Fifth + Year
Benjamin Barsi-Rhyne
San Jose State University
BS, Biology / Systems Physiology
PI: Mark Von Zastrow
Lab Rotations: Mark Von Zastrow, Jonathan Weissman, Bo Huang
Research summary: Control of GPCR trafficking and signaling by β-arrestins
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: Honorable Mention NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellow
Varun Bhadkamkar
Williams College
BA, Chemistry
PI: Shaeri Mukherjee
Lab Rotations: Joseph Bondy-Denomy, Shaeri Mukherjee, Roshanak Irannejad
Research summary: Evaluating manipulation of host cell membrane trafficking by Legionella pneumophila
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: 2019 UCSF Moritz-Heyman Discovery Fellow
Gabriela Canales
University of Maryland Baltimore County
BS, Biological Sciences
PI: Jeremy Reiter
Lab Rotations: Barbara Panning, Jeremy Reiter, Seemay Chou
Research summary: Studying the mechanism of activation and function of MC4R at the primary cilia
Christopher Carlson
University of California, San Diego
BS, Biochemistry and Cell Biology
PI: David Morgan
Lab Rotations: David Morgan, Oren Rosenberg, Geeta Narlikar
Research summary: Activation of the Anaphase Promoting Complex
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF GRFP honorable mention
Pervinder Choksi
University of Western Australia
BS, Biomedical Science
PI: Holger Willenbring
Lab Rotations: Benoit Bruneau, Deepak Srivastava, Melanie Ott, Holly Ingraham, Holger Willenbring
Research summary: Manipulating oval cells to restore liver function in alcoholic hepatitis patients
Amanda Chung
She/her/hers
Western New England College
BS, Biology, Forensic Biology
PI: Luke Gilbert, Barbara Panning
Lab Rotations: Hiten Madhani, Luke Gilbert, Barbara Panning
Research summary: TET enzymes regulation and their roles in gene regulation
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program: Awarded 2019, Honorable Mention 2016 and 2017
Allison Cohen
Barnard College
BA, Biological Sciences
PI: Anita Sil
Lab Rotations: Shaeri Mukherjee, Bassem Al-Sady, Orion Weiner, Anita Sil, Shaeri Mukherjee
Research summary: Investigating how Histoplasma capsulatum subverts host macrophages
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF GRFP (awarded April 2015)
Daniel Conrad
he/him
University of California, Santa Barbara
BS, Cell & Developmental Biology
PI: Zev Gartner
Lab Rotations: Dyche Mullins, Graeme Davis, Zev Gartner
Research summary: Single-Cell Sequencing Technology Development
Antonio Cuevas Navarro
He/Him
University of California, Davis
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
PI: Frank McCormick
Lab Rotations: Natalia Jura, Frank McCormick, Sy Redding
Research summary: Investigating the molecular determinants of RIT1-mediated oncogenicity
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF GRFP (awarded 2017)
NIH NRSA F31 (awarded 2021)
Francesca Del Frate
Harvard University
AB, Molecular and Cellular Biology
PI: Alexander (Sandy) Johnson
Roberto Efrain Diaz
he/él
University of Miami
BS, Neuroscience
PI: James Fraser
Lab Rotations: Peter Walter, James Fraser, Jason Gestwicki, Sy Redding
Research summary: Studying the pH-dependent activity of mammalian chitinases using structural biology and enzymology
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: Dean's Award for Excellence in Mentoring for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars. 2021
Dean's Award for Excellence in Mentoring for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars Honorable Mention. 2020
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Gilliam Fellow. 2019-2022
Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship Honorable Mention. 2019
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. 2018-2023
Ulises Diaz
San Francisco State University
BS, Cell and Molecular Biology
PI: Wallace Marshall
Lab Rotations: Wallace Marshall, Patrick O'Farrell, Jeremy Reiter
Research summary: Organelle scaling and regulation in giant unicellular organisms.
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: HHMI Gilliam Fellow 2020
Veronica Escalante
University of Texas at El Paso
BS, Cellular and Molecular Biochemistry
PI: Peter Turnbaugh
Lab Rotations: Shaeri Mukherjee, Joseph Bondy-Denomy, Peter Walter, Peter Turnbaugh
Research summary: Understanding the effects of statin drugs on members of the human gut microbiome
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: 1. National Institute for General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) fellowship at UCSF -Awarded 2016
2. National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship -Awarded 2017
Gabriella Estevam
she/her
University of California, Santa Cruz
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
PI: James Fraser
Lab Rotations: David Morgan, Danica Galonic Fujimori, Fred Chang
Research summary: Structural biology of kinases, RTK autoregulation and inhibitor sensitivity
Kyle Fowler
He/Him
Western Washington University
BS, Biology, Cellular and Molecular Biology
PI: Alexander (Sandy) Johnson
Lab Rotations: Alexander (Sandy) Johnson, Shawn Douglas, Hana El-Samad
Research summary: Genetically encoded translational ambiguity facilitates protein evolution
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, 2015
UCSF Discovery Fellowship, 2016
Tetrad TA Award of Excellence, 2017
Julius R. and Patricia A. Krevans Fellowship, 2018
Valentina Garcia
Swarthmore College
BA, Biology
PI: Joseph DeRisi
Lab Rotations: Michael McManus, Joseph DeRisi, Adam Frost
Research summary: Translation Regulation in P. Falciparum
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program, Honorable Mention, 2016
Muryam Gourdet
San Francisco State University, Holy Names College
MS, BA, Cell and Molecular, Biological Sciences
PI: Geeta Narlikar
Lab Rotations: Jeremy Reiter, Melanie Ott, Geeta Narlikar
Research summary: Understand the how domains of INO80-C and SWR-C regulate their chromatin remodeling function,
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: UCSF Moritz-Heyman Discovery Fellow
NIGMS NIH F31 Fellowship
Dean's Award for Excellence in Mentoring
Kelsey Haas
University of Washington
BS, Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology
PI: Nevan Krogan
Lab Rotations: Keith Yamamoto, Nevan Krogan, Steven Altschuler, Lani Wu
Research summary: Systematic proteomic and genetic analyses of influenza A viruses to identify gene targets and drugs for host-directed therapies
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Awardee, National Science Foundation, 9/2016 - 6/2019
Graduate Student Award of Excellence in Science, J David Gladstone Institutes, 9/2018
TA Award of Excellence, UCSF Tetrad Program, 9/2017
Embed Exchange Program Awardee, NIH NIAID U19 FluOMICS, 8/2017
Lana Harshman
she/her/hers
University of Washington
BS, Biology
PI: Nadav Ahituv
Lab Rotations: Su Guo, Nadav Ahituv, Yin Shen
Research summary: Exploring how non-coding regulatory elements and 3D genome structure have contributed to modern human evolution
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NHGRI Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral F31 Fellowship - Awarded 2020
Nairi Hartooni
University of California, Berkeley
BS, Molecular Toxicology; Molecular Environmental Biology (Environment & Human Health)
PI: David Morgan
Lab Rotations: Orion Weiner, Dyche Mullins, David Morgan
Research summary: Single-molecule analysis of substrate interactions with the Anaphase-Promoting Complex
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: Discovery Fellows Program - Awarded 2016
Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans - Awarded 2016
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship - Awarded 2016
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship - Honorable Mention (2015)
Benjamin Herken
Lewis and Clark College
BA, Biochemistry/Molecular Biology
PI: Luke Gilbert
Clara Herrera
she/her
Reed College
BA, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
PI: Joanne Engel
Lab Rotations: Natalia Jura, Sophie Dumont, Orion Weiner, 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.
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: UCSF I-Micro training grant (2019)
UCSF Discovery Fellowship (2019)
UCSF I-Micro training grant (2020)
NIH F31 Predoctoral Fellowship (2021)
Conor Howard
UC Berkeley
BA, Molecular and Cell Biology
PI: Adam Frost
Lab Rotations: Alexander (Sandy) Johnson, Adam Frost, David Weinberg
Research summary: Mechanistic insight into quality control of protein translation
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: Hillblom Graduate Research Fellowship;
Genentech Graduate Fellowship
Dana Kennedy
San Francisco State University
BS, Biochemistry
PI: Bassem Al-Sady
Lab Rotations: Bjoern Schwer, Danica Galonic Fujimori, Barbara Panning, Bassem Al-Sady
Research summary: Understanding the mechanisms underlying heterochromatin formation and maintenance using biochemistry and biophysical techniques
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: 1. 2017 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program recipient
2. 2017 National Institute for General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) fellowship at UCSF
Victor Lam
University of Texas-Austin
BS, Biology Honors
PI: John Gross
Lab Rotations: David Toczyski, Melanie Ott, John Gross
Research summary: Interaction and evolution of HIV1 Vif with human antiviral APOBEC3G
Matthew Laurie
University of Washington
BS, Biochemistry; Neurobiology
PI: Joseph DeRisi
Lab Rotations: Martin Kampmann, Zev Gartner, Joseph DeRisi
Research summary: Investigating the mechanisms of action of compounds with novel anti-flavivirus activity
Adam Longhurst
He/Him/His
University of California Santa Cruz
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
PI: David Toczyski
Lab Rotations: Geeta Narlikar, Peter Turnbaugh, Martin Kampmann, Peter Walter, David Toczyski
Research summary: Epigenetic Regulation of G1 Progression
ClaireIsabel Lorenzo
University of California, Davis
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
PI: Frank McCormick
Lab Rotations: Luke Gilbert, Frank McCormick, Roshanak Irannejad
Research summary: c-Kit mediated regulation of Spred1/Neurofibromin binding
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program - Honorable mention (2018)
Rebecca McGillivary
she/her
University of California, Los Angeles
BS, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology
PI: Wallace Marshall
Lab Rotations: Orion Weiner, Wallace Marshall, Peter Walter
Research summary: Nuclear shape change in Stentor coeruleus
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF GRFP Honorable Mention 2017
Tetrad TA Award 2016-2017
Elise Munoz
she/her
University of Arizona
BS, Biochemistry, Applied Math, Mol and Cell Biology
PI: Geeta Narlikar
Lab Rotations: Martin Kampmann, Aimee Kao, Geeta Narlikar
Research summary: Elucidating the role of Rvb1/Rvb2 ATPases in chromatin remodeling complexes
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NIGMS F31 Predoctoral Fellowship (2021)
HHMI Gilliam Fellowship Finalist (2019)
National Science Foundation GRFP Honorable Mention (2018)
Henry Ng
he/him/his
State University of New York at Stony Brook
BS, Biology
PI: David Morgan
Lab Rotations: Barbara Panning, Bassem Al-Sady, Geeta Narlikar
Research summary: Regulating Mechanism of Cohesin Cleavage During Cell Division
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF GRFP
Eliza Nieweglowska
University of Chicago
BS, Biochemistry and Chemistry
PI: David Agard
Lab Rotations: Geeta Narlikar, Alexander (Sandy) Johnson, David Agard, Bassem Al-Sady
Research summary: Elucidating the Mechanisms Driving the Assembly of a Nucleus-like Bacteriophage Compartment
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: 2016 NSF GRFP Honorable Mention
Chari Noddings
she/her/hers
University of Texas-Austin
BS, Cell and Molecular Biology
PI: David Agard
Lab Rotations: Natalia Jura, David Agard, Geeta Narlikar
Research summary: Mechanistic understanding of how the molecular chaperone Hsp90 activates the glucocorticoid receptor
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: National Cancer Institute NIH F31 Fellow
2017 NSF GRFP Honorable Mention
Carlos Nowotny
San Diego State University
BS, Chemistry Biochemistry
PI: David Agard
Lab Rotations: Natalia Jura, Martin Kampmann
Research summary: A Mechanistic understanding of Hsp90-mediated kinase degradation
Joseph Replogle
Pomona College
BA, Molecular Biology
PI: Jonathan Weissman
Lab Rotations: David Weinberg, Jonathan Weissman
Research summary: Genome-scale discovery of genetic dependencies and genetic networks in diverse human cells types by single-cell CRISPR screening
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: French American Foundation for Medical Research and Education Scholarship, 2019
NIH Ruth Kirschstein Predoctoral F31 Fellowship, NINDS, 2019-2020
Efren Reyes
San Diego State University
BS, Biology
PI: Zev Gartner
Lab Rotations: Anita Sil, Jeffery Cox, Guo Huang, Zev Gartner
Research summary: Maintenance of homeostasis in the adult intestine
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: Graduate Fellow
UCSF National Institute for General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Initiative to Maximize Student Development (IMSD) Fellowship Program
September 2014-Present
NSF Fellowship Honorable Mention
April 2015
NSF Fellowship Honorable Mention
April 2016
Manuela Richter
Stanford University
BS, Biology
PI: Sophie Dumont
Lab Rotations: Sophie Dumont, Orion Weiner, Seemay Chou
Research summary: Length Regulation in the Mitotic Spindle
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: GRFP NSF fellow
ARCS scholar
Rosa Rodriguez
University of California, Berkeley
BA, Molecular and Cell Biology
PI: Anita Sil
Lab Rotations: Shaeri Mukherjee, Joanne Engel, Jeremy Reiter, Anita Sil
Research summary: Exploring how a family of small-secreted effectors manipulates macrophages during Histoplasma capsulatum infection
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: IMSD (Initiative for Maximizing Student Development) Fellowship 2015- present
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention 2016
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention 2017
UC Dissertation Year Fellowship 2020
Justin Salat
University of Chicago
BS, Biological Chemistry
PI: Dyche Mullins
Lab Rotations: Adam Frost, Dyche Mullins, David Toczyski
Research summary: The function of nuclear actin filaments during the DNA damage response
Reuben Saunders
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
BS, Chemistry
PI: Jonathan Weissman
Lab Rotations: Jonathan Weissman, Ron Vale, Alexander (Sandy) Johnson
Research summary: Improving phenotype quality in functional genomic screens.
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: Hertz Fellowship in Global Health and Development
Michael Schoof
Stanford University
BS, Biology
PI: Peter Walter
Lab Rotations: Jonathan Weissman, Peter Walter, Saul Villeda
Research summary: Understanding the in vivo regulation of the translation initiation factor eIF2B
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: 2017-18 Matilda Edlund Fellowship
2017-18 NSF GRFP Honorable Mention
Janine Sengstack
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
BS, Biological Sciences, Cell and Molecular Focus
PI: Hao Li
Lab Rotations: Hao Li, Hiten Madhani, Hao Li, Martin Kampmann, Charles Craik
Research summary: Cellular Aging and Rejuvenation
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: Hillblom Graduate Student Fellow 2019-2020
$10,000 funding UCSF CAT Illumina Core Lab Partnership Grant
$30,000 worth of sequencing support from the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub
Eric Simental
University of Arizona
BS, Biochemistry/Molecular and Cellular Biology
PI: Barbara Panning, Bassem Al-Sady
Lab Rotations: Brian Black, Barbara Panning, Bassem Al-Sady, Bo Huang
Research summary: Designing a heterochromatin spreading sensor
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: IMSD Fellowship
Taylor Skokan
he/him/his
Stanford University
BS, Biological Sciences, Biology
PI: Ron Vale
Lab Rotations: Ron Vale, Sophie Dumont, David Morgan, Lani Wu
Research summary: Dissecting the cellular mechanisms of cell sorting and body plan regeneration in Hydra vulgaris.
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: Best Poster Award, UCSF Development & Stem Cell Biology Retreat - 2018; Oral Presentation Award, Cnidarian Model Systems Meeting - 2018; Discovery Fellowship, UCSF - 2018; NSF Graduate Research Fellowship - 2017
Adriana Steinbach
She, her, hers
University of Chicago
BS, Biological Chemistry
PI: Shaeri Mukherjee
Lab Rotations: Ron Vale, Seemay Chou, Shaeri Mukherjee
Research summary: Investigating the mechanism of lysosomal fusion evasion during Legionella pneumophila infection
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: iMicro T32, Hooper Graduate Fellowship
Luke Strauskulage
Syracuse University
BS, Biotechnology
PI: Barbara Panning, Sy Redding
Lab Rotations: Danica Galonic Fujimori, Bassem Al-Sady, Barbara Panning, Sy Redding, Jeremy Reiter
Research summary: Differential regulation of TET enzymes by OGT during development
Sumitra Tatapudy
University of California, Davis
BS, Cell Biology
PI: Todd Nystul
Lab Rotations: Sophie Dumont, Mark Von Zastrow, Todd Nystul, Jennifer Fung
Research summary: Determining the mechanism by which stem cell hypercompetition occurs in the Drosophila follicle stem cell lineage
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF Honorable Mention (2015)
Best TA Award - Cell Biology (2016)
Best Poster Presentation at Center for Reproductive Sciences Retreat (2016)
Fletcher Jones Fellow (2017-2018)
Nia Teerikorpi
University of California, Berkeley
BA, Molecular and Cellular Biology - Biochemistry II
PI: Jeremy Willsey
Lab Rotations: Davide Ruggero, Martin Kampmann, Jeremy Willsey
Research summary: Characterization of the Neurodevelopmental DNA Regulatory Pathways Underlying ASD
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF GRFP 2016, 2017 - Honorable Mention
Autism Speaks Weatherstone Predoctoral Fellowship, 2019 - 2 year fellowship - Awarded
NIH/NIMH NCRCRG & CN Consortium Meeting, 2019 - Sponsored Travel - Awarded
Hannah Toutkoushian
Virginia Tech
BS, Biochemistry
PI: Peter Walter
Lab Rotations: Danica Galonic Fujimori, Weinberg David, Peter Walter
Research summary: Studying the mechanism of alternative translation initiation through eIF2A.
Sara Vazquez
Harvard College
BA, Developmental Biology
PI: Joseph DeRisi, Mark Anderson
Lab Rotations: Peter Turnbaugh, Ajay Chawla
Research summary: Autoantibody discovery by human phage display library
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NIH NIDDK F30 Fellowship
Discovery Fellow, 2019 cohort
Christopher Waters
he/him/his
University of Massachusetts Amherst
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
PI: Lani Wu, Steven Altschuler
Lab Rotations: Joseph Bondy-Denomy, Steven Altschuler, Lani Wu, Rushika Perera
Research summary: Understanding emergent behaviors in mitophagy
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF GRFP (2016)
TA excellence award (2018)
Natalie Whitis
she/her
Iowa State University of Science and Technology
BS, Biophysics
PI: David Agard
Lab Rotations: Oren Rosenberg, Joseph DeRisi, Shaeri Mukherjee
Research summary: Understanding host-pathogen interactions at the molecular level.
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Fourth Year
Katherine Augspurger
she/her
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
BS, Biochemistry
PI: Abigail Buchwalter, Barbara Panning
Lab Rotations: Danica Galonic Fujimori, Luke Gilbert, Abigail Buchwalter, Barbara Panning
Research summary: Understanding the role and regulation of sex-specific variation in Lamin A
Derek Bogdanoff
University of British Columbia
BS, Microbiology & Immunology
PI: Tom Nowakowski
Lab Rotations: Jimmie Ye, Vijay Ramani, Tom Nowakowski
Research summary: Technology Design and Development
Megan Chong
she/her
Bowdoin College
BA, Biology
PI: Sophie Dumont
Lab Rotations: Sophie Dumont, Wallace Marshall, Peter Walter
Research summary: Detecting errors in chromosome attachment to ensure mitotic fidelity
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF GRFP Honorable Mention 2019
UCSF Integrative Program in Complex Biological Sciences Training Grant 2020
NIH Ruth Kirschstein Predoctoral F31 Fellowship, NCI, 2021-2024
Lorenzo Del Castillo
California State University, Northridge
BS, Cell and Molecular Biology
PI: Jeremy Reiter
Lab Rotations: Tom Nowakowski, Todd Nystul, Jeremy Reiter
Research summary: I am using optogenetic tools in cells to manipulate hedgehog signaling and look at pathway dynamics in different developmental systems.
Jason Garcia
He/Him/His
San Francisco State University
BS, Biology, Biology, Cell and Molecular Biology
PI: Su Guo
Lab Rotations: David Raleigh, Roshanak Irannejad, Su Guo, Wallace Marshall
Research summary: Investigating the polarization and function of Par3 during asymmetric cell division in radial glia neural stem cells
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: IMSD Fellowship (2018-2020)
Ford Fellowship Honorable mention (2020 & 2021)
Louise Zeh Fellowship (2020-2021)
Haley Gause
she/her/hers
California State University, Long Beach
BS, Microbiology
PI: Alexander (Sandy) Johnson
Lab Rotations: Leor Weinberger, Anita Sil
Research summary: Candida and the Gut Microbiome
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: Discovery Fellow, MPHD T32 Training Fellow, NSF GRFP Honorable Mention
Wei Gordon
University of California, San Diego
BS, General Biology/Marine Sciences
PI: Nadav Ahituv
Lab Rotations: Nadav Ahituv, Vijay Ramani, Kaveh Ashrafi
Research summary: Functional Examination of Genetic Elements Involved in Dietary Specializations
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF GRFP 2020
Sarah Heater
University of Washington
BS, Biology:Physiology and Spanish
PI: Anita Sil
Lab Rotations: Seemay Chou, Leor Weinberger, Anita Sil
Research summary: Elucidate the Mechanism of Temperature Sensing in a Thermally Dimorphic Fungi through Investigating the Candidate Thermosensor Msb2
Evelyn Hernandez
she/her/hers
University of California, Los Angeles
BS, Biochemistry
PI: Roshanak Irannejad
Lab Rotations: Natalia Jura, David Agard, Roshanak Irannejad
Research summary: Regulation of intracellular signaling of Beta-1 adrenergic receptors
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: -Ford Foundation Fellowship
-NSF Honorable Mention
-Moritz-Heyman Discovery Fellowship
Lili Kim
She/Her
University of Wisconsin-Madison
BS, Biochemistry
PI: Carol Gross
Lab Rotations: Alexander (Sandy) Johnson, Shaeri Mukherjee, Oren Rosenberg
Research summary: Surveying the Phenotypic Landscape of Bacillus subtilis
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: 2018 NSF GRFP - Honorable Mention
Matthew Kim
University of California, Berkeley
BA, Molecular and Cell Biology
PI: Hana El-Samad
Lab Rotations: Ron Vale, Hana El-Samad, Kole Roybal
Research summary: Degron mediated proteolysis for synthetic T cell engineering and regulation
Jose Liboy
He/Him/His
University Of Puerto Rico Mayaguez
BS, Industrial Biotechnology
PI: Stephen Floor
Lab Rotations: Geeta Narlikar, Stephen Floor, Luke Gilbert, Natalia Jura, Hani Goodarzi
Research summary: I am currently studying the role of G3BP stress granules in mRNA translation regulation and cell adaptation to exogenous stress.
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: 2018 – 2020: The National Institute for General Medical Sciences Initiative for Maximizing Student Development Fellowship
2020 – present: UCSF Discovery Fellowship
2021 - present: NRSA Predoctoral F31 Fellowship
Jocelyne Lopez
She/Her/ Hers
University of California, Irvine
BS, Biological Sciences
PI: Frank McCormick
Lab Rotations: Natalia Jura, Luke Gilbert, Geeta Narlikar, Frank McCormick
Research summary: Investigating novel roles and regulation of SPRED2 in RAS/MAPK signaling
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: IMSD fellowship recipient (2018-2020)
Discovery Fellowship (2020)
Harold Marin
He/Him
University of California, Davis
BS, Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
PI: Abigail Buchwalter
Lab Rotations: Alexander (Sandy) Johnson, Barbara Panning, Abigail Buchwalter
Research summary: Molecular mechanisms of tethering peripheral heterochromatin
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: Discovery Fellowship -- 2020
Honorable mention in Ford Foundation Pre-doctoral Fellowship -- 2021
Gregory Mohl
he/him
Brigham Young University
BS, Microbiology
PI: Martin Kampmann
Lab Rotations: David Agard, Orion Weiner, Martin Kampmann
Research summary: Elucidating the Mechanisms Controlling Toxicity of Protein Aggregation in Neurons
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF Honorable Mention
Thomas Moss
University of Virginia
BS, Biology
PI: Shaeri Mukherjee
Lab Rotations: Hani Goodarzi, Martin Kampmann, Shaeri Mukherjee
Research summary: Mechanistic investigation into translational abrogation by Hsc70 phosphorylation
Jesslyn Park
she/her
Winthrop University
BS, Chemistry
PI: Stephen Floor
Lab Rotations: Stephen Floor, Hana El-Samad, James Fraser
Research summary: Elucidating the role of stress granule scaffold proteins in cellular viability
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: -2021 NASEM Ford Foundation Fellowship Honorable Mention
-2020 NSF GRFP Honorable Mention
Natasha Puri
University of California, Berkeley
BA, Integrative Biology
PI: Roshanak Irannejad
Lab Rotations: David Raleigh, Frank McCormick, Roshanak Irannejad
Research summary: Compartmentalized signaling of dopamine receptor
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
he/him/his
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
BS, Biology BS
PI: Geeta Narlikar
Lab Rotations: David Morgan, Seemay Chou, Geeta Narlikar
Research summary: Nucleosome conformational dynamics
Sushil Sobti
University of Missouri-Columbia
BS, Chemistry
PI: Sourav Bandyopadhyay
Lab Rotations: Barbara Panning, Leor Weinberger, Nadav Ahituv
Research summary: Sources and role of noise in gene expression
Seesha Takagishi
she/her/hers
University of Washington, Northwestern U Sch Contng Stud
BS, Certificate of Completion, Biochemistry, Programming
PI: Hana El-Samad
Lab Rotations: Jonathan Weissman, Kole Roybal, Hana El-Samad
Research summary: Optogenetic method to investigate transcription factor signaling in mammalian cells
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF GRFP - 2020
Tetrad TA award - 2020
Connie Yan
University of Washington
BAS, Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology
PI: Wallace Marshall
Lab Rotations: Noelle L'Etoile, Jeremy Reiter
Research summary: Role of Sfi1 proteins in Stentor regeneration
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF GRFP - 2019
Third Year
Elizabeth Bond
She/her/her
University of Massachusetts Amherst
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
PI: Seemay Chou
Lab Rotations: Peter Walter, Seemay Chou, Charles Craik
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, 2020
Timothy Casey-Clyde
University of California, Davis
BS, Cell Biology
PI: David Raleigh
Lab Rotations: Andy Chang, David Raleigh, Maxence Nachury
Research summary: Epigenetic regulation of Schwann cell differentiation and schwannoma tumorigenesis.
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: T32 in Translational Brain Tumor Research
Nathan Cho
he/him
Stanford University
BS, Biology with Honors
PI: Sophie Dumont
Lab Rotations: Orion Weiner, Stephen Floor
Research summary: Defining the mechanisms by which NuMA drives spindle mechanical robustness
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: 2021 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Honorable Mention
Jocelyne Fadiga
University of California, Merced
BS, Chemical Sciences
PI: Orion Weiner
Lab Rotations: Stephen Floor, Orion Weiner
Research summary: Mechanisms of polarity and substrate topology integration during neutrophil migration
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NIH IMSD
NSF GRFP
Kelsey Hennick
University of California, Davis
BS, Genetics
PI: Tom Nowakowski
Lab Rotations: Roshanak Irannejad, Tom Nowakowski, Jeremy Willsey
Research summary: cortical development
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF GRFP Honorable Mention
Fredrick Leon
he/him/his
Emory University
BS, Biology
PI: David Booth
Lab Rotations: Alexander (Sandy) Johnson, Katie Pollard, Seemay Chou, David Booth
Research summary: Historical and contemporary geochemical factors shape cell type evolution
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF fellow
Jessica Mella
University of Utah
BS, Biology
PI: Abigail Buchwalter
Anna Morrison
She/her/hers
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
BS, Cellular and Molecular Biology
PI: Anita Sil
Lab Rotations: David Toczyski, Natalia Jura, Anita Sil
Research summary: Investigating the molecular mechanisms that underlie temperature response in Histoplasma capsulatum
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NSF GRFP Honorable Mention (2021)
Microbial Pathogenesis and Host Defense (MPHD) T32 Training Grant Fellowship (2021)
Ali Palla
University of California, Berkeley
BS, Chemical Biolody
PI: Danica Galonic Fujimori
Nathan Rossen
Macalester College
BA, Biology
PI: David Julius
Lab Rotations: David Julius, Sophie Dumont, Markus Delling
Research summary: Physiology and pathophysiology of enterochromaffin cells
Frederick Santana
he/him/his
San Francisco State University
MS, Cell and Molecular Biology
BS, Biology (Microbiology)
PI: Natalia Jura
Lab Rotations: Roshanak Irannejad, Todd Nystul, Natalia Jura
Research summary: Pseudokinase regulation of Akt-mTOR signaling and its implication in malignant melanoma
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: - 2021 NASEM Ford Foundation Fellowship
- 2019 NIGMS IMSD Fellowship
Jasmine Sims
San Francisco State University
MS, Cell and Molecular Biology
BS, Biochemistry
PI: Nadav Ahituv
Lab Rotations: Orion Weiner, Joseph Bondy-Denomy, Vijay Ramani, Nadav Ahituv
Research summary: studying candidate pathogenic sequences recurrent in cancer.
Max Thompson
he/him/his
University of Miami
BS, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology/Marine Science
PI: Mark Von Zastrow
Lab Rotations: Natalia Jura, Roshanak Irannejad, Mark Von Zastrow
Research summary: Developing a membrane recruitment assay for GPCR stimulated beta-arrestin
Brian Wysolmerski
Cambridge University
M PHIL, Genetics
Pomona College
BA, Biology
PI: Mark Von Zastrow
Lab Rotations: Frank McCormick, Bjoern Schwer, Balyn Zaro, Mark Von Zastrow
Research summary: Elucidating the role of activation induced internalization of G⍺s
Yujie Zhang
University of California, Berkeley
BA, Molecular Cellular Biology
PI: Alexander (Sandy) Johnson
Lab Rotations: Alexander (Sandy) Johnson, Seemay Chou, Raul Andino
Research summary: Investigating interspecies interactions between fermented food microbes.
Second Year
Trase Aguigam
He/Him
University of California, Los Angeles
BS, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology
Lab Rotations: John Gross, Geeta Narlikar, Sophie Dumont, Michael McManus
Research summary: mRNA decapping and chromatin structure and function
Camila Benitez
University of California, Berkeley
BA, Molecular and Cell Biology emphasis in neuroscienc
PI: Aimee Kao
Lab Rotations: Mark Von Zastrow, Graeme Davis, Martin Kampmann
Martha (Addie) Cady
Duke University
BS, Biology
PI: David Raleigh
Lab Rotations: Orion Weiner, David Raleigh, Martin Kampmann, Joseph DeRisi
James (Zach) Cogan
University of California, Santa Barbara
BA, Biology
Lab Rotations: Peter Walter, Vijay Ramani, Martin Kampmann
Brandon Courteau
University of Rochester
BS, Biological Sciences - Biochemistry
Lab Rotations: Natalia Jura, Adam Frost, Dan Southworth
Carla Espinoza
she/her
University of California, San Diego
BS, Biochemistry and Cell Biology
Lab Rotations: Rushika Perera, Peter Turnbaugh, Natalia Jura
Research summary: Investigating structure and signal activation of proto-oncogene RON receptor with it's ligand, Macrophage Stimulating Protein (MSP).
Alex Hong
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
BS, Biology
Lab Rotations: Michael McManus, Vijay Ramani, Joseph Bondy-Denomy
Claire Kokontis
she/her/hers
University of Chicago
BS, Biology
Lab Rotations: Peter Walter, Joseph Bondy-Denomy, David Agard
Research summary: Mechanisms of a bacteriophage-encoded protective "nucleus-like" structure and anti-CRISPR proteins
Armando Martinez
San Jose State University
BS, Molecular Biology
Lab Rotations: Natalia Jura, Frank McCormick, Shaeri Mukherjee
Research summary: Investigating SOS1 two distinct RAS binding sites: a catalytic site and an additional allosteric RAS binding site
Melissa Mendez
she/her
Univ of London-King's College London
BSC, Biochemistry
Lab Rotations: David Agard, Natalia Jura, Oren Rosenberg
Research summary: Investigation the role of non-canonical chaperone interactions in the activation mechanism of the UPR sensor Ire1
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NIGMS IMSD Fellowship
Luisa (Kimberly) Meneses
University of California, Los Angeles
BS, Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics
Lab Rotations: Thea Tlsty, Roshanak Irannejad, Davide Ruggero
Camille Moore
University of California, Berkeley
BA, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Lab Rotations: Vijay Ramani, James Fraser, Geeta Narlikar
Christopher (CJ) Sarabia
He/Him/His
University of California, Santa Cruz
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Lab Rotations: Shaeri Mukherjee, Daniele Canzio, Roshanak Irannejad
Research summary: Designing a method to degrade select pools of beta adrenergic receptors
LauraAnn Schmidberger
She/ her/ hers
Denison University
BS, Biology
Lab Rotations: Daniele Canzio, Barbara Panning, Noelle L'Etoile, David Booth
Research summary: Studying choanoflagellate genes to understand early evolution
Steven Sun
San Francisco State University
MS, Cell and Molecular Biology
BS, Cell and Molecular Biology
Lab Rotations: Alexander (Sandy) Johnson, David Booth, Hiten Madhani
Vanna Tran
Southwestern University
BS, Biology
Lab Rotations: Sophie Dumont, Aimee Kao
Research summary: Structural and functional integrity of the kinetochore under opposing tension and persistent forces
Alexis Villani
she/her/hers
University of California, Irvine
BS, Microbiology and Immunology
Lab Rotations: Joseph Bondy-Denomy, Martin Kampmann, Melanie Ott
Research summary: Studying temperature-induced inactivation of bacterial immune systems
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: MPHD T32 2021-2022
First Year
Kenya Bonitto
she/her/hers
University of California, Los Angeles
BS, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology
Lab Rotations: Michael McManus
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NIGMS/NIH T32 Training Grant - Initiative for Maximizing Student Development Fellows and Affiliates Program (IMSD): July 2021-July 2023
Emmy Delaney
she/her
University of California, Davis
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Camille Derderian
she/her
CUNY Hunter College
BA, Psychology
Eli Dugan
University of California, Berkeley
BA, Molecular Cell Biology
Chloe Ghent
She/her
University of California, Berkeley
BA, Molecular and Cell Biology
Matthew Howard
he/him/his
Washington University
AB, Biology & Chemistry: Concentration in Biochemistry
Philipp Huettemann
he/him/his
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
BS, Biochemistry
Julia Kim
She/Her
Smith College
BA, Biochemistry
Tracy Knight
she/her
Brown University
BS, Cell and Molecular Biology
Jennifer Le
University of California, Riverside
BS, Biochemistry
Deepa Rajan
Vanderbilt University
BA, Neuroscience
Lab Rotations: Adam Frost
Research summary: Origins of Life
David Sanchez Godinez
he/him
University of California, Santa Cruz
BS, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Honors, Awards & Fellowships: NIGMS IMSD Fellowship
Gabriel Viramontes
University of California, Merced
BS, Biology: Emphasis in Ecology and Evolution
Taylor Watanabe
she/her
Whittier College
BA, Biology
Lab Rotations: Shawn Douglas
Caroline Wilson
she/her
Colby College
BA, Biology: Concentration in Neuroscience