: Defining the physical and molecular basis of mammalian kinetochore structural maintenance under force

Alexis Villani

Alexis Villani

she/her/hers

University of California, Irvine
BS, Microbiology and Immunology

PI: Joseph Bondy-Denomy

Research summary: Temperature-induced inactivation of bacterial immune systems

Second Year

Kenya Bonitto

Kenya Bonitto

she/her/hers

University of California, Los Angeles
BS, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology

PI: Davide Ruggero

Research summary: Exploring the functions of non-canonical translation factors and understanding how cancer cells control translational machinery.

Emmy Delaney

Emmy Delaney

she/her

University of California, Davis
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Camille Derderian

Camille Derderian

she/her

CUNY Hunter College
BA, Psychology

PI: Jeremy Reiter

Research summary: Studying protein localization, function, and interaction at the ciliary base, and investigating cellular processes triggered by ciliary signaling

Eli Dugan

Eli Dugan

University of California, Berkeley
BA, Molecular Cell Biology

PI: Alex Marson

Chloe Ghent

Chloe Ghent

She/her

University of California, Berkeley
BA, Molecular and Cell Biology

PI: Danica Galonic Fujimori

Research summary: Investigating the regulation of antibiotic resistance in bacteria

Matthew Howard

Matthew Howard

he/him/his

Washington University
AB, Biology & Chemistry: Concentration in Biochemistry

PI: Aashish Manglik, Willow Coyote-Maestas

Research summary: Development of high-throughput genetic screening platforms to study GPCR function, evolution, and pharmacology

Philipp Huettemann

Philipp Huettemann

he/him/his

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
BS, Biochemistry

PI: Tanja Kortemme

Research summary: Designing de novo signaling systems

Julia Kim

Julia Kim

She/Her

Smith College
BA, Biochemistry

Tracy Knight

Tracy Knight

she/her

Brown University
BS, Cell and Molecular Biology

PI: Abigail Buchwalter

Research summary: Determining the regulatory role of nuclear membrane protein emerin in Wnt-mediated B-catenin signaling in cardiomyocytes

Jennifer Le

Jennifer Le

she/her

University of California, Riverside
BS, Biochemistry

PI: Zev Gartner

Deepa Rajan

Deepa Rajan

she/her/hers

Vanderbilt University
BA, Neuroscience

PI: Wallace Marshall, Adam Frost

Research summary: Origins of Intelligence

David Sanchez Godinez

David Sanchez Godinez

he/him

University of California, Santa Cruz
BS, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

PI: Orion Weiner

Research summary: Dissecting establishment of coordination during tissue unjamming events

Gabriel Viramontes

Gabriel Viramontes

University of California, Merced
BS, Biology: Emphasis in Ecology and Evolution

PI: David Booth

Taylor Watanabe

Taylor Watanabe

she/her

Whittier College
BA, Biology

PI: Daniel Mordes

Caroline Wilson

Caroline Wilson

she/her

Colby College
BA, Biology: Concentration in Neuroscience

PI: Luke Gilbert

Research summary: Evaluating functional DNA methylation using CRISPR-based epigenetic editors

First Year

Kathleen Adams-Boone

Kathleen Adams-Boone

Michigan State University
BS, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology/Biotechnology

Rio Barrere-Cain

Rio Barrere-Cain

she/her

University of California, Los Angeles
Human Biology

PI: Tiffany Scharschmidt

Research summary: Epigenetic regulation of T cell plasticity

Miranda Cabanski-Dunning

Miranda Cabanski-Dunning

University of California, Davis
BS, Cell Biology

Karina Cedeno

Karina Cedeno

University of Utah
BS, Biology

Aaron Corin

Aaron Corin

he/him/his

Brandeis University
BS, Biochemistry, Biology

Amelie Delcourt

Amelie Delcourt

University of California, Los Angeles
BS, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology

Micah Fernando

Micah Fernando

He/Him/His

Grand Valley State University
BS, Biochemistry

Ruth Groza

Ruth Groza

University of Washington
BS, Biochemistry

Abby Hein

Abby Hein

she/her

University of Colorado at Boulder
BA, Biochemistry

Abe Horrillo

Abe Horrillo

he/him/his

University of California, Los Angeles
BS, Molecular, Cell, Developmental Biology

Haiming Hu

Haiming Hu

University of California, San Diego
BS, Chemical Engineering

Rachel Jones

Rachel Jones

University of Utah
BS, Cell and Molecular Biology

Hannah Kortbawi

Hannah Kortbawi

she/her

Santa Clara University
Biology

PI: Joseph DeRisi

Jimin Lee

Jimin Lee

Korea Advanced Inst of Sci and Tech
MS, Chemistry
KOREA UNIV - SEOUL
BS, Life Sciences

Jodi Lee

Jodi Lee

University of California, Santa Cruz
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Gabriella Maldonado

Gabriella Maldonado

Northeastern University
BS, Biochemistry

Macey Slota (fmr Crow)

Macey Slota (fmr Crow)

she/her/hers

Other
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Cole Tharp

Cole Tharp

Iowa State University of Science and Technology
BS, Biochemistry

Alex Vu

Alex Vu

University of Southern California
BS, Biochemistry

Keith Walcott

Keith Walcott

University of California, Santa Cruz
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Yuanchen Zhang

Yuanchen Zhang

Tufts University
BS, Biology & Clinical Psychology