Entering Class of 2018

LAB WEBSITE:

Ahlquist Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Virology; Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our laboratory studies the molecular mechanisms by which viruses replicate, interact with host cells, and promote tumor induction and maintenance. Our work spans fundamental studies in cell culture to translational studies with large collections of patient samples. The goals of these analyses are to advance understanding of virus infection and cell biology, and to use the results to prevent and treat virus infection and virus-induced tumors. To these ends, we focus on advanced models for the replication of positive-strand RNA viruses (which include the COVID-19 virus SARS-CoV-2 and many other pathogens); two cancer-relevant reverse-transcribing viruses, HIV-1 and hepatitis B virus; and the DNA tumor virus human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes over 5% of human cancers. Our research integrates molecular genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, cryo-EM and computational biology.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Biophysics Graduate Program, Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Ahmad Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our research focuses on two major lines of investigation; i) mechanism of cancer development, with specific focus on cell cycle and cell death and differentiation, and ii) prevention and experimental therapeutics of cancer by naturally occurring non-toxic agents including plant based agents, vitamins, hormones etc. Specific examples of my active research include 1) studying the role of mitotic regulators such as the serine/threonine kinase polo-like kinases in neoplastic transformation and cancer progression, 2) defining the role of NAD+-dependent class III histone deacetylase Sirtuin family of proteins in development and progression of cancers, and 3) studying the chemopreventive and therapeutic effects of naturally occurring agents such as resveratrol, vitamin E, selenium, melatonin etc., against cancer.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Molecular & Environmental Toxicology (METC), Cellular & Molecular Pathology Graduate Program (CMP), Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (CBMS)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Alexander Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We are testing the hypothesis that mammalian skin is a regulatory metabolic organ which can be exploited to improve systemic metabolism. Our investigation of a mutant mouse strain (mutant for syndecan1; Sdc1) has shown that although these mice are healthy and grossly normal, they have “under-insulated” skins, allowing energy to be lost by evaporative cooling. Along with other mouse strains that show higher heat loss through skins, these mice are dramatically resistant to tumor development. The molecular investigation of skin permeability will allow us to understand how skin controls thermogenesis and total energy expenditure. Specifically, we aim to find out how genetic and environmental factors control the molecular composition of the lipidome of skins to control heat transfer. We use in vivo assays of genetically engineered mice and assays of lipid metabolism in vitro.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Cancer Biology Graduate Program, https://molpharm.wisc.edu

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LAB WEBSITE:

https://alexanderlab.mmi.wisc.edu/

FOCUS GROUPS:

Immunology; Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our laboratory is currently researching the ways by which diet, microbiota, and immune responses interact and the consequences of these interactions for autoimmunity. Our goal is to uncover the mechanisms by which complex diets influence diseases, as well as how disease-associated microbiota members affect immune responses during disease. In our quest to understand these mechanisms we are focused on characterizing both microbial and host metabolites that influence the cross-talk between diet, microbiota, and immune responses. Further, we aim to determine the host and microbial receptors and signaling pathways involved in these interactions.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Microbial Doctoral Training Program (MDTP)

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LAB WEBSITE

Alvarado Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking, Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The long-term goal of the Alvarado Lab is to is to understand the mechanisms of heart disease and to develop safe and effective treatments that improve the life of patients. Our primary interest is the regulation of cardiac ion channels with emphasis on diseases arising from their dysfunction, especially calcium-dependent arrhythmias and structural cardiomyopathies. Calcium is required for heart function in a process called excitation-contraction coupling; yet, dysregulation of calcium homeostasis is known to participate in heart disease. We apply state-of-the art imaging, electrophysiology and cell biology tools to understand how mutations affecting proteins involved in excitation-contraction coupling, such as ryanodine receptor 2, the major intracellular calcium channel in the heart, participate in the development of disease and, therefore, can be targets for drug development.

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LAB WEBSITE:

DAN Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Systems Biology; Molecular and Genome Biology of Microbes; Cellular and Molecular Metabolism

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The metabolic activities of microbes have shaped the evolution of life on Earth, they touch every aspect of our daily existence and have an enormous impact on the environment, agriculture, biotechnology, and human health. Our research program seeks to generate a quantitative and holistic understanding of how metabolic networks are regulated in microbes. We integrate systems-level approaches, especially LC-MS-based metabolomics, with computational modeling and genetic engineering to understand how metabolic fluxes are controlled and how microbes adapt their metabolism in response to environmental challenges and during developmental processes. My laboratory has two several research areas, including metabolic regulation in biofuel producers, metabolic remodeling during biofilm development, biochemical activity of the gut microbiome. 

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP); Masters in Bacteriology Program

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LAB WEBSITE:

Rick Amasino Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Plant Biology; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The major developmental change in the plant life cycle is the initiation of flowering. Many plant species have evolved the ability to regulate flowering in response to environmental variables such as changes in day-length or temperature. We have been studying how, at a molecular level, plants sense and respond to these environmental cues to initiate the transition to flowering. Our approach blends genetic analyses to identify genes involved in environmentally regulated flowering with studies of the biochemistry of how the gene products operate.

A summary of past work in Arabidopsis thaliana: We discovered a gene (FLC) that prevents flowering in Arabidopsis unless the plants have experienced the cold of winter. The FLC protein is a repressor that binds to the promoters of genes required for the flowering transition. Exposure to cold (through a process known as vernalization) enables flowering by triggering a stable epigenetic switch of the FLC gene to a repressed state. This epigenetic state of FLC is reset to an active state in the next generation.

Recently, we have shifted to studying the molecular basis of flowering in the model grass Brachypodium distachyon. Grasses are important components of many ecosystems on our planet and are also important crops (wheat, barley, rice, and corn are examples of grasses). Much of the environmental flowering responses in grasses evolved independently of those in Arabidopsis because it was only after the divergence of these the major lineages of flowering plants that continents drifted and climate changed such that a vernalization response was adaptive. We have identified several genes that are involved in flowering control in response to seasonal and developmental cues in Brachypodium. The homologs of these genes are not involved in flowering in Arabidopsis reinforcing the independent evolution of many aspects of flowering control in grasses versus the mustard family (Brassicaceae) which includes Arabidopsis. Our present goal is to further the understanding of how flowering in grasses is regulated at a molecular level.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IPiB); Genetics

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LAB WEBSITE

Anderson Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking, Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes, Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our work in molecular biology seeks to understand how diversity among genes and genomes contributes to altered function at the molecular and organismal level. While ~99% of the genetic diversity present on the planet arose from other genetic sequences, researchers have spent very little time investigating how gene families or sets of closely-related paralogs in the same species are functionally partitioned in early evolutionary events. We are focusing on a gene family expansion of a subunit of the major transcriptional complex Mediator to understand how transcription factors are affected by this process. Additionally, other work in the lab looks how larger scale intraspecies genetic diversity alters cellular behaviors and produces different measurable phenotypes. More specifically, this work looks at how changes to cellular responses and host cell interaction change colonization by Candida albicans strains.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Genetics Training Program, Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP)

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LAB WEBSITE

Anderson Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton; Systems Biology; Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The goals of the Anderson lab’s research are to understand the biological roles of cell signaling and the underlying mechanisms by which receptors, cell stresses and second messengers modulate specific cellular processes. The research is currently focused in two broad general areas.

Signaling pathways that control cell proliferation, autophagy and cancer. This research is focused on signaling pathways that regulate multiple cellular processes including cell morphogenesis, migration, growth and differentiation. A major focus is on phosphoinositide lipid messengers. This is within the focus is on the role of growth factor and integrin receptor signaling pathways that controls the morphogenesis, proliferation, migration and cell death with an emphasis on downstream signaling and membrane trafficking of receptors. These pathways are fundamental to most cancers and this work is translated to several cancers by collaborations with other groups.

Signaling to the Nucleus and gene expression. We have discovered and pioneered the investigation of novel nuclear signaling pathways that ultimately control gene expression. Within the nucleus that there are phosphoinositide lipid messengers pathways at nuclear compartments that are separate from known membrane structures. We have shown that nuclear phosphoinositide pathways control the 3’-processing of mRNAs, activation of select transcriptional pathways, and modulation of pathways that posttranslationally modify nuclear proteins. Most recently we have discovered that both wild type p53 (a tumor suppressor) and mutant p53 (an oncogene) are control by phosphoinositide lipid messengers and this regulates all aspects of p53 function. These nuclear pathways are fundamental to all aspects of cellular function and are important in many human diseases.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Graduate Program (MCP), Molecular & Environmental Toxicology (MET)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Anderson Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Anderson Lab research program focuses on understanding interconnections between metabolism and aging. Reduced calorie intake without malnutrition, a strategy known as caloric restriction (CR), delays aging the onset of age-related disorders in many different species, including rhesus monkeys. There are three linked project areas that focus on the role of metabolism in aging and the role of metabolic regulators in the mechanisms of delayed aging by CR. The first is a highly translational rhesus monkey project involving and interdisciplinary team that explores mechanisms of aging and CR through high resolution molecular profiling. The second area investigates the tissue specific (liver, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle) impact of CR on cellular energy metabolism in mice with complementary mechanistic studies conducted in cultured cells. The third project area investigates the role of metabolic regulators in brain aging and aims to understand the role that metabolism plays in cognitive decline and brain atrophy as a function of age and how age and metabolism intersect with pathology in Alzheimer’s disease.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Nutritional Sciences (IGPNS)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Ané Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Plant Biology; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

I am a plant geneticist and a microbiologist by training. My primary research interest is understanding the establishment of symbiotic associations between plants and microbes, and the application of this knowledge to maximize the benefits of such associations in agriculture. Our first goal is to understand the genetic and molecular mechanisms allowing symbiotic associations between plants and microbes. We particularly focus on two types of associations: nitrogen-fixing associations with bacteria and mycorrhizal associations with fungi. For this, we are working with various plant genetic models such as Medicago truncatula (legume), Populus trichocarpa (poplar), Brachypodium distachyon (C3 cereal) and Setaria viridis (C4 cereal). We are particularly interested in signals produced by symbiotic microbes and in the plant signaling pathways allowing host plants to perceive and transduce these microbial signals. We are also transferring information from model systems to crops such as soybean, rice and maize. Our second goal is to understand the evolution of these mechanisms in order to identify the critical innovations that allowed the evolution of efficient associations between plants and microbes. Our third goal is to use this knowledge on genetic mechanisms and their evolution to engineer more efficient associations between cereals and nitrogen-fixing bacteria in order to improve the sustainability of our agriculture for food, feed and biofuel production.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP), Genetics Training Program, Plant Breeding & Plant Genetics Program (PBPG), Plant Pathology, Agronomy, Agroecology

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LAB WEBSITE:

Arendt Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Obesity is becoming a global epidemic in both adults and children, leading to increased rates of multiple  types  of  cancer  including  breast,  kidney,  colorectal,  pancreatic,  and  esophageal.  Elucidating the role of adipose tissue biology in cancer is critical for prevention and treatment of obesity-­‐associated  cancer.    My  research  goal  is  to  examine  the  interactions  among  the  epithelia  and stromal cells that are deregulated under conditions of obesity leading to tumorigenesis, and our work is currently focused on breast cancer. We are interested in understanding how obesity alters cell signaling among stromal cells, including adipocytes, adipose stromal cells, and immune cells  within  the  microenvironment  of  the  normal  breast,  as  well  as  determining  how  obesity  increases the incidence of breast tumors and promotes the formation of metastasis.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Cellular & Molecular Pathology (CMP), Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBMS), Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology (ERP), Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Molecular and Environmental Toxicology (METC)

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Class of 2021
BS, Biochemistry- Wartburg College
Fan Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Alan Attie Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Systems Biology; Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The obesity epidemic is evoking a parallel epidemic in metabolic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, fatty liver, neurological diseases, and kidney failure. Genetic factors contribute to these diseases and obesity acts as a stressor that elicits phenotypes that might otherwise be silent. Our laboratory uses mouse genetics to identify novel causal and responsive genes leading to metabolic diseases.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IPiB), Genetics Training Program, Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Nutritional Sciences (IGPNS), Genomic Sciences Training Program (GSTP), Cellular & Molecular Pathology  Graduate Program (CMP)

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LAB WEBSITE

Audhya Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

All eukaryotic cells contain an elaborate membrane system necessary for the transport and compartmentalization of various proteins and lipids. This architecture permits numerous biochemical and signaling processes to occur simultaneously within specialized organelles. While the core machinery necessary to direct vesicle movement has been largely defined, the regulatory mechanisms that modulate membrane trafficking remain poorly understood. In particular, we are interested in determining how the fates of membrane-associated proteins are regulated by developmental cues. Failure to respond efficiently to such signals can result in a variety of disease states including cancer, neurodegeneration, and diabetes. By combining high-resolution fluorescence microscopy, functional genomics approaches, and in vitro biochemistry, we have been using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), transgenic rats, and human induced pluripotent stem cells to identify critical components necessary for membrane reorganization during development and differentiation.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IPiB)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Bailey Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Immunology; Virology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The goal of the Bailey Laboratory is to make meaningful contributions to the fight against global infectious diseases. This includes using patient data and patient specimens to study the pathogenesis of infectious diseases in humans; developing new animal models to explore the pathophysiology of viral diseases; using animal models to evaluate new therapeutics and vaccines; utilizing in vitro technologies and high-throughput screens to investigate molecular mechanisms governing host-pathogen interactions; and developing new tools for the diagnosis of emerging infectious diseases. Current projects focus on a variety of areas including the mechanistic basis of hemorrhage in viral hemorrhagic fever; host factors governing yellow fever virus tropism and pathogenesis; virus discovery; and characterization of the immune evasion mechanisms of several RNA viruses. Providing a culture of curiosity, creativity, respect, and rigor in which the next generation of scientists can maximize their learning potential is also a critical component of the Bailey Lab’s mission. 

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Class of 2022
BS, Human Biology – University of California, San Diego
Galmozzi Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Bashirullah Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTIONS:

Development after embryogenesis requires exquisite control of signaling between individual tissues to build an adult organism of the proper shape and size. This intercellular communication is directed by groups of specialized secretory cells that release systemic signals; these signals then orchestrate biological responses in target tissues. Once a tissue has received a signal, it can respond by growing, remodeling, or dying. Thus, the interplay between secretion of systemic signals and response in receiving tissues is essential to unfold the genetically-encoded developmental program of multicellular organisms. One of the most dramatic examples of this interplay between signals and responses occurs during insect metamorphosis, the developmental stage that transforms a crawling larva into a flying adult. In the Bashirullah Lab, we combine forward genetic approaches with cellular and molecular biology to uncover novel essential genes and new biological processes that regulate the onset of and progression through Drosophila metamorphosis. We have discovered important new roles for endocrine and exocrine biology during metamorphosis that have important implications for human development and disease.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Genetics, Pharmaceutical Sciences

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LAB WEBSITE

Bednarek Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Plant Biology; Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

A major focus of my research program is on two key interrelated processes that control plant morphogenesis; the construction of the plant-specific cytokinetic organelle known as the cell plate and cell expansion. Previous morphological studies have demonstrated that both of these critical processes involve the cytoskeleton and require highly polarized trafficking of protein, membrane and cell wall material to the division plane and specific plasma membrane domains, respectively. However, given their importance in plant development it is surprising how little is known about the molecular mechanisms that guide these interrelated events. Our current research objectives are to understand (1) what are the molecular cues that position the division plane and direction of expansion and (2) what are the cytosolic and membrane factors that interpret this information and subsequently carryout the processes of membrane transport and fusion required for cell plate assembly and polarized cell expansion. To address these issues we are utilizing proteomic, biochemical, genetic and live cell imaging approaches to identify and characterize proteins involved in membrane transport during cytokinesis, polarized cell growth and other cellular process. This information will in the long-term aid in efforts to improve the quality and quantity of plants for food, biofuels and other agronomically important products. In addition, as membrane trafficking is essential in plants and animals our studies will generate fundamental knowledge into the function of evolutionarily conserved membranetrafficking proteins in other eukaryotic systems.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IPiB), Plant Breeding & Plant Genetics Program (PBPG)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Microtechnology, Medicine and Biology Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Microtechnology, Medicine and Biology lab is focused on the novel and simple use of microscale physics and phenomena to create tools and methods to further biological and medical goals ranging from basic science to research tools to diagnostics.  We are especially interested and engaged in applying the lab’s technologies to cancer, inflammation, multi kingdom interactions,  and global health.  The MMB lab is very multidisciplinary and collaborative, working across disciplines and disease boundaries to create solutions that can be translated into widespread use.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Bement Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We seek to understand how cells build transient cytoskeletal structures at the right place and right time. Such structures include the cytokinetic apparatus (which pinches the cell in half) and the “wound array”, a cytoskeletal structure that forms around and closes over the sites of cell damage. In each case we are particularly interested in understanding how the relevant signals (ie for cytokinesis or cell repair) are generated and interpreted by the cell to result in the assembly and closure of the structure in question. We conceptualize these processes in terms of single cell pattern formation: in each case the cell somehow manages to develop a precise signaling pattern at the cell cortex and then converts this pattern into the appropriate structure.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Bent Lab

FOCUS GROUP:

Plant Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We study the molecular basis of plant immune system function. We study initial pathogen recognition mechanisms, downstream signal transduction events that lead to activation of resistance, and unique responses in which the host organism gains resistance by disrupting the basic cellular processes of infected host cells. Most of our work studies soybean, one of the most important crop plants worldwide, and Arabidopsis thaliana, the most successful model organism for laboratory-based plant research.

Three specific areas of study are:

1) The control of soybean resistance to soybean cyst nematode.

2) The role of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation in plant responses to microbial infections.

3) The structure and function of immune system receptor proteins that carry a leucine-rich repeat domain.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Plant Pathology, Genetics, Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics (PBPG), Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Bhattacharyya Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My research focuses on the dysregulation of developmental processes in neurodevelopmental disorders. The research builds on my background in developmental biology, stem and progenitor cells, neural development, neuron/glial interactions, and signaling. My overall goal is to investigate aspects of neurodevelopmental disorders that are uniquely human and therefore necessitate the use of human stem and progenitor cells.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Neuroscience Training Program (NTP), Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBMS)

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Class of 2024
BS, Biomedical Engineering- Ohio State University
Denu Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Birbrair Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our lab is committed to understand the mechanisms of impairment and failure of biological systems under pathological conditions, focusing on tissue stem cells, vasculature and the peripheral nervous system present in different tissues microenvironments, with emphasis on preventing or reversing these deleterious processes. We are interested in studying mechanisms that lead to cell behavior changes during development, throughout life and disease. Understanding how these mechanisms are affected in cancer will help develop targets for novel therapies. For this, we take advantage of state-of-the-art technologies, including two-photon and confocal microscopy, in vivo lineage-tracing methods, FACS-sorting, single-cell RNA sequencing, organ, tissue and cell transplantation, neural circuitry analysis, and sophisticated Cre/loxP techniques in combination with cancer mouse models. Thus, our ultimate goal is to identify novel potential cellular and molecular targets for cancer therapy.

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Class of 2024
BS, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology – University of Dhaka
MS, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology- University of Dhaka
Wellik Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Blair Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We are currently pursuing two main avenues of research, both centered around the development of the wing of the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster. First, we have been examining general aspects of pattern formation and cell lineage within the developing imaginal discs, the structures that give rise to the wing and notum. We have been concentrating upon the role of the lineage “compartments” and transcompartmental induction in specifying the basic axes of appendages, and the mechanisms by which both transcompartmental signaling (especially via the Hedgehog and Notch pathways) and the compartmental lineage restrictions are maintained. Second, we have been examining mutations that affect wing patterning as a means of uncovering novel players in cell signaling and signal transduction pathways. We are currently concentrating on signaling via the protocadherins Dachsous and Fat and their roles in proximodistal patterning, planar cell polarity and growth control, and especially how that signaling is transduced by the intracellular domain of Fat. We have also recently worked on the role of the secreted and cytoplasmic proteins in the regulation of BMP, Hedgehog and Wnt signaling.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Genetics, Neuroscience Training Program (NTP), Zoology

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LAB WEBSITE:

Blanc Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Cellular & Molecular Metabolism

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My research delves into the intricate cellular and molecular mechanisms of inflammatory-driven epigenetic regulation and its impact on stem cell biology and aging. Central to my work is the investigation of histone methylation, and its role in rejuvenating the aged stem cell epigenome to restore regenerative function. By understanding how inflammation influences epigenetic changes, downstream transcriptional output, and stem cell behavior, I aim to uncover the molecular pathways that drive stem cell aging. This research has significant implications for developing innovative therapeutic strategies to enhance tissue regeneration, combat
age-related decline, and potentially treat various age-associated diseases. Through this work, I strive to bridge the gap between fundamental epigenetic research and practical applications in regenerative medicine.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Blum Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The research in my lab aims at understanding the molecular regulation of terminal differentiation of stem/progenitor cells, with focus on pancreatic beta cells, and to understand the role of the islet of Langerhans as a mini organ in controlling functional beta-­‐cell maturation. We use both mouse models and human pluripotent stem cell differentiation to identify genetic and molecular regulatory nodes important for the functionally mature cell state, which is determined by characteristic gene expression, and by the correct secretion of insulin to physiologically relevant levels of glucose. We use genetic engineering to manipulate gene regulatory networks and reintroduce diabetes-­‐susceptibility alleles into the cells and the mice, and study the role of the affected pathways in beta cell maturation and the development of diabetes.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Boekhoff-Falk Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My lab is using Drosophila to investigate mechanisms of brain regeneration. We are focused on both the cell types and molecular pathways that contribute to the regenerative response.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Neuroscience Training Program (NTP), Genetics

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Class of 2022
BS, Biology – College of Wooster
Coyle Lab

Class of 2023
BS, Microbiology – Iowa State University
Amador-Noguez Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Marjorie Brand Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Hematopoietic Stem cells have the capacity to differentiate along multiple lineages potentially giving rise to
all cells present in the blood. This process is controlled by cell-specific and ubiquitously expressed transcription
factors and cofactors. Defects in the transcriptional regulatory network of these cells can lead to leukemia. The
major goal of the Brand laboratory is to decipher the molecular mechanism of hematopoietic stem cell
differentiation such that we can understand how deregulation of this process can contribute to disease
including leukemia and ß-thalassemia. Towards this goal, we are using a multi-disciplinary approach that
combines in vitro and in vivo techniques in both cell lines and primary human cells. These approaches include
relative and absolute quantitative proteomics (isotope tagged methods), single cell multi-omics (CITEseq,
TEAseq, sc-CUT&Tag, sc-RNAseq) and bioinformatics as well as patients-derived xenotransplantation models
of leukemia and leukemia murine models

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LAB WEBSITE:

Brandt Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Virology; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

1) Injection of viral gene delivery vectors into the eye triggers an inflammatory response. We are trying to identify the trigger so we can block it. Currently we are looking at several pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6. In addition, we are making viral delivery vectors for several labs on campus.

2) Herpes simplex virus (HSV) causes blinding keratitis (inflammation of the cornea) and we are interested in identifying genes in the virus that contribute to severe infection. Recently, we demonstrated that multiple genes are involved and have identified a number of novel mutations in several viral proteins. New sequencing technology allows us to rapidly sequence an entire HSV genome in about a week. This allows us to directly compare virulence characteristics in animal models with the sequence of several strains to identify disease associated markers.

3) We have an active program of antiviral drug discovery and development and have worked with several companies. We have also identified novel antivirals. One was isolated from an edible mushroom that grows in Wisconsin. This novel protein appears to block several previously unknown steps in viral infection. The second group of antivirals is a series of peptides that block virus entry into cells. The peptides block HSV, Papillomavirus, HIV, and vaccinia virus. We have also shown one peptide blocks Influenza including bird flu strains. We are also using peptide based strategies to study protein function. We are currently developing the peptides as novel microbicides to block sexually transmitted viral infections. The peptides are also being used to study the poorly-understood process of viral entry.

4) Gene therapy for ocular diseases. We are currently developing vectors to deliver anti-apoptotic genes to retinal ganglion cells that die in glaucoma. We are also studying microbial proteins that disrupt actin filaments for their ability to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP). Increased IOP is the single most important risk factor for glaucoma.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP), Molecular Virology, Microbes in Host and Disease, Biotechnology

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Class of 2021
BS, Human Biology–University of California San Diego
MS, Biology–University of California San Diego
Harrison Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Bresnick Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We use multidisciplinary approaches to understand normal and malignant blood cell development/function (hematopoiesis), gene/chromosome regulation (including epigenetics), and vascular biology. Our team has expertise in genomics, proteomics, chemical genetics, and computational analysis, as well as powerful molecular, cellular, and biochemical science.

A major effort involves discovering mechanisms that regulate the genesis and function of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. This program encompasses both basic discovery science and translational/clinical science. Defining such mechanisms has enormous importance, as their disruption leads to the development of adult and pediatric blood cell cancers (leukemias, lymphomas, myelodysplastic syndrome) and additional blood cell disorders, including immunodeficiency. While hematopoietic stem cells are routinely transplanted to treat diverse diseases, their critical long-term repopulating activity is poorly understood and cannot be readily modulated for therapeutic application. Mechanistic insights can be exploited to develop novel approaches to therapeutically modulate hematopoietic stem cells, hematopoiesis, and blood cell malignancies.

Another program focuses on the transcriptional/epigenetic control of red blood cell development and function. Goals of this work include discovering the cause of red blood cell disorders, including anemias and hemoglobinopathies, developing translational strategies, and advancing fundamental knowledge in broadly important areas of biomedical science.

Since GATA-2 controls the emergence of hematopoietic stem cells from hemogenic endothelium, angiogenesis, vascular integrity, and developmental of the lymphatic system, we are studying how GATA-2 functions in the vascular system in normal and pathological states, including cancer.

Dr. Bresnick and his team are passionate about making biological and mechanistic discoveries, translating such discoveries into clinical insights and strategies, and training the next-generation of multidisciplinary researchers/scholars (undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows).

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:  Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Cancer Biology, Medical Science Training Program (MSTP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Brow Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

RNA; Transcriptional Mechanisms; Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We study eukaryotic DNA transcription and pre-mRNA splicing, using brewer’s yeast as a model system. We are interested in fundamental mechanisms as well as regulation, and focus on how RNA-protein and RNA-RNA interactions direct accurate and efficient gene expression. We utilize biochemical, genetic, genomic and single-cell approaches, and collaborate with structural biologists.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IPiB), Genetics

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LAB WEBSITE:

Brown Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Brown Lab focuses on exploring the nexus of pluripotent stem cell (PSC) biology and immunology. We are currently investigating the mechanisms underpinning the immune response to autologous and allogeneic PSC-derived cardiovascular cell therapies. Using transplantation immunology and genomics-based strategies, in conjunction with humanized and primatized mouse models, our goals are to 1) improve traditional solid organ transplantation outcomes, 2) gain new insights into PSC biology and immunology, and 3) enable curative regenerative medicine therapies.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Brunkard Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Plant Biology; RNA Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

TARGET OF RAPAMYCIN (TOR) is a conserved eukaryotic protein kinase that integrates diverse physiological cues to coordinate metabolism. TOR is intensely studied by biomedical researchers for its roles in human diseases, including most cancers, but much less is known about TOR in the other major eukaryotic lineage, plants. Our group investigates the evolution and molecular mechanisms of TOR signaling in model plant species using a combination of approaches, including genetics, functional genomics/proteomics, biochemistry, and cell biology.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Genetics Training Program

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LAB WEBSITE:

Burton Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We are interested in the mechanisms that especially bacterial cells use to transport biological macromolecules such as nucleic acid and protein across membrane barriers. We currently study three related systems, i. chromosome segregation at cell division barriers, ii. DNA import into cells, and iii. protein export.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP), Biophysics

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LAB WEBSITE:

https://caballerofloreslab.mmi.wisc.edu

FOCUS GROUPS:

Immunology; Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our research aims to understand the molecular mechanisms by which bacterial pathogens establish enteric and systemic infection under different host conditions, leading to distinct disease severity and outcome. Likewise, we are interested in identifying protective cellular components from the host microbiota and immune system and deciphering how they prevent pathogen colonization or promote its eradication. For this, we primarily use mouse models of disease resembling human bacterial infection, as well as methods form microbiology, molecular biology, immunology, and high-throughput technologies.

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Microbial Doctoral Training Program (MDTP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Cahill Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The research of my laboratory focuses on understanding how gene-based alterations identified in schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and autism spectrum disorders impact neuronal morphology and function. Particular attention is devoted to understanding how disease-associated genetic variants regulate synaptic structure and the receptor content of dendritic spines. Further, using in vivo optogenetics and DREADDs (designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs), my research aims to identify how disease-associated genetic manipulations affect the strength of specific interbrain region connections, and how manipulating the activity of specific connections regulates synapse formation, maturation, and stability, and the consequent effects on behavioral phenotypes.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Campbell Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

RNA Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Limited and ineffective treatments options for high intensity chronic pain result in tremendous and pervasive suffering. My group is interested in the signaling mechanisms that govern pain-associated behavior. Despite widespread recognition that long lived changes in the activity of neurons that amplify painful cues hinge on de novo protein synthesis, the targets of induced translation and mechanisms that govern protein synthesis in sensory neurons are poorly understood. We focus on mRNA and all of the key steps that link events that occur on the membrane to ribosomes.

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Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Training Program (MCP), Neuroscience Training Program (NTP),  Integrated Program in Biochemistry (iPIB)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Cantor Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Class of 2023
BS, Biological Sciences – Sichuan University
Kang Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Capitini Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Immunology; Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

I joined the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Madison as an Assistant Professor in 2011, and lead an NIH and NSF funded laboratory in transplant immunology with a focus on immunotherapy of pediatric cancers. The goal of my research group is to improve graft-versus-tumor (GVT) effects against pediatric solid tumors, and treat any associated graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) using cell-based therapies in models of allogeneic bone marrow transplant (alloBMT). To improve GVT, we are using ex vivo activated NK cells against several GD2+ pediatric tumors in the alloBMT setting. My group was the first to track NK cells in vivo by fluorine-19 MRI. In addition, we are improving the biomanufacturing of CAR T cells against GD2+ solid tumors, and I am a site Principal Investigator for CAR T cell clinical trials for leukemia and lymphoma. To treat GVHD, we are educating macrophages ex vivo with mesenchymal stromal cells (called MEMs) to make them anti-inflammatory, and we are developing MEMs for clinical testing.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), ICTR, Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBMS)

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Class of 2022
BS, Biochemistry – University of Wisconsin-Madison
Weaver Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Cavagnero Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; RNA Biology; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our lab focuses on exploring the principles that govern protein folding and misfolding in the cellular environment. The group specifically addresses kinetic and structural aspects and employs a variety of methods including in vitro transcription-translation, incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins, fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, ultrarapid mixing, and cell-free transcription/translation. We are particularly interested in unveiling the general rules underlying the in vivo folding and misfolding of small cytoplasmic proteins at the amino-acid-specific level.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Chemistry,  Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IPiB), Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP), Biophysics, Quantitative Biology Initiative (QBI)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Chang Lab

FOCUS GROUP:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our long-term goal is to understand the molecular mechanism underlying DNA methylation-dependent epigenetic regulation of brain functions.  Our current focus is on the central role of MeCP2 (methyl-CpG binding protein 2), a molecular linker between DNA methylation and chromatin remodeling and transcriptional control, in the development and function of the nervous system.  The functional significance of such a molecular linker is highlighted by the fact that mutations in the MECP2 gene cause Rett syndrome (RTT), a debilitating neurodevelopmental disorder that shares many features with autism.  Naturally, our studies include basic research aimed at understanding the molecular and cellular function of MeCP2 and translational research aimed at understanding disease pathology and developing effective treatment.  These two types of research are tightly interwoven, because on one hand, the need to solve a practical problem in translational research will always influence the direction of basic research; and on the other hand, fundamental mechanisms revealed by basic research will ultimately guide the effort in treating/curing the disease.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Neuroscience Training Program (NTP), Genetics,  Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Chapman Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our laboratory studies membrane trafficking and fusion in neurons; our over-arching goal is to understand presynaptic aspects of synaptic transmission and plasticity. To address these questions, our laboratory is divided into three related and highly interactive subgroups:

Nanomechanics of membrane fusion

This subgroup uses a variety of technologies and approaches to understand how proteins catalyze the fusion of lipid bilayers. This includes a nanodisc-black lipid membrane electrophysiology system that allows us to study single recombinant fusion pores with µsecond time resolution. This work has led to new insights concerning the function of SNARE proteins, which form the core of the presynaptic fusion machine, and synaptotagmin (syt) 1, which we have shown – via chemical genetics and other approaches – operates as a Ca²⁺ sensor that triggers rapid synaptic vesicle exocytosis. We are currently adding-back numerous additional factors, with the goal of reconstituting fusion machines that operate on physiological time scales. We also study membrane fusion using proteolipsomes, including giant unilamellar vesicles that allow us to monitor membrane deformations via light microscopy.  We also use single molecule fluorescence, atomic force microscopy, and DNA nanostructures/origami (to reconstitute fusion pores for cryo-electron microscopy and single particle analysis, among other applications), to address the structure and dynamics of the membrane fusion machinery.

Neuronal cell biology

The main focus of this subgroup is to determine the function of each of the seventeen isoforms of synaptotagmin (syt). We found that a number of isoforms regulate dense core vesicle exocytosis to modulate synaptic transmission, while others are targeted to distinct destinations, including: Golgi, lysosomes, endosomes, and the plasma membrane. In some cases, the same isoform is present in more than one compartment and subserves more than one function in the same cell. We are currently developing new HaloTag/Halo-ligand approaches to identify the organelles that are marked by each syt isoform. This subgroup also seeks to understand: a) how various syt isoforms are sorted within neurons, b) the life cycle of synaptic vesicle proteins as they are created and destroyed, c) how synaptic vesicles themselves are created, and d) the physical properties of these tiny organelles. They also work to assign functions to orphaned synaptic vesicle proteins. This work has resulted in numerous discoveries; e.g. using the RUSH system and a new generation of Halo ligands to study the itinerary of a syt isoform, we recently discovered a new membrane trafficking pathway in mammalian neurons. We also carry out tool development, including new methods to acutely disrupt integral membrane proteins.

Synaptic transmission and plasticity

This subgroup uses electrophysiological and optical approaches (including iGluSnFR [an optical sensor for glutamate release], high speed Ca²⁺ imaging, etc.) to understand the molecular mechanisms that mediate spontaneous, synchronous, and asynchronous neurotransmitter release in cultured neurons and brain slices. We and others have identified the Ca²⁺ sensors that mediate these modes of exocytosis and have used this information to tune the properties of synaptic communication. We also study how large dense core vesicle exocytosis converges on synaptic vesicle release, to modulate aspects of synaptic transmission. Another major focus is on short-term synaptic plasticity, including paired pulse facilitation, augmentation, and synaptic depression; these phenomena are regulated by C2-domain proteins in the syt and Doc2 protein families. Numerous aspects of plasticity appear to involve activity-dependent changes in synaptic vesicle docking. As a result, we are extending our imaging efforts to include ‘zap-and-freeze’ electron microscopy, to obtain snapshots of the synaptic vesicle cycle with msec time resolution. Finally, we are developing optical approaches to address the idea of ‘sub-quantal’ neurotransmitter release via ‘kiss-and-run’ exocytosis; this is a controversial topic that has important ramifications concerning how the post-synapse responds to neurotransmitters.

Key Words:

Membrane fusion, synaptic vesicle, fusion pore, neuronal cell biology, synaptic transmission, synaptic plasticity

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Neuroscience Training Program (NTP), Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Biophysics, Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBMS), MD/PhD-MSTP

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Class of 2024
BS, Biology Science- Zhejiang University
Weeks Lab

Class of 2024
BA, Biochemistry -Lawrence University
Anderson Lab & Cryns Lab

Class of 2023
BS, Biology – Zhejiang University
Huttenlocher Lab

LAB WEBSITE

FOCUS GROUPS:

Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our lab studies the molecular and ecological roles of bacterial secondary metabolites—specialized small molecules that mediate microbial interactions and serve as sources of therapeutics like antibiotics and anticancer agents. We investigate how biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) are regulated, evolve, and function within microbial genomes and communities. Using a combination of comparative genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and synthetic biology, we explore how bacteria coordinate chemical communication and competition in diverse environments, including host-associated microbiomes. Our long-term goal is to build predictive models of microbial interactions and harness microbial chemistry for biomedical and ecological applications

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Class of 2024
BA, Biology & Chemistry -Assumption University
Klein Lab

Class of 2020
BS, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology – University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
Bement Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

https://wibloodcancer.wisc.edu/jane-e-churpek/

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Churpek laboratory’s major research focus is to understand early events in cancer and bone marrow failure initiation and how endogenous and exogenous exposures interact with inherited genetics to make some individuals at particularly high risk for these diseases. Our work uses family- and population-based human samples to discover novel rare inherited risk factors for understudied cancer and blood disorders and mouse and cellular model systems to determine mechanism. Our ultimate goal is to discover targetable pathways or other strategies for prevention and translate these back to the clinic.

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Cancer Biology, Cellular and Molecular Pathology

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Class of 2024
BS, Biology -University of North Dakota-Grand Forks
Zhang Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Coon Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism, Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My laboratory innovates mass spectrometry (MS) technology to accelerate the pace, depth, and accuracy of proteome analysis and applies these technologies to globally access proteome structure, function, and regulation. Having established our reputation in proteomics instrumentation, our mission now includes leveraging mass spectrometry for measurement of nucleic acids, metabolites, and lipids. With novel multi-omics technology, we aim to deliver an integrated platform for rapid and comprehensive analysis of the biological state. The rationale is simple: fully understanding a biological system requires knowing the interplay between molecular classes. Finally, the newest domain of our research portfolio aims to innovate technologies for high-throughput measurement of protein structure. By bridging MS and electron microscopy (EM), with concepts from astrophysics, we have developed a new strategy to overcome pervasive limitations in sample vitrification.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Chemistry, Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IpiB), Biophysics, Biotechnology Training Program (BTP), Genomic Sciences Training Program (GSTP), Computation and Informatics in Biology & Medicine (CIBM)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Cosper Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Immunology; Virology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Over 50% of cancer patients receive radiation therapy as a component of their treatment. My laboratory aims to study how chromosomal Instability (CIN), an ongoing rate of chromosome missegregation events over the course of multiple cell divisions, which is very common in cancer, affects sensitivity to radiation therapy. I have a particular interest in viral-driven cancers as many of these viruses can themselves induce CIN. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is implicated in over 95% of cervical cancers and is now recognized as the main etiologic agent in oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC). In locally advanced cases, both of these cancers are treated with definitive cisplatin-based chemoradiation (CRT). Patients with HPV+ OPC tend to respond well to treatment and generally have a good prognosis, however, approximately 30% of locally advanced cervical cancer patients do not respond completely to CRT and have poor survival. Thus, despite a similar etiology, the radio- and chemosensitivity of HPV+ squamous carcinoma cells differ, yet we continue to treat all patients in a similar manner. I aim to determine how different viral genotypes and oncogene expression levels affect CIN and response to radiation therapy. I am also studying how CIN and oncogenic viruses affect the innate and adaptive immune responses in the context of radiation therapy. My ultimate goal is to be able to tailor radiation therapy to the biology of each patient’s tumor to decrease unnecessary side effects and improve patient outcomes.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Coyle Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton; Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Cells are the greatest known molecular engineers, able to build extraordinary microscale mechanical devices and information processing systems that greatly surpass our own capabilities and know-how. How complex cellular behaviors and functions emerge from the organization and control of the cell’s macromolecular hardware is a fundamental question that lies at the interface between systems biology, cell biology and biochemistry. My group is taking a reverse-engineering approach in which we treat cell behavior as the output a microscopic robot driven by patterns of activity acting on different configurations of a common set of molecular components. We apply this approach to chart the systems biology that governs cell behavior in a range of diverse systems, ranging from migration and adhesion in metazoan cells to elaborate animal-like behaviors of complex single-celled protozoans. Long term, we aim to apply this knowledge to explore new frontiers in synthetic biology that rewire cell motility and behavior and to engineer in vitro biochemical systems that emulate the extraordinary capabilities of living cells.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IPiB); Biophysics Graduate Degree Program

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LAB WEBSITE:

Cregg Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Systems Biology, Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Motor control is the foundation for behavioral expression. Essential not only for basic survival, motor circuits enable virtually all interactions between brain and environment. My lab’s research aims to deepen our understanding of the neural circuits that control movement. Building on our previous research revealing distinct descending pathways for locomotor speed and direction, my nascent laboratory leverages modern circuit-cracking tools toward complete elaboration of the mammalian locomotor plan. I’m currently recruiting graduate students with background in cellular and molecular biology to contribute to projects in this research thrust.

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Neuroscience Training Program (NTP)

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Class of 2021
BS, Psychological Sciences – Marquette University
Wheeler Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Cryns Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My laboratory focuses on understanding how tumors adapt to and survive metabolic stress caused by their rapid growth. Our group is widely recognized for identifying the molecular chaperone αB-crystallin as a novel anti-apoptotic protein that inhibits caspase-3 activation and for linking αB-crystallin to triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). We have also developed unique mouse models of metastatic TNBC and demonstrated that αB-crystallin plays a key role in brain metastasis, a devastating complication with few treatment options. Much of our current work focuses on delineating the molecular mechanism by which αB-crystallin promotes metastasis. More recently, we have developed a novel therapeutic paradigm to metabolically prime TNBC to proapoptotic therapy using dietary methionine restriction (MR). My lab demonstrated that dietary MR enhances the antitumor activity of proapoptotic TRAIL receptor agonists by increasing the cell surface expression of TRAIL receptor-2 in TNBC. These preclinical findings were published and highlighted in Clinical Cancer Research and have led to funding for two clinical trials in patients with TNBC. We are currently studying how MR engages the integrated stress response and modifies the epigenome to mediate its antitumor effects.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Cancer Biology, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Molecular Environmental Toxicology (MET)

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Class of 2022
BS, Mathematics – Williams College
McClean Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Czajkowski Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Signaling in the brain and periphery relies on opening and closing of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs). Defects in pLGICs lead to a variety of human diseases. Therapeutic drugs, including muscle relaxants, sedative-hypnotics, anti-convulsants, anxiolytics and anesthetics target pLGICs. Although we know a fair amount about the structure of these proteins, how agonist binding promotes channel opening and drug binding modulates channel function remain unknown. We are using three powerful approaches: luminescence resonance energy transfer, double electron electron resonance spectroscopy and molecular dynamic simulations of fully atomistic models in conjunction with mutagenic and electrophysiological approaches to identify ligand-induced motions that underlie pLGIC function. This knowledge will improve our ability to predict the actions of drugs and ligands that act on these channels, design safer and more effective drugs, and understand how disease-causing mutations effect pLGIC function. In addition, we are working on identifying a peptide in the brain believed to be the ‘brain’s valium’. We hypothesize that the brain can enhance or inhibit GABA-A receptor mediated neuronal inhibition regionally by controlling the processing of this peptide and its cleavage products.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Neuroscience Training Program (NTP), MSTP, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Biophysics

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LAB WEBSITE:

Davis Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Davis lab is focused on pancreatic islet biology.  We study adaptive and stress response pathways in the islet, with particular focus on the insulin-producing beta cells. Our goal is to identify novel pathways that promote beta cell growth, survival, and function.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology (ERP), NutriSci/MANTP, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBMS), MSTP

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Class of 2023
BS, Genetics- Purdue University
Hittinger Lab

Class of 2021
BA, Biology – Carleton College
Saha Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Dent Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The goal of my research is to understand the mechanisms of central nervous system development, plasticity and degeneration by focusing on the cytoskeleton. Both nervous system structure and function are highly dependent on the cytoskeleton. The cytoskeleton in neurons is composed of three polymer systems: actin filaments (f-actin), microtubules (MTs) and neurofilaments. Our main focus is understanding how MTs and f-actin interact in space and time during key events in neuronal maturation. Our working hypothesis is that many of the same cytoskeletal dynamics that are vital for neurite formation and axon guidance are recapitulated at later times in development, such as during dendritic spine plasticity and can go awry in adulthood, resulting in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Neuroscience Training Program (NTP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Denu Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Chromatin remodeling enzymes rely on co-enzymes derived from metabolic pathways, suggesting coordination between nuclear events and metabolic networks. Investigations are underway to understand the link between metabolism and the regulation of epigenetic mechanisms. We are testing the hypothesis that certain chromatin modifying complexes have evolved to exquisitely ‘sense’ metabolite levels and respond accordingly, modifying specific chromatin loci for altered gene expression. We are particularly interested in the aging process and how metabolism and the structure of chromatin affect the gene expression programming of the genome in age-dependent manner. In addition, we are exploring the role of the microbiome in mediating phenotypes associated with dysregulation of the epigenome, and those conditions linked to human disease. The group uses genetic, proteomic and metabolomic tools to address these questions.

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Class of 2023
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology – University of South Carolina- Columbia
Mandel Lab

Class of 2022
BS, Biochemistry – University of California, Riverside
Huynh Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Dilworth Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

In the Dilworth Lab, our research is focused on how muscle stem cells work to regenerate muscle tissue and how the environment they live in can influence their ability to repair muscle damage. This capacity to regenerate is necessary to replace, grow and repair our skeletal muscle throughout our lives. When something goes wrong with the function of these stem cells (called satellite cells), muscle tissue wastes away, which is the case for people suffering from muscular dystrophies. And as we age, maintaining muscle mass becomes increasingly difficult, also a result of changes in the effectiveness of our satellite cells. We are trying to address both of these areas by exploring how these stem cells respond to epigenetic influences, and how we can modify the muscle environment in which these satellite cells live to improve their regenerative function. We are continually expanding our understanding of the genes necessary to maintain muscle stem cells in a healthy, functional state. The goal of the Dilworth Lab is to understand why the genes that maintain stem cells in a healthy state sometimes get turned off and
how we can use epigenetics to turn these genes back on, so our satellite cells can function properly and effectively throughout our lifetime.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Dinh Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Immunology; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We are motivated by the question of how the tumor microenvironment changes upon cancer progression, before and after treatment, and if we can predict treatment responses based on blood immune cell signatures.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Cancer Biology Graduate Program

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Class of 2022
BS, Biology – Haveford College
Sousa Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Donohue Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our laboratory analyzes pathways and networks that microbes use to grow, generate biomass, or produce alternative fuels from sunlight or other renewable sources of energy. To dissect this fundamentally important problem, we are studying metabolic and regulatory pathways of the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides. By taking advantage of the R. sphaeroides genome sequence, microarrays, proteomics and molecular techniques we are defining how the energy in sunlight or renewable nutrients is partitioned into processes like cell growth or formation of biofuels. The metabolic pathways, global signal transduction networks, alternative sigma factors, and signals that control expression of well-studied components of the respiratory and photosynthetic electron transport chains are being defined or modelled using mutants, in vitro systems and computational techniques. The long range goals are to identify metabolic and regulatory activities that are critical to bioenergy formation, to obtain a thorough understanding of energy-conserving pathways of agricultural, environmental and medical importance, and to use computational models to help design microbial machines with increased capacity to utilize solar energy, generate renewable sources of energy, remove toxic compounds, or synthesize biodegradable polymers.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Genetics, Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Drerup Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular Adhesion & Cytoskeleton; Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The formation and maintenance of neural circuits relies on the active movement of structural and functional components throughout developing and mature neurons. This is a particularly important and challenging process in neurons with long axonal projections which can extend long distances from the cell body. Neurons rely on molecular motors to be the main driver of organelle and protein localization into axons. These motors use microtubules as tracks and are guided by microtubule polarity. The superfamily of Kinesin motor proteins (~45 in humans) is responsible for anterograde axonal transport towards microtubule plus ends oriented towards axon terminals. Conversely, a single molecular motor, Cytoplasmic dynein, is the primary motor proteins complex responsible for microtubule minus end (cell body) directed transport of cargos. How unique cargos attach to the single retrograde motor for transport to new locations is largely unknown but likely relies on adaptor proteins that link them conditionally to this motor for transport. Our lab uses genetics, live imaging of cargo transport, and biochemistry in zebrafish embryos and larvae to identify novel regulators of retrograde cargo transport in axons.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Drummond-Barbosa Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Stem cells maintain the function of many of organs and are also highly influenced by metabolism and physiology. My lab focuses on identifying the metabolic and physiological mechanisms that link the behavior of stem cells and their descendants to diet, stress, and other systemic inputs. To investigate these broadly relevant questions, we take advantage of a powerful genetic model organism, the fruit fly. Fruit flies have well characterized and readily identifiable stem cells, fascinating and complex physiology, and highly evolutionarily conserved biological processes. Our research generates fundamental knowledge about the integration between metabolism and physiology in the control of stem cell lineages in vivo, with potential insights into how deregulation of these processes is tied to stem cell-related diseases.

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Genetics 

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LAB WEBSITE:

https://www.medicine.wisc.edu/cardiovascular-medicine/eckhardt-research

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Membrane Biology and Protein Trafficking; Molecular and Genome Biology of Microbes; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Eckhardt laboratory studies functional genomics, focusing on the cellular mechanisms of inherited and acquired arrhythmia syndromes. The team is particularly interested in understanding
the cellular dynamics, channel regulation and cellular microdomains for potassium inward rectifier channel family Kir2.x and how this relates to arrhythmic disease. The Eckhardt lab also investigates
methodology for high-throughput genetic variant characterization, particularly for genes encoding cardiac potassium channels.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Ehrlich Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Neurons orchestrate an incredible array of actions by coordinating movements across the body. Using coordination we make music, play sports, communicate, and move about the world. Even an act as routine as walking requires moving our legs, arms, trunks, and heads in conjunction, and we do it all without a conscious thought. Research in my lab addresses how neurons transform movement goals into patterns of activity that coordinate muscles across the body, and how their synapses encode learning about coordination – particularly as developing animals discover new and better ways to move. We research this problem in zebrafish as they first learn to swim, when their movements are rudimentary because their bodies are simple. Still, by combining these rudimentary movements zebrafish can make elegant actions like hunting prey, evading predators, and navigating flows. Zebrafish possess miniature versions of key neural structures and cell types we use to coordinate our bodies, and because they are transparent, zebrafish offer unrivaled access to these cells. We use electrodes to reveal the operations of individual cells and synapses, and we image activity across cell populations spanning the brain. Our approach affords a unique opportunity to explain not only how neural circuits pattern movements across the body, but also how synapses let neurons cooperate within those circuits. These precise recordings are essential for understanding where and how learning remodels the brain.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Neuroscience Training Program (NTP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Engin Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Transcriptional Mechanisms; Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from the destruction of the insulin-secreting b-cells. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, caused by protein misfolding, chronic inflammation and environmental factors, is emerging as a novel concept for diabetes pathogenesis. To cope with ER stress, the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR), a signaling cascade mediated by ER membrane-localized sensors ATF6, IRE1 and PERK, is triggered to re-establish cellular homeostasis. ER stress and aberrant UPR have been shown to play a role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory and including type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis. However, the role of ER stress and the UPR in pathophysiology of T1D remains incompletely defined. Our lab is interested in understanding the role of organelle dysfunction and cellular stress responses in pancreatic beta cell pathophysiology and diabetes. We have developed unique tissue specific transgenic mouse models to identify the previously unknown functions of endoplasmic reticulum stress and unfolded protein response in type 1 diabetes Our ultimate goal is by using these unique tools and cutting edge methods to prevent and ultimately cure metabolic and autoimmune disorders.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IPiB), Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Nutritional Sciences (IGPNS), Molecular Biosciences (MBTG), Genetics, Endocrinology & Reproductive Physiology (ERP), Physiology, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBMS), Microbiology Doctoral Training (MDTP)

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Class of 2021
BS, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology – University of the Philippines
MS, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology – University of the Philippines
Roopra Lab

Class of 2022
BS, Genetics, Cellular & Molecular Biology – Texas A&M University
Alvarado Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Evans Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Virology; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My research program is directed towards understanding host-pathogen interactions for human and simian immunodeficiency viruses. Current areas of investigation include mechanisms of lentiviral resistance to tetherin/BST-2, the role of killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) and MHC class I interactions in regulating natural killer (NK) cell responses, and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) as a mechanism of protective immunity. Recent studies from my lab have contributed to our understanding of the role of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) in immunodeficiency virus infection. We developed an assay for measuring the ability of antibodies to direct the killing of HIV-1- and SIV-infected cells expressing native conformations of the viral envelope glycoprotein (Alpert et al. J. Virol. 2012). For its physiological relevance, sensitivity, broad dynamic range, and reproducibility, this assay was selected as one of six primary variables for the immune correlates analysis of the RV144 (or “Thai trial”) vaccine trial (Haynes et al. N. Engl. J. Med. 2012). Using this assay, we found also that the time-dependent maturation of complete protection in macaques immunized with nef-deleted, live-attenuated SIV is associated with progressive increases in ADCC activity against the challenge virus (Alpert et al. PLoS Pathog. 2012). More recently, we reported a general correlation between ADCC and virus neutralization by HIV-1 Env-specific monoclonal antibodies (von Bredow et al. J. Virol. 2016), which indicates, perhaps not surprisingly, that most antibodies that are able to bind to functional Env trimers on virions to block infectivity are also able to bind to Env on the surface of virus-infected cells to direct their elimination by ADCC; however, this correlation was imperfect revealing specific differences in Env epitopes exposed on the surface of infected cells and virions.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP), Cancer Biology, Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Fan Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The overarching goal of my research is to understand how mammalian cellular metabolism is reprogrammed in response to changes in the environment and cellular state, and how activities in key metabolic pathways can in turn affect cell function. To study this, we combine systems biology approaches, especially fluxomics and metabolomics, with computational modeling and biochemical and genetic techniques. Particularly, our current works focus on (1) understanding the metabolic adaptations in cancer cells in acidic tumor microenvironment, and (2) investigating the metabolic regulation during macrophage polarization.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Nutritional Science (IGPNS), Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP)

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Class of 2025
BS, Molecular & Cellular Biology- University of New Haven
Hess Lab

Class of 2023
BS, Biochemistry – Colombia University
MS, Poetry- University of New Orleans
Weaver Lab

Class of 2023
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology- University of South Carolina, Columbia
Amador-Noguez Lab

Class of 2023
BS, Movement Science- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Hornberger Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Fowler Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Physiology; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My lab is focused on using molecular imaging to better understand the biology of breast cancer including its response to targeted drug therapies and the development of drug resistance. Specifically, we are interested in quantitative imaging of steroid hormone receptors (estrogen and progesterone receptor) since these are well-established prognostic and predictive biomarkers for breast cancer patients. Noninvasive measurements of these biomarkers at baseline and early after initiation of therapy (either alone or in combination with novel targeted drug therapies) is important since this knowledge may help clinicians choose the best drug tailored to each patient based on their specific tumor signaling characteristics and ultimately improve survival.

Currently, our focus is on using ¹⁸F-labeled radiopharmaceuticals and imaging with positron emission tomography (PET) combined with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We are also interested in correlating genomic and clinical outcome information to explore whether quantitative imaging data can yield insight into tumor heterogeneity which is an important factor in disease progression and drug resistance. We also are studying how patient and biologic factors, such as tumor genomic mutations, influence uptake of ¹⁸F-labeled steroid hormone radiopharmaceuticals used for molecular imaging.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:  Radiological Sciences T32, ICTR Graduate Program in Clinical Investigation, Cancer Biology

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LAB WEBSITE:

Friedrich lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Virology; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Where do pandemic viruses come from? How do they evolve to infect humans and overcome our immune defenses? These questions guide research in my laboratory. We seek to understand how emerging and re-emerging viruses evolve to “jump” from other species and become transmissible in humans. Building on a foundation of examining viral evolution under immune selective pressure, we now investigate a range of questions about viral transmission and pathogenesis from an evolutionary perspective. Our work focuses on animal models of viral infection and transmission, but we also study viral infection and immunity in human subjects in order to ensure that our studies are relevant to human disease. Through our discoveries, we hope to contribute to the global campaigns against pandemic influenza, Zika virus, HIV/AIDS, and other emerging and re-emerging viruses.

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LAB WEBSITE:

https://apps.pharmacy.wisc.edu/sopdir/ting_fu/

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Fu laboratory mainly studies how nuclear receptors sense environmental clues and regulate Gastrointestinal (GI) homeostasis in healthy and disease states. Specifically, we are interested in how dietary and microbial induced bile acids are sensed by Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) and dynamically affect intestinal development, differentiation and inflammation, focusing on colorectal cancer (CRC) and Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Pharmaceutical Sciences Ph.D. Program, MCP, CMP

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LAB WEBSITE:

Gaglia Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Immunology; RNA Biology; Virology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Viruses use a small number of proteins to redirect host pathways and cause large changes in the
physiology of cells and organisms, often in surprising ways. We are particularly interested in
virus-cell interactions in the control and subversion of anti-viral innate immune responses, as
innate immune responses have a crucial and dualistic role on outcome of infection. They can act
as a barrier for the virus, reducing viral replication and disease. However, they can also become
pathogenic, especially if they are hyperactivated or misdirected. Viral proteins that modulate host
responses are thus relevant for disease outcome: they can reduce protective responses that will
curb replication, but also modulate the switch towards hyperactive damaging responses.
My laboratory is currently focusing on two specific examples of virus-cell interactions: 1) the
function of an influenza A virus-encoded immune evasion protein, PA-X, that protects from
immune-related damage, and its interaction with cellular RNA biogenesis pathways; 2) the
hijacking of the cellular apoptotic protease caspase-8 for reduction of anti-viral responses during
infection with Kaposi’s sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV). We combine classical virology
and RNA biology approaches with transcriptomics, proteomics and custom bioinformatics
analysis.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Galmozzi Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Physiology; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My group is interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms that control metabolic adaptation in response to environmental stimuli and in pathophysiological conditions. We are specifically focused on obesity and the role of adipose tissue dysfunction during the progression of obesity and insulin resistance. Adipocyte dysfunction is central to the onset of obesity-associated type 2 diabetes and agents that can restore proper adipocyte function have often shown therapeutic effects in vivo. By integrating chemical proteomics, cellular and biochemical assays, and in-depth mouse phenotyping, we intend to identify novel functional pathways in adipocytes amenable to pharmacological modulation that can provide new avenues to treat obesity and obesity-linked metabolic disorders. 

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LAB WEBSITE:

Gamm Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Inherited and acquired eye diseases that culminate in the degeneration of photoreceptors and retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) (e.g., retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration) are a significant cause of visual morbidity. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) provide a novel and promising source of biological material for modeling retinal development and devising cell-based treatments for these debilitating diseases. The aims of my laboratory are as follows: (1) to investigate cellular and molecular events that occur during human retinal differentiation and (2) to generate cells for use in in vitro retinal disease modeling and the development of cell-based therapies for retinal degenerative disorders. A critical component of our effort is the development of better strategies to support the production, maturation, and function of hPSC-derived retinal cells. We developed the first 3D culture method to generate retinal cells from human ES and iPS cells (hESCs and hiPSCs), which has since yielded key insights into mechanisms of early human retinogenesis and probed the authenticity of hPSC-derived retinal progeny, including photoreceptor cells (rods and cones), retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) cells, and neural retinal tissue. In addition, we pioneered the use of patient-specific and gene-modified iPS cells to model retinal disorders and test therapeutic strategies and have advanced efforts to adapt this technology for human use. 

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LAB WEBSITE:

Gao Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology, Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The overarching goal of the Gao lab’s research is to understand the functional roles of bone marrow microenvironment in regulating hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) during normal, pre-malignant and malignant hematopoiesis. Current projects focus on three general areas: 1) understand the functions of nociceptive nerves in regulating HSC behavior and blood diseases; 2) explore the contributions of aged bone marrow microenvironment to age-related blood diseases; 3) investigate the roles of macrophages in the HSC niche. My laboratory combines in vivo and in vitro approaches, including molecular and cellular techniques, mouse models as well as patients-derived xenotransplantation models. Ultimately, we hope that our research will help inform the development of novel strategies to advance the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of blood disorders.

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Class of 2024
BS, Biology -University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez
Friedrich Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Gasch Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Systems Biology; RNA Biology; Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Gasch lab combines functional and comparative genomics with computational and molecular biology, for a systems-wide view of eukaryotic stress defense and signaling. We are interested in how cells sense their environment, detect when there is a problem, and then mount a multi-faceted response to protect themselves against stress.  We study these topics in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model for basic biology.  Because defects in sensing and responding to cellular stress are linked to many human diseases, and because much of yeast physiology is similar to human cells, our research is generating important insights into how normal cells function and when problems cause disease.   In addition to addressing fundamental questions about basic biology, we also apply this information to producing sustainable and economical biofuels from cellulosic materials, through research in the GLBRC.  Because yeast stress is a critical bottleneck in generating economical fuels from available biomass, our research is advancing this area by using our knowledge to engineer yeast for industrial use.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Genetics, Microbiology (MDTP), Medical Scientsit Training Program (MSTP), Genomic Science Training program (GSTP), Computation and Informatics in Biology and Medicine (CIBM), Aging

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LAB WEBSITE:

Ge Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Physiology; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My career goal is to redefine molecular mechanisms in heart failure and cardiac regeneration through systems biology approaches and translate the bench discoveries to the clinic. My research is highly interdisciplinary at the interface of chemistry, biology and medicine. I have developed a keen interest in myocardial biology/heart failure and established a vibrant and externally funded research program in cardiovascular proteomics and systems biology. By creatively integrating my expertise in chemistry/proteomics with cardiac biology/medicine, I aim to develop fundamental principles that can provide transformative insights into the understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms in cardiac diseases and regeneration, to identify new molecular targets for diagnosis, and ultimately provide novel treatments for heart failure. It is my belief that in order to make significant impact in molecular medicine, we need to combine technological advances with molecular and cellular biology and bridge the silos between basic and translational/clinical research.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Chemistry, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Chemical-biology Interface Training Program, Cardiovascular Training Program

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Class of 2025
BS, Environmental Science- University of Wisconsin, Madison
Anderson Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Gilroy Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Plant Biology; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We are interested in how plants sense and respond to their environment and how these signals regulate plant development. The research emphasis of the lab is to try and understand these processes at the cellular and molecular level. The specific biological questions we are addressing at the moment include: How do roots and shoots sense and respond to pathogen, wounding and touch stimuli and how does spaceflight alter regulatory networks in biological systems? We approach these questions by combining microscopy-based assays, such as confocal microscopy with the development and application of novel fluorescent probes/imaging techniques to monitor signaling components such as Ca2+, ROS and cGMP. These imaging techniques are coupled to analysis of responses in mutant lines or those engineered to over- or under-express a gene of interest. We also apply a wide range of transcriptomic and bioinformatics-based analyses to try and define response network architectures.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Botany

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LAB WEBSITE:

Glukhov Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Membrane Biology and Protein Trafficking; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our laboratory is a part of the Cellular and Molecular Arrhythmia Research Program (CMARP) involving multiple investigators working on a wide range of research projects exploring the molecular function of ion channels in human physiology, pharmacology, and disease. Our research interests are focused on studying cellular and molecular mechanisms of cardiac excitability and contractility, neurohormonal regulation of cardiac physiology, and mechanisms of abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias). We use electrophysiology, cell biology, molecular biology techniques, and various state-of-the art imaging modalities to identify triggers and treatments of cardiac disease. The primary goal of our research is to improve the health of people with cardiac arrhythmias, including the most common abnormal heart rhythm, atrial fibrillation, affecting about 2% to 3% of the Western population. To accomplish this, we aim to identify novel diagnostic tools and therapeutic targets through investigation of mechanisms of cardiac remodeling and arrhythmogenesis.

Our group has a multidisciplinary background that includes expertise in physiology, cell biology, biomedical engineering, biophysics, and confocal microscopy. We employ several state-of-the-art techniques, including high-resolution fluorescent optical mapping and scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) equipped with “smart” patch-clamp. This unique set of skills and experimental techniques allow us to investigate mechanisms of arrhythmias across multiple scales from protein expression, localization and function, to electrical and mechanical activity of an intact heart. Our research is specifically focused on elucidating the functionality of subcellular nanodomains and their role in regulation of proteins responsible for normal and pathophysiological electro-mechanical activity of the heart. We pursue two main directions: (1) determining the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying normal electrical activity and dysfunction of the sinoatrial node, the heart’s natural pacemaker, and (2) discovering novel strategies for atrial fibrillation treatment and risk stratification.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

• Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP)
• Cardiovascular Training Program
• Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine Center Training Program

COMPLETE LIST OF PUBLICATIONS:

• GOOGLE SCHOLAR
• PUBMED PUBLICATION

LAB WEBSITE:

Gomez Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The long-term objective of our research is to better understand the intracellular signaling cascades and effector mechanisms responsible for axon outgrowth and pathfinding in the developing central and peripheral nervous systems. For this we must understand how nerve growth cones detect, integrate and respond to soluble and substratum-associated guidance molecules. Mutations in genes involved in the detection and transduction of axon guidance information into directed neurite outgrowth are responsible for many deficits in cognitive function, including autisms, dyslexias and other learning disabilities. By studying the cellular, physiological and molecular mechanisms that govern normal axon outgrowth and guidance, we hope to identify potential sites of therapeutic intervention.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Neuroscience Training Program (NTP)

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Class of 2024
BS, Life Sciences – Presidency University
MS, Biotechnology – Indian Institute of Technology
Hoon Lab/Sinha Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Griep Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The focus of the work in the Griep lab is on determining how certain tumor suppressors regulate epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation in vivo and the mechanisms through which disease occurs when these factors are rendered nonfunctional. The specific tumor suppressors of interest to us have included the product of the retinoblastoma susceptibility gene and two PDZ domain containing proteins, Discs-large 1 (Dlg-1) and Scribble (Scrib). We use a variety of genetic, molecular, cell biological and embryological techniques, including transgenic and knockout mice and related tissue culture systems to study this issue, primarily in the mouse eye as our model system.

Studies many years ago showed that functional pRb is essential for normal cell cycle regulation and lens differentiation, at least in part through its ability to repress the activities of the E2F-1 transcription factor. Other studies showed that pRb along with its family members are required to maintain normal cell cycle regulation in the progenitor cells in the lens epithelium.

The current work in the Griep lab is to elucidate the mechanisms through which epithelial cell shape, adhesion and polarity (both apical-basal and planar cell) influence cell growth and differentiation. These studies are focused on understanding the roles of two PDZ domain containing proteins, Dlg-1 and Scrib in mouse development. In Drosophila their homologs are known to be neoplastic tumor suppressors that regulate adhesion, cell polarity and proliferation. However, very little is known of the role of Dlg-1 and Scrib in mammalian species. Our recent findings suggest that Dlg-1 and Scrib fulfill similar roles in the lens. In addition, we discovered that Dlg-1 is a regulator of developmental processes in the mouse that are associated with planar cell polarity (or sometimes referred to as tissue polarity) genes. It has recently been discovered by colleagues in the field that the lens is subject to regulation by the Wnt/planar cell polarity pathway. We have discovered that Scrib and Dlg-1 interact with a core PCP protein, Vangl2 and that at the genetic level, these genes interact to regulate the shape of the differentiated cells of the lens, and hence their organization into the overall tissue. Unexpectedly, Dlg-1 and Scrib appear to have opposing activities on cell shape and the activation of Wnt/PCP, suggesting that they act on different factors in a common pathway. Scrib also is required very early in lens development as a suppressor of epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Future work will be aimed at elucidating further the molecular pathways that are regulated by Dlg-1 and Scrib and how they coordinate tissue polarity, cell shape and adhesion with cell proliferation and differentiation.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Cancer Biology, Genetics, Molecular and Environmental Toxicology

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LAB WEBSITE:

Grinblat Lab

FOCUS GROUP:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We investigate conserved genetic mechanisms that control vertebrate embryogenesis by focusing on a conserved family of zinc-finger transcription factor genes, the Zinc-Finger-in-the-Cerebellum (Zic) family. Zics are essential for normal brain morphogenesis in mammals; in humans, mutations in Zic1 are associated with cerebellar malformations, and mutations in Zic2 are associated with holoprosencephaly, the most prevalent congenital malformation of the cerebral cortex. We use an experimentally accessible model organism, the zebrafish (Danio rerio), to elucidate the mechanisms of Zic function in the developing embryo. By leveraging the unique strengths of zebrafish, i.e. the ease of direct observation and genetic manipulation, we have identified novel roles for Zic2 in two essential signaling pathways widely used during development, the Wnt and Hedgehog pathways. We have identified key roles for Zic2 during brain morphogenesis as well as the formation of the neural retina/brain interface and of the adjacent craniofacial cartilages that form frontonasal and jaw structures.   With robust mutant-based models in hand, we are working to gain an in-depth understanding of the important, yet poorly understood mechanisms that underlie conserved requirements for Zic function during vertebrate embryogenesis.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Genetics, Zoology

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Class of 2023
BS, Biology – Fitchburg State College
MS, Molecular Biology- Lehigh University
Nance Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Guo Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking; RNA Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

For genes to produce their final functional products (proteins or non-coding RNAs), the RNA transcripts need to be extensively processed after transcription, including splicing, modification, transportation, translation and eventual degradation. RNA binding proteins (RBPs) are important regulators in each step of the complex processes of RNA metabolism and are increasingly recognized as critical regulators in myogenesis, muscle hypertrophy and disease. Hence, the research program in Guo lab is focused on understanding the role of RBPs in RNA metabolism in myogenesis, muscle growth and disease. The long-term goal in Guo lab is to develop RNA-based approaches to improve human health and animal production efficiency through biomolecules and animal biologics identified from animal co-products.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Molecular and Environmental Toxicology (MET)

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Class of 2020
BS, Biochemistry – Queens University at Kingston
Dilworth Lab

Class of 2022
BS, Biology (Genomics & Biotechnology) – King Abudul Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
South Lab

LAB WEBSITE

FOCUS GROUPS:

Virology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our research focuses on decrypting the pathogenicity of respiratory viruses, such as influenza viruses and coronaviruses, as well as hemorrhagic fever viruses like Ebola and Marburg viruses. We aim to uncover and characterize host factors and viral determinants that drive differences in disease severity and transmissibility between different virus species or isolates. Using reverse genetics systems, a method to generate live virus from cDNA plasmids, we
can generate viruses from viral RNA or publicly available sequence data, enabling us to study phenotypic differences between virus isolates at the molecular level, even down to single amino acid changes. This capability allows us to explore how specific mutations influence a specific viral phenotype. The information gathered from these studies along with the unique tools, techniques, and reagents generated in this laboratory allows us to develop and evaluate novel medical countermeasures against these viruses to help improve public health.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Halloran Lab

FOCUS GROUP:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our research is aims at understanding how axons are guided to their targets during development of the nervous system. Several families of molecules have been identified that can act as axon guidance cues by either attracting or repelling the motile growth cone at the tip of the growing axon. There is still relatively little known about how axonal growth cones are guided in the complex in vivo environment, where they must integrate multiple cues. We are investigating the function of guidance molecules in vivo using the zebrafish embryo as a model system. The zebrafish is a simple vertebrate with rapidly developing, optically transparent embryos ideal for visualizing developing axons. We use genetic and molecular manipulation of potential guidance cues combined with live imaging of growing axons to determine how guidance cues function in vivo to control the formation of neural connections.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Neuroscience Training Program (NTP),  Genetics

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LAB WEBSITE:

Hardin Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our laboratory studies the cellular and molecular mechanisms of cell adhesion and cell movements during embryonic development, using C. elegans as a model organism. We are interested in (1) the cellular and molecular mechanisms of cell rearrangement; (2) the cellular and molecular mechanisms of epithelial sheet sealing; and (3) the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying cadherin-based adhesion during morphogenesis. We use genetics, high resolution 4d imaging of tagged proteins in living embryos, biochemistry, and embryology to study these processes.

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Class of 2025
BS, Marine Biology- University of California- San Diego
MS, Marine Biology- University of California- San Diego
Salcedo Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Harrison Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Transcriptional Mechanisms; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Research in the Harrison lab is focused on understanding how the genomic code is interpreted over the course of development and how mutations in this code can lead to disease. Because all cells of an organism contain essentially the same DNA genome, it is how this genome is read out over development that can give rise to the diversity of cell types found in the adult. Using the many tools available for studies in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, we are working to understand how cell fate is regulated by gene expression and how specific proteins can control what regions of the genome are being actively transcribed. Work in the lab currently focuses on a number of conserved developmental transitions including (1) how the embryonic genome is initially activated after fertilization, (2) how neural stem cell number is precisely controlled to inhibit tumor formation, and (3) how epithelial cell fate is regulated.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IPiB), Genetics, MSTP

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LAB WEBSITE:

Under Construction

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton, Immunology, Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Haynes lab studies how microglia adapt to the needs of the growing and aging brain. We are interested in how microglia interpret and respond to physiological cues in the brain throughout life, and how this changes during aging and disease processes. Microglia are long-lived cells, and can become dystrophic during aging, leading to failures in migration, phagocytosis, and metabolism. Understanding how cell biological pathways fail in aging microglia can help us predict and prevent poor outcomes in human cognitive aging and neurodegenerative disease.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Hematti Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Peiman Hematti, MD is Professor of Medicine in section of Hematology/Oncology, UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, with joint appointments in departments of pediatrics, surgery and biomedical engineering. His clinical research interest is in the prevention and treatment of graft versus host disease and other post-transplant immunological complications, novel cellular therapies for cancer treatment, and use of bone marrow stem cells in regenerative medicine. Dr. Hematti’s laboratory research focuses on immunobiology of stem cell transplantation with a special focus on investigating the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties of a unique type of macrophages discovered in his lab. He is collaborating with many investigators on the UW-campus studying the potential of cellular therapy in many different pre-clinical models.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

CMP, BME

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LAB WEBSITE:

Hess Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Systems Biology; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We use high-throughput screening platforms and next-generation sequencing to perform functional genomics in mammalian cells. We use these technologies to explore how genotypes are related to human health, including disease state and treatment response. These tools are broadly applicable, but our lab uses them to explore mammalian DNA repair and transcriptional regulation, common targets for therapeutic intervention in cancer. In addition to identifying new machinery, we investigate how host and pathogenic factors perturb these processes and alter the response to therapeutic strategies. 

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IPiB), Genetics Graduate Program

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Class of 2023
BS, Microbiology- University of Wisconsin, Madison
Wright Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Hittinger Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Hemiascomycete yeasts related to Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans, and Pichia stipitis encompass hundreds of described species that adopt a variety of strategies for consuming and processing the energy stored in a variety of carbon compounds. Like most living organisms, many of these yeasts adopt the ancestral and energy-efficient carbon utilization strategy of respiring when oxygen is present. Howerver, S. cerevisiae and its relatives ignore the presence of oxygen and ferment simple sugars when they are abundant. Much of this evolutionarily derived response is due to differences in the transcriptional regulatory networks, and we seek to discover which regulatory changes have occurred, determine when they occurred (through comparative methods and ancestral state inference), and understand the molecular mechanisms by which these changes were accomplished. Yeasts also vary greatly in terms of which carbon sources can be utilized for energy, and recent studies show that such variation can evolve rapidly and can even be maintained within individual species. Such variation is often encoded in modular gene networks, such as the galactose (GAL) utilization network that we have developed as a model for evolutionary systems biology and molecular evolution. We seek to understand how this variation is encoded in the genome and how its functions are executed at a molecular level.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Genetics, Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP), Botany, Zoology/iBio

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Class of 2021
BS, Biology – University of Massachusetts Amherst
Bement Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Hoon Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine; Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Hoon Lab is interested in identifying the cellular, molecular and environmental factors that regulate the formation of stereotypic connectivity between diverse retinal nerve cells during development and that degrade retinal connectivity during disease. Combining multi-transgenic approaches in the mouse retina together with high-resolution light and electron microscopy, single cell profiling and electrophysiological approaches our lab aims to identify both activity-dependent and independent mechanisms that regulate circuit formation and function in the mammalian retina. Knowledge about connectivity disruptions during diseased and degenerating conditions can fuel generation of novel therapeutic tools for mitigating the pathology of blinding diseases.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Hornberger Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

It is well recognized that mechanical stimuli play a major role in the regulation of skeletal muscle mass, and that the maintenance of muscle mass contributes significantly to disease prevention and the quality of life. Although the link between mechanical signals and the regulation of muscle mass has been recognized for decades, the molecular mechanisms that drive this process remain poorly defined. Hence, the long-term goal of our research is to determine how skeletal muscles sense mechanical information and convert this stimulus into the molecular events that regulates changes in muscle mass (i.e., mechanotransduction).

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBMS), Kinesiology, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Hryckowian Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our goal is to understand the molecular and genetic underpinnings of gut microbiome community dynamics. This work is necessary in order to build the concepts and approaches needed to cope with “problematic” microbial communities, such as those that predispose and perpetuate gastrointestinal infectious diseases. We employ in vitro and in vivo approaches (including gnotobiotic and conventional mouse models) and a variety of molecular and genetic techniques. We will also work with collaborators at UW Hospitals and Clinics to reciprocally inform our work and to translate our findings into clinical practice.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP)

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Class of 2021
BS, Biology – Brandeis University
MS, Biology – Brandeis University
Merrins Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Huang Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Transcriptional Mechanisms; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We are interested in how brain neural and vascular development is regulated by radial glial neural progenitor cell signaling. For brain vascular development, we are studying the molecular signaling mechanisms by which radial glia regulate nascent vessel stabilization. For brain neural development, we are studying how intracellular signaling and transcriptional regulation in radial glia control the timing of brain astroglial development and prevents neuronal migration disorder.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Neuroscience Training Program (NTP), Genetics

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LAB WEBSITE:

The Hull Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The incidence of disease caused by fungi has risen sharply over the last two decades, and severe fungal diseases are often life threatening and difficult to treat. As a group, the human pathogenic fungi have been difficult to study, but the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans has been useful in both molecular and genetic analyses, making it an excellent system for studying human fungal pathogens. Using biochemical, genetic, molecular, bioinformatic, and cell biological approaches we are elucidating the basic processes and molecular mechanisms important for C. neoformans to undergo sexual development (gene regulation, protein-DNA interactions, transcriptional networks), determining the resistance, growth, and surface properties of spores (cell differentiation, developmental biology), and investigating how spores interact with the host immune system in mice (immunology, virulence).

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP), Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IPiB), and Genetics

PUBMED PUBLICATIONS

LAB WEBSITE:

Huttenlocher Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our research is at the interface of cell biology and immunology and is centered on understanding on inflammation and its resolution during tissue repair. We seek to dissect how external cues and cell signaling networks regulate cell migration and how this is altered in human disease. Our group has pioneered approaches to visualize and manipulate leukocyte motility in zebrafish and human cells, and using these tools have uncovered new mechanisms that regulate resolution of innate immune inflammation. We are also engineering human pluripotent stem cells to understand neutrophil migration and host defense responses that are studied in microfluidic and organotypic models. We are also engineering human pluripotent stem cells to understand neutrophil migration and host defense responses that are studied in microfluidic and organotypic models.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Huynh Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Immunology: Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My research program investigates signaling mechanisms that mediate bacterial pathogenesis and adaptation. We currently focus on c-di-AMP, which is required for bacterial growth and infection. Within bacteria, c-di-AMP also regulates many cellular processes, such as central metabolism, turgor pressure maintenance, DNA damage repair, and biofilm formation. C-di-AMP is absent in eukaryotes, and bacteria-derived c-di-AMP triggers robust immune responses during infection of the host. Additionally, the accumulation of c-di-AMP is also toxic to bacterial virulence. Employing the human pathogen Listeria monocytogenes as a model, we’re pursuing the following aspects of c-di-AMP signaling: i) What are the biological functions of c-di-AMP binding proteins in bacteria and infected host cells? ii) What are the mechanisms by which c-di-AMP regulates its protein targets? iii) High-throughput screens for inhibitors of c-di-AMP hydrolysis for use as antibiotics or antibiotic adjuvants. We’re also beginning to investigate the essential roles of c-di-AMP in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a human commensal bacterium.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP), Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBMS), Food Science

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Class of 2024
BS, Genetics & Biotechnology – Kyung Hee University
Blanc Lab

Class of 2022
BS, Biotechnology Engineering
MS, Biotechnology
Mehle Lab

Class of 2022
BS, Biological Sciences- Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
South Lab

Class of 2023
BS, Biology – Queens College of CUNY
Dilworth Lab

Class of 2022
BS, Biology – University of Central Florida
Bhattacharyya Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Jiang Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We aim to uncover new functions of protein glycosylation in biology and disease by harnessing various
interdisciplinary techniques, including biochemistry, molecular biology, chemical biology, structural biology, cell
biology, mass spectrometry, and imaging that could promote novel understanding and treatments for a range
of conditions, including cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Chemical-Biology Interface Training Program, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Training Program

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Class of 2022
BS, Cell Biology & Biochemistry – University of California, San Diego
Lang Lab

LAB WEBSITE: Johannsen Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Virology; Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

EBV latent infection drives B lymphocytes to proliferate as immortalized lymphoblastoid cell
lines (LCLs). By studying how EBV accomplishes this, we have learned a tremendous amount
about B cell biology. By combining multi-omics approaches (RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, etc) with
EBV reverse genetics we have defined the mechanisms of growth transformation by this virus.
For example, using ChIP-seq we have demonstrated that multiple EBV nuclear antigens
(EBNAs) that interact with RBPJ, a transcription factor in the Notch signaling pathway bind to
partially overlapping sites in the host genome. We further showed that this differential binding
results from interactions with additional host transcription factors and provides a molecular basis
for the differential gene regulations by each of the individual EBNA proteins.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Cancer Biology Training Program, Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP), Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Training Program (MCP), Cellular & Molecular Pathology Graduate Program (CMP)

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Class of 2023
BS, Biochemistry – North Dakota State University
Coon Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Jorgensen Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My laboratory’s investigations into female and male gonad development are inspired by the quest to understand the fetal basis of sex-specific adult diseases in reproductive endocrinology. Our interest in female gonad development is focused on formation of the unique cellular niche, the follicle, which ensures survival and maturation of the female gamete. We discovered a cluster of homeobox transcription factors that are expressed during ovary development whose disruption results in follicle failure and oocyte death, classic components of premature ovarian insufficiency or failure, a devastating disease in adult females. Our interest in male gonad development is centered on local regulation of androgen synthesis. Defective androgen synthesis or activity during fetal development is emerging as a component of adult male infertility and a component of the testis dysgenesis syndrome that includes a constellation of impacts from urogenital tract malformation, infertility, and gonadal cancers. The major goals of my research have been to discover local cell-cell interactions and molecular mechanisms that are used to establish the nascent gonad environments. It has been established that male and female developmental pathways engage in an ongoing battle of mutual antagonism to maintain sex-specific identity. Therefore, we find it critical to understand the sex-specific cell-cell interactions that depend on both time and geographical space during development to help us understand the potential for adult diseases.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Comparative and Biomedical Sciences (CBMS), Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology (ERP), Molecular and Environmental Toxicology (METC), Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Kabbage Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Plant Biology; Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Cellular and Molecular Metabolism

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The goal of my research is to understand how programmed cell death (PCD) pathways are modulated in response to abiotic and biotic insults, particularly in plants and fungi. While common core regulators of apoptotic cell death (e.g. Bcl‐2 family members, caspases, IAPs), have been identified and extensively characterized in metazoans, such core regulators (or functional equivalents) are apparently divergent in other kingdoms and in general await identification. Remarkably, however, the ectopic expression of certain animal anti-apoptotic genes in plants confers cytoprotection against a range of abiotic and biotic stressors that typically induce PCD. This suggests that functional equivalents of these genes may be present in nonanimal systems. Thus, co-opting plant/fungal pathways using these animal regulators of cell death provides a unique opportunity to uncover key biochemical players involved in PCD modulation. My program capitalizes on the ectopic expression of animal PCD regulators and other tools to uncover novel PCD regulators.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Plant Pathology

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LAB WEBSITE:

Kacar Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; RNA Biology; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our research focuses on reconstructing molecular time machines to explore and attempt to rebuild lost histories. We use tools drawn from synthetic biology, molecular biology and evolutionary biology to tackle challenging questions in life sciences that will allow us to understand life’s fundamental innovations. We hope to reveal underlying molecular mechanisms that are directly and indirectly responsible for maintaining conditions of habitability on our planet’s surface.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Kalejta Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Virology; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our lab studies the epigenetic control of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) transcription and its impact on intrinsic and innate immune pathways, productive viral replication, latency, and pathogenesis. We also exam how HCMV and Epstein Barr virus (EBV) modulate cell cycle pathways to impact virus replication and oncogenicity.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP), Medical  Sciences Training program (MSTP), Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBMS), Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Kamp Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Human pluripotent stem cells are a central element of the research. These master stem cells can differentiate into all the major cell types present in the heart, providing unlimited quantities of human heart cells for research and therapeutic applications. The Kamp lab has pioneered this
technology, developing ever-improving methods for the robust production of cardiomyocytes from human pluripotent stem cells and other cell populations such as cardiac fibroblasts. Ongoing research examines the genetic basis of inherited arrhythmias and cardiomyopathies using patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells and cellular electrophysiology. Research focuses on defining the impact of genetic variants that cause abnormal rhythms and heart
function at the cellular level to identify targets and pathways for therapy. The lab is also actively pursuing strategies to re-muscularize the failing heart following myocardial infarction. Using a variety of small and large animal models in collaborative studies, we are developing and testing different cell preparations derived from human pluripotent stem cells and delivery strategies.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program

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LAB WEBSITE:

Kang Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The overarching goal of my research is to tackle fundamental questions in tissue regeneration, examining broad questions regarding how genetic and epigenetic factors control tissue regeneration. Using adult zebrafish as a model, my lab interrogates regeneration-promoting genes, analyzes the role of nerves in regeneration, and dissects the molecular mechanisms controlling tissue regeneration. Toward this goal, we utilize a wide range of cellular, molecular, and genetic approaches, including leveraging the power of zebrafish genetics, advanced imaging, bioinformatics, genome editing, and epigenomics. Our studies have yielded key discoveries on the role of ion channels in tissue regeneration, identification of regeneration-emerging cell-types
and genes, and crucial enhancer elements and the underlying mechanisms of their function in regeneration.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Genetics, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology (CMP), Department of Integrative Biology

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Class of 2019
BA, Biology – Grinnell College
Sheets Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Kawaoka Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Virology; Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

I am interested in identifying the viral and host determinants of influenza and Ebola virus pathogenicity, and the underlying mechanisms that account for the pathogenicity of these viruses. My research includes basic virology studies, systems biology approaches, and applied research aimed at developing novel vaccines and antiviral treatments to combat influenza and Ebola virus infections.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Molecular Biosciences Training Grant Program (MBTG), Microbes in Health and Disease (MHD), Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBMS)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Keck Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We study the structural and cellular mechanisms of DNA replication, recombination, and repair. Our approaches include X-ray crystallographic studies of key proteins involved in these processes along with biochemical and chemical biological experiments that establish the mechanisms by which genome maintenance is catalyzed and regulated.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IPiB), Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP), Biophysics

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Class of 2019
BS, Cell and Molecular Biology – University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Masson Lab

LAB WEBSITE

Keller Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My lab focuses on molecular genetics and cell biology of secondary metabolite synthesis in filamentous fungi as well as host/microbe interactions using plant and human pathogenic Aspergillus spp. We assess genetic/chemical methods to identify fungal metabolites and physiology/microscopy/host experiments to assess virulence/ecological traits of said metabolites.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Molecular and Environmental Toxicology (METC), Microbiology (MDTP), Genetics, Medical Microbiology & Immunology 

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Class of 2023
BA, Biochemistry- Augustana University
Sherer Lab

Class of 2020
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology – Dickinson College
Bement Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Kimple Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Currently, over 30 million Americans (about 10% of the population) are estimated to have diabetes, with the majority of cases being obesity-linked type 2 diabetes (T2D). Some diabetes treatments—most notably, the glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs)—show evidence for stimulating the β-cell to augment glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), β-cell replication, and/or β-cell survival. Yet, these treatments do not work in everyone, particularly those with existing β-cell dysfunction. The long-term goal of my research program is to characterize signal transduction pathways that inhibit β-cell function, growth, and replication, with the objective of identifying and validating new therapeutic targets for the loss of functional β-cell mass in diabetes. The specific focus of my laboratory is the Gi subfamily member, Gz, and it’s associated receptor, prostaglandin EP3 receptor (EP3), in the regulation of functional β-cell mass. We use mouse models of T2D and isolated mouse and human islets elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind b-cell EP3/Gz signaling and how these correlate with changes in b-cell function, replication, and survival.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology (ERP), Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBMS), Nutritional Sciences (IGPNS), Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Kimple Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

In the Kimple Lab we seek to improve the care of cancer patients through our strengths in translational radiation research while providing a supportive, world-class learning environment for scientists at all levels. Radiation therapy can be used to cure many cancer patients. We use powerful patient-derived model systems to study how cancers evolute to overcome current treatments and study treatments to overcome radiation-induced toxicity to improve the quality of life of our patients. Our long-term goal is to offer personalized treatments to each patient.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Cancer Biology, Medical Physics, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Training Program (MCP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Kinney Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Immunology; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

As an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I have merged my experiences across engineering and biology to establish the Stem Cell Systems Biology Laboratory. Integrating my training in tissue engineering, stem cell biology, hematology and systems biology, my lab is studying stem cell organoid development through a quantitative lens, with an initial focus on hematopoietic lineages (e.g. HSCs, RBCs, T cells). Broadly, my vision is to train the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists to draw inspiration from their diverse backgrounds and expertise to tackle the collective goal of empowering stem cell research through quantitative biology. An important key in this goal is the recruitment of trainees across fields, particularly those from Cell and Molecular Biology. I envision that trainees will operate at the interface of biology and engineering research and move freely across the computationalexperimental space. I anticipate that this innovative strategy, in combination with resources garnered through UW-Madison’s position as a world-renowned pioneer in stem cell research, will uniquely enable me to build functional biological models that will serve as novel stem cell-based tissue platforms for disease modeling, drug testing and cell therapy.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Biomedical Engineering

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LAB WEBSITE:

Kirchdoerfer Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking; Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Virology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My research uses structural biology to examine coronavirus and coronavirus-host protein-protein interactions. In particular, I use single-particle cryo-electron microscopy to determine highresolution structures of viral proteins. My research is focused on viral entry by the viral spike protein which binds host receptors and facilitates the fusion of virus and host membranes during viral entry. I also study the assembly and activity of the coronavirus RNA synthesis complex, a multi-subunit complex responsible for RNA synthesis, RNA capping, mismatch repair and viral transcription. In addition to structural biology, these studies are complemented by examination of protein-protein interactions in vitro and ex vivo using techniques such as isothermal titration calorimetry as well as cell-based reporter assays.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IPiB),  Biophysics

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Class of 2022
BS, Molecular Genetics- Ohio State University
Churpek Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Klein Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Immunology; Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The projects in the lab address central questions in fungal pathogenesis and host defense: what are the mechanisms of fungal virulence? How does the host-fungal pathogen interaction define progression of infection and disease? How does the innate and adaptive immune system respond to fungi, and what are the key immunological steps required for mobilizing resistance to fungal pathogens? And, how does the host response to fungi go awry, resulting allergic inflammation in response to inhaled mold.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Knoll Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our research centers on studying the host/pathogen interactions of common food- and water-borne protozoan parasites. We use mice as well as intestinal organoids to model human infection. Toxoplasma gondii is the model parasite we use most often due to the wealth of molecular genetic tools available to manipulate its genome and the ease of culture conditions to produce large quantities of the parasite. Toxoplasma is a member of the coccidian family of parasites that include Plasmodium (causative agent of malaria) and Cryptosporidium (causative agent of diarrhea worldwide). We have previously combined various molecular genetic techniques with mouse models to identify Toxoplasma genes important for overall virulence, infection of the small intestine after oral challenge and the establishment of chronic infection. We have also recently determined tissue culture conditions for Toxoplasma sexual development in intestinal organoids. We use the latest technologies, including next generation sequencing and mass spectrometry, to uncover the parasite and host genes that are necessary for the establishment and maintenance of chronic parasitic infections in animals.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Microbiology (MDTP), Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP)

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Class of 2023
BS, Cell and Developmental Biology- University of Iowa
Lamming Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Konopka Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our laboratory uses a unique, translational research approach to understand the mechanisms that promote aging and age-related musculoskeletal diseases. We test hypotheses in tissue culture and rodent models and apply our findings to non-human primates and human clinical trials. We are currently interested in understanding how the mTOR signaling pathway is involved in the initiation and treatment of osteoarthritis. Additionally, we are investigating how skeletal muscle mitochondrial metabolism and remodeling are regulated with aging, exercise and medications.

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Class of 2021
BS, Genetic and Molecular Biology – University of Malaya
Tibbetts Lab

Class of 2023
BS, Microbiology- University of Wisconsin, Madison
Mohr Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Kreeger Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Systems Biology; Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Kreeger lab utilizes systems biology and tissue engineering to analyze cellular behavior in ovarian cancer. We utilize an iterative approach, where we develop model culture systems that allow us to study a disease in a controlled environment, use high-throughput experimental methods to gather information about the cellular signaling network and cellular responses, and employ computational models to interpret the data. Ultimately, our models will be utilized to identify new drug targets, match patients to the most effective drugs, and identify methods to direct cellular behavior.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Biomedical Engineering, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology (ERP), Cancer Biology, Computation and Informatics in Biology & Medicine (CIBM), Biotechnology Training Program (BTP)

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Class of 2022
BS, Molecular Biology – Washington University
MS, Molecular Biology – Johns Hopkins University
Anderson Lab

Class of 2024
BS, Biological Sciences- University of Chicago
Huttenlocher Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

LaFoya Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton; Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Stem cells are key drivers of tissue formation, and our research focuses on their roles in brain development and repair.
Using super-resolution microscopy to study brain development in fruit flies and fish, we visualize dynamic stem cell
processes involving the cytoskeleton, plasma membrane, and the midbody. We also utilize Danionella fish, renowned
for their transparency and remarkable ability to regenerate their brains after injury, to investigate stem cell mechanisms
underlying brain regeneration. Ultimately, our goal is to uncover insights that could lead to regenerative therapies for
brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IpiB)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Lambert Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Virology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My laboratory primarily pursues research on human papillomaviruses (HPVs) and their role in 5% of human cancer. We have developed mouse models for several of these HPVassociated cancers including ones arising in the skin, cervix, anus, and head/neck region, and used them to dissect the individual roles and mechanisms of action of HPV oncogenes implicated in these cancers. We also use genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models to define the roles of host factors that contribute to these cancers, such as estrogen and its nuclear receptor that play essential roles in cervical carcinogenesis. We use these mouse
models as well as patient-derived xenograft models and organoid cultures to explore novel targeted therapies for treating humans with HPV-associated cancers. A second focus of our laboratory is the study of the HPV life cycle. The viral life cycle is intricately tied to the terminal differentiation of the host epithelium infected by the virus. Using a 3D organotypic culturing technique, we investigate the roles of viral and cellular genes in the papillomavirus life cycle. Recently we have begun in vivo life cycle studies on the recently identified mouse papillomavirus (MmuPV1) that infects laboratory strains of mice. The
discovery of this papillomavirus opens the door to characterizing the biology of cutaneous papillomaviruses in the context of a genetically well-defined and easily manipulatable animal species. A third focus of our lab is the study of Merkel Cell Polyomavirus (MCPyV), a recently identified polyomavirus that infects human skin and causes Merkel Cell Carcinoma. We have generated tissue culture as well as transgenic mouse model systems for studying the life cycle and oncogenicity of this virus, building on the expertise we have established through the study of papillomaviruses. I have published over 250
papers (Google Scholar h index: 79), including 25 in the past 2 years. 16 of my trainees have gone on to faculty positions.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Cancer Biology, Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Lamming Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Cancer Biology; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We study the regulation of health and aging by nutrient-sensing pathways at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels. Much of our research is focused on understanding how dietary protein and individual essential amino acids which stimulate the mechanistic Target Of Rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway regulates metabolic health and longevity using mice as a model system.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBMS), Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology (ERP), Genetics, Nutritional Sciences (IGPNS), Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Molecular & Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program,

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LAB WEBSITE:

Landick Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Transcriptional Mechanisms, Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our research focuses on (1) RNA polymerase, the central enzyme of gene expression in all free-living organisms; (2) mechanisms by which gene expression by RNA polymerase is regulated and can be re-programmed for biodesign; and (3) applications of these basic research advances to microbial biotechnology and to antibiotic discovery. Our basic research focus is to understand how the fundamental properties of RNA polymerase, largely conserved from bacteria to human, make it susceptible to pausing, arrest, or termination and how elongation regulators, nucleoprotein structures, and metabolic, developmental, and environmental signals alter these properties. We use a variety of approaches, including genetics, biomolecular chemistry, synthetic biology, systems biology, biophysics, and structural biology, to study both fundamental and applied paradigms of gene regulation.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Biochemistry (IPiB), Genetics, Biophysics, Microbiology (MDTP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Lang Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My scientific mission is to leverage genomics and epigenetics in ovarian cancer (OvCa) models to produce translational and impactful science building on my research in somatic mutations in chromatin remodeling factors and epigenetic dysfunction through the following research goals: 1) Understand dynamics of epigenetic features following chemotherapy treatment and resistance; 2) Identify potential therapies for treatment that exploit epigenomic features; 3) Integrate epigenomic features with somatic cancer mutations towards a more comprehensive OvCa picture. I will approach these research goals using human cell lines and tumor tissue to identify shared and necessary OvCa enhancers, validated by innovative functional epigenomics approaches and preclinical models. I will also continue my history of scientific collaborations and clinical partnerships to support my research and ensure clinical translation of findings.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP) Graduate Training Program, Cancer Biology Graduate Program

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Class of 2021
BS, Biology -Denison University
Majumder Lab

Class of 2023
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology – University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire
Odorico Lab

Class of 2023
BS, Bioengineering – University of California Los Angeles
MS, Biomedical Engineering- Columbia University
Rizvi Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Lewis Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Transcriptional Mechanisms; Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My research program aims to understand the mechanisms that underlie silent chromatin (heterochromatin) in animal cells. Heterochromatin is critical for regulating gene expression, maintaining genome integrity, and ensuring proper cellular differentiation. We focus on two biochemically and functionally distinct types of heterochromatin: constitutive, which silences repetitive regions like telomeres and transposable elements, and facultative, which dynamically regulates genes involved in cell type specification and cell cycle regulation. We primarily focus on addressing fundamental mechanisms of establishment and maintenance of heterochromatin, while also exploring how misregulation can promote specific human cancers. Our projects have a dual focus, combining both fundamental research and disease-related inquiries. By integrating these aspects, our objective is a comprehensive understanding of heterochromatin biology and its implications in disease. We use a variety of experimental approaches, including highly purified biochemical assays, proteomic and genomic analysis, and forward genetic screens in mammalian cell lines.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Biochemistry (IPiB), Genetics, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Cancer Biology, Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Molecular and Environmental Toxicology (MET), Biotechnology Training Program (BTP)

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Class of 2024
BS, Biomedical Sciences- Southern University of Science & Technology, Shenzhen, China
Wei Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Musculoskeletal Biology and Regenerative Medicine Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My research is primarily focused on unraveling the intricate mechanisms that underlie the development of hyaline cartilage from pluripotent stem cells. The ultimate goal is to harness this knowledge to pave the way for advanced stem cell therapies aimed at cartilage repair.

To achieve this, our work involves the reprogramming of human blood or skin cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Subsequently, we guide the differentiation of these iPSCs into specialized cell lineages, such as chondrocytes and osteoblasts, using mesodermal or neural crest pathways. An essential aspect of our methodology is the sequential induction of specific growth factors, which ensures the precise differentiation of iPSCs into homogeneous
chondrocytes without the presence of other cell types.

This innovative approach allows us to establish a controlled in vitro model that effectively mimics cartilage and bone development. Through this model, we can delve into the intricate mechanisms that govern the formation of these tissues. Moreover, our research enables us to devise practical strategies for

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Biology of Aging T32 Training Program, TL1 Predoctoral Training Program

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LAB WEBSITE:

Lim Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Telomeres are repetitive DNA and associated proteins at the ends of linear chromosomes. They protect our chromosome ends from being misread as broken ends, underlining the importance of telomeres for genome stability, and they also serve as a “clock” for our biological lifespan. Our lab seeks to investigate the molecular mechanisms of human telomere maintenance using an interdisciplinary approach. This includes structural studies using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and spatial/temporal studies at the chromatin level using single-molecule techniques. Specially, our lab focuses on two major areas – 1) Telomere chromatin organization and 2) Telomere replication mechanism.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IpiB), Biophysics, Biotechnology Training Program (BTP), Genetics

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LAB WEBSITE:

Lipinski Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our research program is focused on environmentally sensitive developmental mechanisms that regulate craniofacial morphogenesis. We have developed in vivo and advanced in vitro models that recapitulate molecular, cellular, and morphological aspects of human embryogenesis to identify genetic and environmental risk factors and investigate their interaction in causing birth defects. Much of our recent work has focused on mechanisms that regulate cranial neural crest stem cell biology, including Sonic hedgehog signaling and DNA methylation.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Molecular and Environmental Toxicology (MET), Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBMS)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Liu Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Transcriptional Mechanisms, Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The primary focuses of my basic research include programmed cell death, inflammation, cell-cell communications, extracellular vesicles, as well as matrix biology. Our experimental approach utilizes a combination of cutting-edge technologies including transgenic mice, CRISPR-mediated gene editing, single-cell RNA sequencing, proteomics, and nanotechnology. One of the projects that may be of interest to the CMB students is about how dying cells communicate with surrounding cells and the immune system. In particular, we examine how proteins and miRNAs are packed into extracellular vesicles and how vesicles modify inflammatory responses. Another research project focuses on extracellular matrix in aging and disease. Our in vivo data suggests that inflammation plays a central role in both adaptive and maladaptive responses of the blood vessel wall to mechanical stimuli during hypertension and tissue injuries.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Lo Sardo Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton; Physiology; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Research in my lab combines pluripotent stem cell potential and functional genomics to understand how common genetic variants among individuals, including those in non-coding portions of the genome, contribute to altering cell physiology, cell state, and fate commitment. Emphasis is posed on understanding non-coding risk factors, cell-type vulnerability, and ethnicity-based susceptibility to human diseases. Using multidisciplinary approaches, including pluripotent stem cell (PSC) differentiation, genome editing, transcriptomics, imaging, and proteomics, my lab aims to identify new molecular mechanisms triggering cardiovascular disease and cancer.

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Class of 2023
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology- Wake Forest University
Kirchdoerfer Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Maeda Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Plant Biology, Cellular & Molecular Metabolism

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Maeda lab is unlocking the regulatory mechanisms of plant metabolism and developing innovative solutions for sustainable chemical production. Plants harness CO2 and sunlight to produce thousands of chemical compounds. We integrate biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, analytical chemistry, and synthetic biology to study the evolution of plant metabolic pathways across various species. We then apply these fundamental discoveries to engineer plant metabolism, enhancing the production of beneficial chemical compounds. Our research primarily focuses on nitrogen metabolism and aromatic amino acid biosynthesis, which channels up to
30% of carbon fixed by photosynthesis into producing a wide range of aromatic natural products in plants, such as flavonoids, alkaloids, and lignin—crucial components of our food, energy, materials, and medicine.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics, Botany

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LAB WEBSITE:

Majumder lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Virology; Immunology; Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Parvovirinae are small DNA viruses that are pathogenic in most animals, made up of small linear single-stranded DNA genome, and rely extensively on host nuclear factors, particularly the DNA Damage Response (DDR) machinery that usually protects us from cancer. Upon infection, the parvovirus minute virus of mice (MVM) localizes to cellular sites of DDR to jumpstart its replication in host cells. As it replicates in the host cell nucleus, it continues to induce additional DNA damage through various means, which also serve as sites of viral replication, thereby enabling the virus to amplify in the host nuclear environment. We seek to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which MVM localizes to cellular DDR sites, induce additional DNA damage and generate chromosomal aberrations. We have developed systems to study where viral genomes localize using genomics and single-cell imaging, inducible DNA damage systems to investigate the cause-effect relationship between the virus and cellular DDR, and have optimized methods to study how viral infection causes chromosomal aberrations. The findings from our work are applicable to understand the biology of small DNA viruses such as HPV and HBV, which are oncogenic, and for gene therapy applications which use modified AAV parvoviruses. 

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP); Cancer Biology Graduate Program ; Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Training Program (MCP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Mandel Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism, Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes, Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The goal of my research is to understand the molecular basis by which animals and their natural microbiota form specific, reproducible interactions. Microbial symbioses are prevalent in animal biology, and often, as in the case of humans, the animal host is born devoid of its natural symbionts and must acquire microbial partners from the environment. Pathogenic and beneficial bacteria share common mechanisms by which they colonize animal tissue. In spite of these parallels, relatively little work has been accorded to the beneficial associations, which are widespread, and critical to the lifecycles of both the bacterial and animal partners. I am studying the natural association between Vibrio fischeri and the Hawaiian bobtail squid to understand the processes that underlie host colonization in animal-associated bacteria. The system is particularly amenable to studying microbe-host interactions because V. fischeri is the only bacterial resident of the squid’s light organ, and we seek to understand how V. fischeri specifically colonizes the host to the exclusion of other species. Each generation, the squid hatch without their microbial partners and must selectively recruit V. fischeri from the ocean. We use a combination of bacterial genetics, cellular approaches, and imaging to identify how the animal and bacteria communicate to reproducibly establish this productive relationship.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Microbiology (MDTP), Genetics Graduate Program

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Class of 2022
BS, Botany, Microbiology, & Chemistry – Bangalore University
MS, Biotechnology & Plant Science – Bangalore University
Grinblat Lab

Class of 2023
BS, Immunology and Infectious Disease- Pennsylvania State University
BS, Japanese- Pennsylvania State University
O’Leary Lab

Class of 2023
BS, Biochemistry – Maranatha Baptist University
Hardin Lab

Class of 2020
BS, Microbiology – University of Washington
Landick Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Masson Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Plant Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We use strategies derived from molecular and population genetics, systems biology, biochemistry, cell and molecular biology and physiology to characterize the molecular mechanisms that govern complex root growth behaviors and their contribution to root system architecture in response to combinations of endogenous and environmental cues such as hormonal signaling, gravity, touch, water and nutrients availability.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: 

Genetics Graduate Program, Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics

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LAB WEBSITE:

masterslab.engr.wisc.edu

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My lab employs techniques from biomaterials, tissue engineering, bioconjugate chemistry, gene editing, and microfabrication, to create in vitro environments that model disease progression. We then apply molecular and cellular biology and computational tools to examine cell/tissue outcomes in these biomimetic culture platforms. Through this approach, we seek to: 1) understand how cells integrate multiple cues to make ‘decisions’ about their fate, and 2) decipher disease pathogenesis and elucidate the key stimuli involved, with the intent of using this knowledge to inform the design of clinical therapies.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Biomedical Engineering, Materials Science Program, Biotechnology (BTP), Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Matson Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The research in my lab focuses on understanding how factors interface with chromatin to promote efficient and timely hematopoiesis. While the hematopoiesis field has classically focused largely on a relatively small number of bona fide transcription factors, the true number and scope of the proteins that work on chromatin to promote critical transcriptional programs is not known. My lab utilizes approaches ranging from in vitro biochemistry to whole animal studies to uncover these factors and then rigorously investigate the mechanisms by which they regulate diverse cellular processes. A core purpose of my laboratory also includes working to translate laboratory findings into the clinic, and as a practicing hematopathologist I maintain a strong connection to both benign and malignant patient tissue repositories. Our overarching goal is to discover new biology that improves our understanding of hematopoiesis and informs the development of future clinical diagnostics and patient therapies.

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LAB WEBSITE:

McClean Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Systems Biology; Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes, Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Cells must convert information about the environment into the activity of intracellular effectors, such as transcription factors or metabolic enzymes, in order to generate an appropriate cellular response. A cell “knows” only so much about an external signal as is transmitted through the appropriate signaling pathway to a downstream effector. How signaling pathways are wired to perform appropriate transformations on their input signals and how networks can be tuned on
adaptive and evolutionary timescales to adjust these transformations remains an outstanding question. Furthermore, how an effector’s activation carries information and produces an appropriate cellular response is often poorly understood. Information can be encoded in the identity and/or dynamics of an effector. How signaling networks control the dynamics of effector activation and how these dynamics are decoded by promoters to generate distinct gene expression programs is of particular interest. These questions represent critical gaps in our understanding of how healthy and diseased cells respond, or make decisions, in response to
stimuli. My research uses Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or budding yeast, as a model organism for addressing these questions in biological signal processing. More recently we have started to examine the regulation of dispersion from pathogenic Candida albicans biofilms. Throughout all work, there is a bioengineering thread, which is focused on the development of optogenetic tools for controlling cellular signaling.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Biomedical Engineering, Biophysics Graduate Program, Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

McCoy Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our lab focuses on mesenchymal stromal cell immunobiology and how mesenchymal stromal cells affect the local niche signaling toward cellular regeneration. Our current diseases of focus include inflammatory/autoimmune diseases (e.g. Sjogren’s disease) and destructive processes (radiation) that drive xerostomia.

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LAB WEBSITE:

McDowell Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Physiology, Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking, Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My research is dedicated to the development of novel approaches for preventing, diagnosing, and treating glaucoma. More specifically, my goal is to further understand the molecular pathways associated with the development and progression of glaucoma. My research aims to determine the molecular pathway involved in the development of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Elevated IOP is one of the primary risk factors in the development of glaucoma. The TM is a critical tissue involved in the outflow of aqueous humor and regulation of IOP. Changes in the ECM environment in the TM can alter the ability of aqueous humor to properly drain from the anterior chamber. The involvement of TGFβ2 signaling pathways in the regulation of the ECM in the TM has been extensively studied. Recent evidence has implicated toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in the regulation of ECM and fibrogenesis in other tissues such as liver, kidney, lung and skin, by inhibition of BMP and the activin membrane-bound inhibitor (BAMBI). I propose that the TLR4 signaling pathway is also involved in the regulation of the ECM in the TM. Our hypothesis is endogenous TLR4 ligands, also known as DAMPs (damage associated molecular patterns), activate TLR4 and augment TGFβ2 signaling sensitivity by downregulation of BAMBI, leading to increased ECM production in the TM and increased IOP. We are addressing this hypothesis with in vitro cell culture, in vivo mouse model methodologies, and ex vivo perfusion organ culture of human donor eyes.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: 

Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience Training Program (NTP), Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Vision Research Training Program

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Class of 2023
BS, Pharmacology and Toxicology- University of Wisconsin, Madison
Arendt Lab

Class of 2020
BS, Biology – Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Wang Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

McNeel Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Immunology; Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We are interested in immune-based approaches for the treatment of prostate cancer, and DNA vaccines in particular.
We are specifically interested in the ability of vaccines to activate tumor-specific CD8 T cells, and mechanisms of
treatment resistance.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Microbiology (MDTP), Cancer Biology, Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Mehle Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Virology; RNA Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Influenza virus — a seemingly simple virus with only 8 genomic RNAs and ~ 14 proteins. But, this apparent simplicity belies complex programs deployed by the virus to steal, disable, and subvert cellular processes with the ultimate goal of replicating and transmitting new particles. In the Mehle Lab, we study the viral replication machinery and the host factors that regulate expression of viral genes and replication
of the viral genome. We are especially interested in how influenza virus usurps cellular processes to support viral replication, including those classically associated with responses thought to inhibit infection. We build on these to understand how influenza virus evolves at the population level. Work in the lab will continue to use a combination of genetic, molecular and biochemical approaches to identify host factors
that restrict and regulate influenza virus, characterize their mode of action and identify their role in viral transmission and pathogenesis.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Microbiology (MDTP), Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Microbes and Health Disease, Parasitology & Vector Biology Training Program (PVB)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Mehta Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology, Virology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The replication stress response is required to repair DNA lesions that arise due to both endogenous sources and environmental genotoxins found in water, food, and industrial chemicals. This proposal aims to discover how DNA-strand specific obstacles contribute to mutagenesis, the differential replication stress response associated with strand-specific obstacles, and how genotoxins influence strand-based mutagenesis.  My lab aims to characterize how cells prevent mutagenesis in a new context uncovering mechanisms in DNA repair.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program

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Class of 2025
BS, Biochemistry- University of Vermont
Klein Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Meyer Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism, Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Meyer Lab studies the dynamic chromatin environment responsible for serum calcium and phosphate maintenance and the impacts of vitamin D metabolism in skeletal, renal, and intestinal biology. A triumvirate of endocrine hormones – parathyroid hormone (PTH), fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), and calcitriol (1,25(OH)2D3) – maintain this delicate balance by influencing enzymes, transporters, and transcription factors to drive genomic change. When dysfunctional, these mechanisms allow chronic inflammation and disease progression to worsen in chronic kidney disease-metabolic bone disorder (CKD-MBD), atherosclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and many others. Additionally, low vitamin D status has a correlation with an increase in cancer risk in cancers such as colorectal, breast, and prostate. Higher vitamin D status has been linked to longer survival rates in cancer patients. Dietary and nutritional supplementation of vitamin D rapidly corrects the body’s mineral deficiencies, however its ability to ameliorate inflammatory disease progression or improve cancer outcomes remains controversial. We study the intricate genomic and molecular mechanisms that regulate the biological changes controlling the intersection of metabolism, inflammation, and disease progression using unique animal models, genomic editing techniques, and -omics bioinformatic approaches to generate unbiased interrogation of chromatin changes.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Nutrition and Metabolism Graduate Program

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Class of 2023
BS, Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology- Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, India
MS, Pharmaceutical Sciences- Creighton University
Moore Lab

Class of 2021
BA, Biophysics and Molecular Biology – Whitman College
Raman Lab

Class of 2021
BA, Biology – Williams College
Davis Lab
Kimple Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Mohr Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Virology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The mission of our research is to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and management of birth defects and deficits associated with congenital infections. Our work focuses on defining immune correlates of protection in congenital Zika virus infection, identifying early neural predictors of neurodevelopmental deficits, and understanding the pathogenesis of congenital Mpox (monkeypox virus) infection. We utilize nonhuman primate models and clinically relevant assessments translated from human studies to address these questions.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Cellular & Molecular Pathology Graduate Program (CMP); Neuroscience Training Program (NTP); Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology Program (ERP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Moore Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Cell Adhesion and Cytoskeleton

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our research in adult neurogenesis focuses on the rate-limiting step of this process, which is the exit of neural stem cells from quiescence, and their entry into the cell cycle. We study how these cells regulate proteostasis, including the use of aggresome structures coupled with vimentin cages and their associated proteins to spatially localize proteins that need to be degraded. These proteins are asymmetrically segregated between the 2 daughter cells during division, leading to a difference in the downstream cellular behavior of each daughter. We utilize in vitro and in vivo imaging approaches to visualize cell behavior during this cascade of events. Further, we have established new methods through interdisciplinary collaborations to use label-free autofluorescence imaging of single cells to identify different neural stem cell states, and predict their molecular and transcriptional profile from their dynamic imaging signatures. Lastly, we study how neural stem cells modify their translational control in different cellular states such as
quiescence.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

 Neuroscience (NTP), Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP)

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Class of 2024
BS, Chemical Engineering- Washington University in St. Louis
Simcox Lab

Class of 2024
BS, Neuroscience – University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Audhya Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Morris Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

In the Morris Lab, we are focused on using preclinical and translational research approaches to study the mechanisms whereby radiation may impact the anti-tumor response to immunotherapies. Our primary objective is to determine whether and how radiation may optimally be employed to simultaneously modulate the tumor immune microenvironment and to increase the susceptibility of tumor cells to immune response. We seek to test these approaches in early phase clinical studies where they may be further refined with the ultimate aim of improving survival and achieving cures in patients with metastatic cancers.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: 

Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Cancer Biology

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Class of 2025
BS, Biology- University of Wisconsin, Madison
Pepperell Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Murtaza Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Advances in sequencing and genomics technologies have enabled new opportunities to address gaps in cancer diagnostics. Our lab is focused on novel molecular and computational genomics approaches to improve early detection and disease monitoring for patients with cancer, particularly by analyzing nucleic acids in body fluids like plasma and urine. We and others have shown that these “liquid biopsies” carry variable fractions of tumor-derived and tumor-associated nucleic acids across cancer stages. Our research program is developing new blood and urine tests that can enable precise and individualized treatment strategies.

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BS, Genetics – University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan
MS, Biological Sciences- King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Saudi Arabia
Poss Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Nance Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton, Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our lab studies how interactions between cells instruct morphogenetic events such as gastrulation, tubulogenesis, and organogenesis. Using C. elegans as a model system, we combine genetic and imaging approaches to watch morphogenetic events as they unfold during development and identify the molecular mechanisms that promote them. Current projects in the lab address how cells polarize based on contact with other cells, how cells form intracellular tubes by hollowing out their cytoplasm, and how interactions between primordial germ cells and niche cells regulate early germ line development.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Neumann Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Transcriptional Mechanisms; Virology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1) infects ~80% of adults. It is one of the leading causes of infectious blindness, induces dangerous brain inflammation and can lead to death in infected newborns. Disadvantaged populations are disproportionately affected by the virus. HSV-1 productively replicates in epithelial cells. This lytic replication makes infectious progeny virions that spread infections within and between hosts and causes the cellular damage that leads to sequelae. The virus also establishes latency in neurons where it remains dormant for the life of the infected host. Latent HSV-1 does not cause disease but remains capable of reactivation to produce infectious progeny that can re-fortify latent reservoirs while also re-infecting epithelial cells causing all the related pathology described above. No vaccine exists for HSV, and the available antivirals (e.g., Acyclovir) rapidly select for resistant mutants. Thus, novel antivirals against HSV-1 are desperately needed. Our lab focuses on understanding the transcriptional mechanisms that control each of the viral life cycle stages to develop novel therapeutics. Much of our work focuses on epigenetic control of transcription, and specifically how chromatin insulators (CTCF insulators) direct the silincing or transcription of viral genomes.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Microbiology (MDTP), Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Newmark Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Research in my lab seeks to understand how germ cells are specified and how their development
is regulated by extrinsic signals. We use freshwater planarians as models to study these questions because of their ability to regenerate the germ cell lineage from pluripotent stem cells maintained in the animal. We are also exploring similar questions in parasitic flatworms (schistosomes and tapeworms), with the goal of ultimately developing approaches for blocking their transmission.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: 

Genetics, Integrative Biology Graduate Program, Parasitology and Vector Biology Training Program (PVB)

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Class of 2024
BS, Biology -University of Puerto Rico-Humacao
Lamming Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

O’Connor Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Virology, Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes, Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My research focuses on understanding viral genomics, evolution, and pathogenesis, with a particular emphasis SARS-CoV-2 and emerging respiratory viruses. My lab utilizes cutting-edge genomic technologies and nonhuman primate models to study host-pathogen interactions, immune responses, and viral evolution. Recent work has included developing rapid SARS-CoV- 2 testing methods, studying congenital Zika virus infections, and exploring the impact of host genetics on viral susceptibility and disease progression. The lab also contributes to public health efforts through genomic surveillance of viral pathogens and the development of innovative testing strategies.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Microbiology (MDTP), Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

O’Connor Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Immunology, Virology, Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My lab has two distinct areas of research. We study SIV infection of nonhuman primates and we use air sampling techniques to identify pathogens present in congregate spaces. Our studies of SIV infection in nonhuman primates have two main foci. First, we want to understand the mechanism by which CD8+ T cells can control SIV replication in nonhuman primates after stopping antiretroviral therapy. Second, we have a collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh where we try to understand how SIV affects the host immune response to M. tuberculosis in nonhuman primates. In our other projects, we use air sampling to collect pathogen genetic material from different congregate spaces. We are identifying ways to improve the detection of those pathogens to inform public health and prevent pathogen outbreaks in different
settings.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Microbiology (MDTP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

O’Leary Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Immunology, Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Dr. O’Leary began her training as an immunologist studying how protein degradation regulates T cell activation
and cytokine responses, using in vitro, in vivo and proteomic techniques. She completed her postdoctoral work
at UCSF, working on the role of tuft cells in regulating small intestinal and biliary immunity. Dr. O’Leary is
starting her lab in the Department of Pediatrics, and is excited to continue working on tuft cells, microbiomehost
interactions, and the gastrointestinal tract using in vivo mouse models, ex vivo tissue analysis, and
sequencing approaches to uncover new mechanisms regulating inflammation at mucosal sites.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Odorico Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The objective of our research is to use human pluripotent stem cells to generate insulin-producing islets as model system to understand human islet development and function as well as provide a source of replenishable cells that can be used for transplantation. While insulin can be life saving for patients with  diabetes, it does not fully correct the disease and chronically high blood sugars can lead to progressive organ failure as well as acute mortality due to excessive low or high blood glucose levels. We believe based on the successes of pancreas and islet transplantation which can restore normal blood glucose levels and reverse diabetes, that a cellular transplant therapy is a better approach. Unfortunately, pancreas and islet transplantation suffer from two major drawbacks, the shortage of donor tissue and the requirement for
long-term immunosuppresssion. Human pluripotent stem cell-derived islets can potentially overcome these challenges; in fact, recently studies in humans show that transplantation of stem cell-islets into the liver can eliminate the need for insulin. Our lab is working on finding improved differentiation protocols to enhance and refine the function and phenotype of the derived islet endocrine cell populations. We are studying the immunogenicity of these stem cell-islets and genetically modifying them to create hypoimmunogenic or immune-evasive islets. We are also evaluating human pancreatic hydrogel and other ECM signals for their potential to improve the function and survival of cadaver islets and stem cell-islets after transplantation into alternative, retreivable, less-invasive transplant sites. Finally, we hope to improve the stem cell-islet post-transplant vascularization by providing stem cell-endothelial cell vascular networks as part of an i2slet organoid.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology (ERP), Endocrinology (iPEND)

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Class of 2023
BS, Dietetics- University of Gdansk
MS, Medical Biology- University of Gdansk
Konopka Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Otegui Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Plant Biology; Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking, Cellular & Molecular Metabolism

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My laboratory focuses on cell signaling and membrane, protein, and metabolite trafficking mechanism in plants. We are currently following three research lines: 1) endosomal trafficking and cell signaling controlling development and stress responses; 2) autophagy as a mechanism for organelle clearance, cellular protection, and enhance resilience in plants, including crops; 3) cellular and molecular mechanisms that allow cells and organisms to survive desiccation. Our research program combines genetics, biochemical, and state-of-the-art imaging approaches to study cellular dynamics and membranes and proteins fluxes through the plant endomembrane system to control development and stress responses.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: 

Botany, Genetics

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Class of 2023
BS, Biological Sciences – Sichuan University
Engin Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Pan Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

It is well known that Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs) are undifferentiated, self-renewing, pluripotent cells that have the capacity to differentiate into all mature lineage-specific cells in adult blood. In adult humans, bone marrow produces more than one million mature blood cells per second. If the correct balance between HSC self-renewal and differentiation is not maintained, hematopoietic cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma can develop. Further, HSCs can be a powerful therapeutic tool. Approximately 20,000 patients receive HSC transplants per year in the U.S.; however, the efficacy of HSC transplantation, as well as other clinical applications for HSCs, are limited due to challenges in maintaining and/or expanding HSC cultures ex vivo. As the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that regulate proliferation, differentiation and self-renewal in HSCs are incompletely defined, my laboratory is currently investing significant effort to address questions and knowledge gaps in this important research area.

The balance between HSC self-renewal and differentiation is maintained by a number of mechanisms, including crosstalk between gene transactivation/repression and extrinsic cell signaling. Based on prior discoveries in my laboratory, we have focused on Yin Yang 1 (YY1), and its important biological function as a regulator of HSC self-renewal and quiescence. YY1 is a ubiquitous transcription factor and mammalian Polycomb Group Protein (PcG) with important roles in embryonic development, lineage differentiation and cell proliferation. YY1 mediates stable PcG-dependent transcriptional repression via recruitment of PcG proteins that catalyze histone modifications. Many questions remain unanswered regarding how PcG proteins achieve cellspecificity. Our work demonstrated that a conditional knockout of Yy1 in HSCs decreased HSC long-term repopulating activity, while ectopic expression of YY1 expanded HSCs. Although the YY1 PcG domain is required for Igk chain rearrangement in B cells, the YY1 mutant lacking the PcG domain retained the capacity to stimulate HSC self-renewal. YY1 deficiency deregulated the genetic network governing HSC cell proliferation, impaired stem cell factor/c-Kit signaling, and disrupted mechanisms that confer HSC quiescence. These results reveal how YY1, a ubiquitouslyexpressed transcriptional repressor, mediates lineage-specific functions to control adult hematopoiesis. 

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Class of 2024
BS, General Biology- University of California-San Diego
MS, Biology -University of California-San Diego
Coyle Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Parks Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Physiology; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Parks Lab is focused on identifying causal genes of common metabolic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease that connect genetic variation to disease susceptibility in humans. Using human genetics and systems genetics based approaches; we have developed methods to pinpoint new genes that are involved in human metabolic diseases. Through detailed cellular and biochemical studies, we aim to understand how these undescribed genes contribute to disease. Our current work has focused on lipid metabolism where we have uncovered and biochemically characterized new biological pathways that regulate how cholesterol is sensed and regulated in the body.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Nutritional Sciences (IGPNS), Genetics Training Program

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LAB WEBSITE:

Pattnaik Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our research focus s on ion channel physiology, genetic diseases, and translational therapeutics. We have investigated
the KCNJ13 gene in the retina extensively. The KCNJ13 gene encodes an inwardly rectifying potassium channel
(Kir7.1) whose function has been well established in the retina, critical for maintaining ionic homeostasis of the retinal
pigment epithelium (RPE). Mutations in the gene causes autosomal recessive Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA16)
and autosomal dominant snowflake vitreoretinal degeneration. We are working on several proof-of-principle genomic
medicine approaches such as gene therapy, genome editing, and engineered tRNA to overcome nonsense mutation.
We have used patient induced pluripotent stem cell derived disease models to explore transcription and translation
targeting drug screening.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Endocrine and Reproductive Physiology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Ophthalmology

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LAB WEBSITE:

Payseur Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Physiology; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Research in the Payseur lab addresses two biological questions. The first question is: how do organisms evolve extreme phenotypes? For this line of research, we combine genetic mapping, metabolic phenotyping, and transcriptomic profiling to examine the molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for the evolution of extreme body size and exploratory behavior in island populations. The second question is: how does the rate of meiotic recombination evolve? For this project, we integrate immuno-cytology with genome sequencing to measure variation in the germline recombination rate among cells, individuals, and populations. Our research combines bench work with computational modeling to understand how evolution operates. We use mice as a model system.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Genetics, Endocrinology & Reproductive Physiology (ERP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Pelegri Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; RNA Biology; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The goal of our research program is to understand at the cellular and molecular level processes involved in early vertebrate development, specifically but not exclusively the functional diversification of cell types. We use the zebrafish, Danio rerio, as a model system because it allows combining genetic, embryological and molecular approaches. In the zebrafish, as in many other animal species, all developmental processes that occur prior to the activation of the zygotic genome at the mid-blastula transition, as well as some processes that occur after this transition, are driven by maternal factors stored in the egg during oogenesis. We focus on the analysis of genes that produce such maternal factors and which are involved in cell fate decisions such as the determination of the germ line, the dorsal axis, and the embryonic germ layers. Because in the zebrafish the segregation of germ cell fate determinants is intimately linked to the process of cellular division, we also focus on the analysis of genes and subcellular events required for cytokinesis.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Genetics, Endocrinology & Reproductive Biology (ERP)

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LAB WEBSITE

FOCUS GROUPS:

Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our research in cellular and molecular biology focuses on mechanisms of pathogenesis among bacteria that cause disease in humans. We investigate pathogen emergence and the adaptations enabling pathogens to persist in human populations. Growth as a biofilm, which enables bacteria to evade the immune system and antibiotics, is a major focus of our studies.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, Genetics Training Program, Medical Scientist Training Program, Population Health Sciences, Genomic Sciences Training Program

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Class of 2025
BS, Biochemistry- University of California Davis
Blanc Lab

Class of 2024
BS, Biology – Augustana College, Rock Island, IL
Minors, Biochemistry and Japanese- Augustana College, Rock Island, IL
Keck Lab

Class of 2022
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology- University of Richmond
Bhattacharyya Lab

Class of 2024
BS, Animal Biology -University of California-Davis
McClean Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Poss Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

In the Poss Lab, the primary research goal is to understand mechanisms of vertebrate tissue regeneration. We study regeneration of cardiac muscle, spinal cord, and major appendages in zebrafish, which possess especially high regenerative capacity. We have established several tools to interrogate regeneration and morphogenesis in zebrafish, including inducible, Cre-based single and multicolor lineage tracing, cell-specific ablation injury models, transgenic reporter and loss of function strains, live imaging platforms, and genetic screening. We have extended this work into mammalian models with collaborators and within my own group. Our long-term goal is to delineate how and why tissue regeneration happens, and to use this information to improve the poor regenerative capacity of human tissues like the heart and spinal cord.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Puglielli Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking, Cellular & Molecular Metabolism

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We study molecular mechanisms involved with the post-translational regulation, sorting, trafficking, and disposal of newly synthesized proteins in the secretory pathway as well as the impact of the above events in neurodegenerative diseases.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: 

Neuroscience (NTP), Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Putnam Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; RNA Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Cells are densely packed and crowded environments where specific interactions have to occur in a coordinated and highly regulated manner. Our research seeks to understand the organization of RNAs and proteins into membraneless structures known as biomolecular condensates. We focus on germ granules, RNA condensates found in the germlines of animals that are implicated in posttranscriptional regulation and germline development. Our techniques span from in vitro reconstitution to living cells using the animal model, C. elegans. We use biochemistry, biophysics, genetics, cell biology, and super-resolution and live-cell imaging to understand the function, structure, and regulation of RNA granules in development.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Rakotondrafara Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Virology; RNA Biology; Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

A key solution to the devastating effects of viral pathogens is to understand how they gain a foothold in the host cells. The overarching goals of my research program are to: 1) elucidate how +ssRNA plant viruses parasitize the host translation apparatus to synthesize their proteins; and 2) dissect how these viruses avoid or subvert host defenses or induce hypovirulence with competing pathogens. My research has demonstrated new virus-host interactions that can inform the improvement of viral disease controls. The ability of viral RNA sequences to drive powerful protein expression opens opportunities for biotechnology in this era of plant pharmaceutical farming. The viruses that we study are like those that afflict vertebrates, hence suggesting broadspectrum relevance of the findings and building the ground on alternative biocontrols to control fungal diseases.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: 

Plant Pathology

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LAB WEBSITE:

Raman Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our laboratory takes a systems approach to designing new proteins, understanding mechanism of protein function, studying evolution of proteins and applying designer proteins to solve synthetic biology challenges. We combine state-of-the-art protein modeling tools (Rosetta) with high-throughput experimental phenotyping methods to addresses these questions. In particular, our lab focuses on allosteric transcription factors because they are small-molecule sensors that function as biological switches. These small molecule sensors are widely needed in synthetic biology for construction of biosynthetic pathways, regulation of endogenous or synthetic gene circuits, environmental sensing and real-time monitoring of in-situ metabolite concentration. With allosteric TF as a model system, we are interested in studying how allostery works at molecular resolution. Our current understanding of allostery is largely limited to biophysical models that explain conformational transitions between allosteric states, without knowledge of the amino acid network that communicates the allosteric signal. Our objective is to understand the general principle of protein structure that underlies the process of allosteric communication at molecular resolution. We will use high-throughput, protein-wide mutational screens coupled with next generation sequencing to functionally characterize millions of mutants of a candidate protein. We will combine mutational data with computational stability calculations and biophysical measurements to elucidate the allosteric network.

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Class of 2025
BS, Human Physiology- University of Oregon
LaFoya Lab

Class of 2025
BS, Biotechnology- Anna University, Chennai, India
MS, Biotechnology- Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, India

LAB WEBSITE:

Rey Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Physiology; Molecular and Genome Biology of Microbes; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Humans studies have revealed consistent alterations in the gut microbiomes of patients with cardiometabolic and aging-associated diseases. A major focus of my group is to understand how variations in the gut microbiome modulate the effects of diet and host’s susceptibility to cardiometabolic disease. To address these questions we use a combination of hypothesis-generating, sequencing-centered analyses of microbiomes from humans and mice, followed by mechanistic studies in gnotobiotic mouse models of disease and classic bacteriology experiments.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Microbiology Doctorate Training Program (MDTP); Cellular & Molecular Pathology Graduate Program (CMP); Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Nutritional Sciences (IGPNS); Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Training Program (MCP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Rhoads Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism, Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My research program focuses on understanding the molecular regulation of metabolism and aging through the use of caloric restriction (CR). CR is a dietary intervention and model of delayed aging; CR extends lifespan and delays the onset of age-related diseases. CR also triggers substantial reprogramming of cellular and systemic metabolism, but the mechanisms through which this reprogramming is accomplished remain incompletely understood and how this conveys reduced disease risk is still unknown. We examine mechanisms of gene expression regulation, including protein post-translational modifications, mRNA processing, and interaction with microRNA, to understand the CR-driven metabolic program and identify mechanisms that contribute to disease risk.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Nutrition and Metabolism Graduate Program

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LAB WEBSITE:

Richards Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

I am a physician-scientist and joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison as faculty in 2022. The overarching goal of my research is to advance immunotherapeutic options for pediatric cancer patients. My lab focuses on developing chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells specific for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a disease that can be difficult to treat and is associated with many treatment-related toxicities. CAR-T cell therapy has revolutionized treatment for patients with B cell malignancies, and is an attractive option for treatment of AML. Despite promising pre-clinical data, translation to patients has been hampered by tumor heterogeneity and the possibility of on-target, off-tumor toxicity to healthy tissues. My lab employs next-generation engineering to endow CAR-T cells with improved tumor specificity, and we seek to define mechanisms of CAR-T cell signaling and target tumor cell resistance. We will use pre-clinical models to identify critical components of AML tumor cell and CAR-T cell biology that will inform further clinical development.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Richardson Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Neurons live as long as the animal in which they reside. For humans, this means that a neuron can live for 100 years or more. Over the decades of our lives, we show signs of aging – our skin becomes wrinkled, our hair turns gray. Our neurons likewise show signs of aging, including morphological abnormalities, synapse loss, glucose hypometabolism, and mitochondrial dysfunction. This is problematic because aging is by far the primary risk factor for neurodegenerative disease. The Richardson Lab use the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms of neuron homeostasis and aging. We are particularly interested in the homeostatic regulation of the endomembrane system of neurons. Aberrant endosome morphology and function is associated with neurodegenerative diseases. We hypothesize that there is a conserved role for the endocytic pathway in promoting the pathologies associated with neuronal aging. Synaptic vesicles are a highly specialized type of endosome used for the rapid communication of firing activity between connected neurons in a circuit. We are interested in the regulation of synaptic vesicle homeostasis in development versus adulthood, and what causes synaptic vesicle homeostasis to decline in aging.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Neuroscience Training Program (NTP), Genetics Training Program

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Class of 2025
BS, Biology- Mount Holyoke College
Haynes Lab

Class of 2022
BS, Biochemistry- University of Wisconsin, Madison
Sousa Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Rizvi Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Transcriptional Mechansims

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My research group focuses on studying how patterns of gene regulation, at the level of single cells and spatially resolved, mediate homeostatic function within the central nervous system. We compare these results against neurodegenerative disease states, seeking to understand the molecular and cellular basis for dysfunction.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Roopra Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Transcriptional Mechanisms, Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The lab aims to understand the epigenetic mechanisms behind transcriptional regulation and chromatin structure in mammals. A major focus is the study of mechanisms that regulate the expression of neuronal genes in the healthy and diseased brain. Using transcriptomic approaches we have identified chromatin modifiers that play key roles in disease progression in epilepsy and other neurological disorders.  We have developed a number of bioinformatic tools to mine large datasets and uncover hidden patterns.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

 Neuroscience (NTP), Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP) 

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Class of 2025
BS, Molecular Biology & Biochemistry- Washington University, St. Louis
Bailey Lab

Class of 2023
BS, Biochemistry- Viterbo University
Landick Lab

Class of 2022
BS, Biology – James Madison University
MS, Marine & Atmospheric Science – SUNY at Stony Brook
Kacar Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Rui Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The major research focus of my laboratory is the molecular mechanisms of B-cell receptor and JAK-STAT signaling pathways and epigenetic enzymes, including protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) and DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), in lymphomagenesis.

My research team employs a multidisciplinary approach, using biochemistry, RNA interference, genomic technologies (e.g., ChIP-seq, RNA-seq and single-cell RNA-seq), CRISPR/Cas9 and systems biology methods, to identify mechanisms downstream of the B-cell receptor and JAK-STAT signaling pathways and establish the function of these epigenetic enzymes in B cell lymphoma.

The goal of my research is to discover molecular targets in these pathways for therapeutic, diagnostic and prognostic development of B-cell lymphoma.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Saha Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Immunology; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We utilize quantitative and bioengineering methods to advance the next generation of cell and gene therapies.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Neuroscience (NTP), Biomedical Engineering (BME), Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Biophysics, Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Biotechnology (BTP)

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Class of 2022
BS, Biotechnology – KIIT University
MS, Biotechnology – KIIT University
Brown Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Salcedo Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Immunology, Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking, Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our team studies how bacteria subvert host responses to cause disease. Our long-term goal is to unravel the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the infectious process to develop new approaches that prevent bacterial dissemination and virulence.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP), Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (CBMS)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Salgado-Pabon Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Staphylococcus aureus presents a significant clinical and public health problem, causing some of the most severe hospital- and community-associated illnesses. S. aureus infective endocarditis (IE) is a feared and lethal disease. Once established, the infection is fast-progressing and tissue destructive. Yet, little is known about the mechanisms leading to such aggressive disease. The studies in my laboratory have been centered around elucidating the mechanisms by which S. aureus promotes IE, systemic pathologies, and lethality. Our studies on superantigens (SAgs) and -toxin in rabbit models of IE, ex vivo models of vascular regeneration, and cell culture systems provided evidence of novel and essential roles of these toxins in the etiology of the disease. By establishing these molecules as angiogenesis inhibitors, we opened new research avenues on S. aureus targeting of vessel repair, vascular regeneration, and wound healing that we intend to pursue over the coming years.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: 

Microbiology (MDTP),Cellular & Molecular Pathology Graduate Program (CMP), Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (CBMS)

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Class of 2020
BS, Medical Laboratory Technology – Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana)
MS, Biological Sciences – South Dakota State University
Weaver Lab

Dr. Satterlee will be joining the Botany Department January 1, 2025.
His lab will be accepting graduate students wishing to start their studies in Fall 2025.

LAB WEBSITE:

Satterlee Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Plant Biology, Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Work in my lab will focus on understanding the molecular genetic and developmental mechanisms underlying plant morphological evolution. Numerous adaptive plant morphologies, such as prickles, thorns, and tubers have convergently evolved across land plants. My previous work has shown that similar molecular networks may underlie these adaptations. A key component of these networks appears to be repeated deployment of spatiotemporally localized expression of enzymes predicted to catalyze activation of the plant hormone cytokinin, which has been canonically implicated in mediating cell proliferation and differentiation. For the next several years, my group will aim to understand how these enzymes are re-deployed or co-opted in different developmental contexts to yield adaptive and agriculturally important plant phenotypes. We will use the genetically tractable plant genus Solanum (including the eggplants, tomato, and potato) as well as other plant lineages as model systems. Work in the lab will make use of comparative developmental, genetic, molecular biological, and biochemical approaches to address this question. An ultimate goal is the engineering of plant morphology using cytokinin pathway components as well as other identified developmental regulators.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Botany Graduate Program

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LAB WEBSITE:

Sauer Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes, Immunology, Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My lab is interested in understanding the complex interactions between bacterial pathogens and their hosts during infection. We predominantly use Listeria monocytogenes and less frequently Staphylococcus aureus in murine, zebrafish and tissue culture infection models to identify novel bacterial virulence determinants. From the host perspective we also study the mechanisms by which bacterial infections are recognized by the innate immune system and how innate recognition drives adaptive immunity. To perform these studies we use a variety of genetic tools in both the pathogen and the host(s) to take both unbiased, genetic screen
approaches, as well as more traditional reverse genetics approaches to understanding host-pathogen interactions. More recently we have made use of both proteomic and metabolomic approaches to complement our genetic studies. From a translational perspective, we are applying what we learn from basic pathogenesis and immunity studies to develop novel antibiotics and advance L. monocytogenes as an immunotherapeutic platform, respectively.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: 

Microbiology (MDTP), Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBMS), Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP)

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Class of 2021
BS, Biochemistry – University of Michigan
Werling Lab 

Class of 2025
BS, Molecular Biology & Bioinformatics- Colby College, Maine
Spurgeon Lab

Class of 2025
BS, Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology- University of Washington
Bhattacharyya Lab

Class of 2021
BS, Biochemistry – University of Wisconsin-Madison
MS, Synthetic Biology and Biotechnology – University of Edinburgh
Blum Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Sharifi Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Sharifi lab is focused on identifying molecular mechanisms of targeted therapy resistance in advanced breast and prostate cancer to develop new and more effective therapies. Our research utilizes translational liquid biopsy based approaches and patient derived models to evaluate dynamic changes in endocrine and oncogene signaling that occur in response to estrogen, androgen and PI3K pathway targeted therapies in patients with hormone dependent cancers. The overarching goal of our work is to develop new strategies to overcome targeted therapy resistance through a better understanding of the molecular changes that drive resistance in patients.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Physician Scientist Training Program

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LAB WEBSITE:

Sharma Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My current research program aims to investigate the genetic basis for the parallel evolution of aerial respiration in arthropods. Arthropods constitute an excellent system to investigate the parallel evolution of aerial respiration, a critical prerequisite for life on land, as unrelated groups of arthropods have colonized land no less than seven times. However, the genetic basis for the parallel evolution of aerial respiration is poorly understood. Some developmental data suggest that insect and arachnid respiratory systems are directly homologous to the gills of a putative ancestral arthropod, whereas a separate set of data suggests that respiratory organs of arachnids arose independently from highly modified walking legs.

To resolve the evolutionary origins of arachnid respiratory organs, my lab is conducting misexpression experiments to de-repress legs on posterior segments of two arachnids, with the prediction that respiratory organs will be homeotically transformed to legs if they constitute derived walking appendages. To determine whether parallel evolution of aerial respiratory systems results from repeated cooption of the same gene regulatory network (GRN), gene expression assays will be performed in eight arthropod exemplars to compare spatial distributions of nine candidate genes known to be required for establishment of the Drosophila tracheal tubule system. To assess functional correspondence between GRNs, misexpression experiments will be conducted in two arachnid and three pancrustacean exemplars for each of five genes critical to the Drosophila tracheal specification GRN. To investigate the patterning of the arachnid book lung, comparative transcriptomic data will be generated from book lung primordial of spiders and scorpions, toward identifying a set of shared candidate genes involved in book lung morphogenesis for further functional screening.

This approach will address whether parallel evolution of aerial respiratory systems (a) required repeated cooption of the same gene network, or (b) was achieved by de novo recruitment of genes to assemble networks unique to each terrestrial lineage. The resulting data set will thus provide a robust framework for understanding the combined effects of phylogenetic distance and morphological convergence on the integrity of gene regulatory networks over time.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Genetics

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LAB WEBSITE:

Sharp Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Mutation occurs in all organisms and is a major cause of disease, but we are coming to recognize that this fundamental process can be highly variable. I study how the risk of mutation varies across genomic and environmental contexts, recognizing that “mutation” includes a spectrum of single-nucleotide changes, indels and larger chromosomal alterations. For example, I discovered that flies carrying any harmful allele are more likely to use error-prone DSB repair pathways, leading to an increased indel mutation rate. The spatial distribution of mutations throughout the genome is also informative: in yeast I found that haploid cells, but not diploids, are susceptible to mutations in late-replicating DNA, such that ploidy levels will differ in both the location and types of mutations incurred. Going forward, a major focus of my lab will be on characterizing how natural genetic variation influences the spontaneous mutation spectrum, from single-nucleotide changes to aneuploidy, which will lead to new insight into DNA repair processes.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Genetics, Zoology

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LAB WEBSITE:

Sheets Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; RNA Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The highly regulated and selective translation of maternal mRNAs drives key cell-fate decisions during the earliest stages of animal development. Accumulating evidence reveals the importance of translational regulation to the formation and maintenance of internal organ systems during later development and in adults as well. While the importance of this regulation is incontrovertible, little work has focused on the underlying mechanisms that control the expression of mRNAs that encode key cell-fate regulators. Our recent findings in the model organism Xenopus laevis place us in a uniquely strong position to make advances in this research area particularly relevant to vertebrate organisms, including humans. We have shown that the developmental regulatory RNA binding protein Bicaudal-C (Bic-C) functions in the cell-type translational repression of maternal mRNAs that encode proteins that control vertebrate embryogenesis. For one of these targets, the Cripto-1 mRNA that encodes a co-receptor required for Nodal signaling, we have defined the Bic-C binding site, the first defined binding site for any Bic-C ortholog. We have also and shown that this site is functionally relevant to Bic-C-mediated cell-type specific translation repression. Currently we are combining RNA and protein biochemistry with unique embryological assays for translation regulation developed in my lab to address the molecular basis of Bic-C functions in vertebrate embryogenesis. In addition, recent evidence from a variety of vertebrate organisms, including humans, reveals a strong link between Bic-C and normal organogenesis and organ function. Thus our research addresses a key regulatory RNA binding protein Bic-C and its role in translational regulation during vertebrate development and in human disease.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Biochemistry (IPiB)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Sheibani Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPT:

We study the molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate angiogenesis using both in vivo mouse models and in vitro cultures of vascular cells.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Molecular and Cellular Pathology, Molecular and Environmental Toxicology, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology

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LAB WEBSITE:

Shelef Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Dr. Shelef’s research aims to solve the mysteries of how and why autoimmunity and inflammation develop and persist,
particularly in rheumatoid arthritis, in order to guide the discovery of better clinical tests and improved treatments.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Sherer Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Virology; Cancer Biology; RNA Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

nWe are interested in the interplay between retroviruses and their cellular hosts during viral replication. Our major focus
is on the cell biology of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) that causes the acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome (AIDS). All viruses are obligate intracellular organism. Because retroviruses encode a DNA intermediate that
must be inserted into the host cell’s genome and maintained (sometimes for years and years), HIV-1 and other
retroviruses are remarkably adept at exploiting host cellular enzymes and trafficking machineries to assist with their
replication. Currently, a major focus of the lab is understanding viral subversion of the cell to carry out successful HIV-1
RNA subcellular trafficking and virion assembly, using live cell and super resolution imaging methodologies.
Conversely, we are also interested in identifying cell- or species-specific blocks to these activities that might inform the
development of new antiviral strategies. Other projects in the lab are studying the hepatitis B virus (HBV) that causes
hepatocellular carcinoma and “high-risk” strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) that are a major cause of cervical
cancer and other epithelial cancers.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Microbiology (MDTP), Biophysics, Cancer Biology, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP)

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Class of 2021
BS, Biology – St. Petersburg State University
MS, Biology – St. Petersburg State University
Richardson Lab

Class of 2024
BS, Chemistry- Washington University in St. Louis
Simcox Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Simcox Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Heat production in response to cold exposure is an energetically demanding process. To fuel thermogenesis during cold exposure, brown adipocytes increases both glucose and lipid uptake. As a postdoctoral fellow, I discovered that acylcarnitines, a circulating lipid species, are necessary for maintaining body temperature during cold exposure. Cold exposure triggers the release of free fatty acids from white adipocytes, which then go to the liver to where they are substrates for acylcarnitine production and secretion into circulation. These excess acylcarnitines are then taken up by the brown adipose tissue and used to fuel thermogenesis. Our research focuses on the interaction between adipose tissue and liver during cold exposure, addressing two unanswered questions: 1) How are liver-produced acylcarnitines taken up and metabolized in brown adipocytes? 2) How is hepatic lipid processing regulated in cold exposure?

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:  Biochemistry (IPiB), Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Nutritional Science (IGPNS)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Sinha Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Physiology; Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our lab studies how cellular, synaptic and circuit mechanisms shape neural signaling in the retina. We study early visual processing in the retina at different stages. For instance, we study cellular mechanism such as phototransduction by measuring light-evoked electrical responses from photoreceptors and relate that to the underlying molecular and biochemical mechanisms of the G- protein signaling cascade. We are interested in how visual signals are parsed into parallel neural circuits and how each one of them is specialized for encoding a distinct aspect of a natural scene.
We correlate neuronal function with detailed anatomy/wiring and gene expression to build a comprehensive map for neural circuits where we can link mechanisms all the way to circuit function and ultimately perception. Our lab is interested in using this knowledge of basic retinal structure and function in an intact tissue as a baseline testing neuronal function in human stem cell-derived retina.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Neuroscience (NTP), Biophysics, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology (ERP)

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Class of 2021
Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) – Chiang Mai University
Kamp Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Skala Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Cancer Biology; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Dr. Skala’s lab develops biomedical optical imaging technologies for cancer research, cell therapy, and immunology.
Current projects focus on tumor immunology and immunotherapy, cell-level metabolic heterogeneity, and cell-cell
interactions. Collaborative projects leverage these unique photonics-based tools for clinical problems, including quality
control in T cell and stem cell therapies, designing personalized treatment plans for cancer patients, monitoring
diseases in the eye, discovering new therapies for a range of diseases, and many others. Projects are highly diverse
and range from translational research to hypothesis-driven questions to algorithm / instrumentation development.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Biophysics, Biomedical Engineering, Medical Physics, Cellular & Molecular Pathology Graduate Program (CMP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Skop Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Dr. Ahna Skop is a Professor of Genetics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, with additional roles in Life Sciences
Communication, Cell and Regenerative Biology, WID, and the Arts Institute. Her laboratory explores the molecular
mechanisms of cell division, with a special focus on the midbody and midbody remnant—unique, RNA-rich structures
produced during mitosis. The Skop Lab’s research has shown that these organelles or large extracellular vesicles,
once thought to be cellular waste, are actually active in RNA translation and play important roles in intercellular
communication, especially in rapidly dividing cells like those in cancer.

Current research projects in the lab include identifying the RNA cargo of midbody remnants in various cell types and
investigating their roles in cancer progression and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism. The lab uses a
multidisciplinary approach, combining genetics, cell biology, genomics, proteomics, and advanced microscopy. Ahna is
also the CSO of a Madison startup called eMBR genomics that focuses on midbody remnant as a diagnostic and
therapeutic tool.

Dr. Skop is also widely recognized for her work in scientific outreach, diversity in STEM, and the integration of science
and art. She has curated international scientific art exhibitions, local science art projects, and is a an author on two
books (Genetic Reflections and Lab Culture: A recipe for innovation in science), reflecting her commitment to novel
modes of science communication and promoting science literacy by utilizing science art as a unique mechanism to
engage the public, especially young kids.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Genetics, Life Sciences Communication, Division of the Arts

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LAB WEBSITE:

Slukvin Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My laboratory is using pluripotent stem cell technologies to model blood diseases and to develop novel sources of hematopoietic cells for transplantation, blood transfusion, and cancer immunotherapy.

We defined the major cellular pathways leading to formation of blood and vascular progenitors, including several novel hematoendothelial and mesenchymal progenitors. Through comparative analysis of transcriptome and engraftment properties of these novel progenitors and fetal primitive blood cells as well as employing loss-of- and gain-on-function and lineage-tracing experiments, we expect to gain fundamental insights into molecular mechanisms leading to blood cell development.

These studies could ultimately revolutionize cellular therapies for blood cancer and hereditary blood disease, and can be exploited for discovery of new drugs regulating hematopoietic stem cells, as well. In addition we use reprogramming technology for modeling leukemia stem cell development and identification of novel drug targets for primitive leukemia cells.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBMS), Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Smith Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; RNA Biology; Virology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Smith group is an interdisciplinary group of researchers working on the development of novel methods and approaches for the analysis and manipulation of biomolecules. Major interest areas include biological mass spectrometry, proteomics and epitranscriptomics.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Chemistry, Biophysics; Genomic Sciences Training Program (GSTP); Computation and Informatics in Biology & Medicine (CIBM)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Smith Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Plant Biology; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Smith lab research focuses on how to genetically engineer the plant cell wall in forage and bioenergy crops to
improve plant digestibility, animal nutrition, and dairy sustainability. Trainees in the Smith lab use cutting edge plant
engineering tools, including CRISPR/Cas and cell-type specific expression, coupled with single cell -omics analyses
and imaging to uncover and optimize cell-type specific biosynthetic pathways.

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Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics; Plant Science and Technology

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LAB WEBSITE:

Sousa Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our lab aims to identify and characterize the molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern human brain development and evolution, and to apply that knowledge towards understanding neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. To achieve this goal, we apply a multifaceted approach that combines: 1) functional genomic studies to identify genes that are critical for proper neurodevelopment and have conserved or human specific expression profiles; 2) developmental neurobiology studies that combine induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, mouse genetic models, and postmortem human and NHP brains to characterize the functions of those candidate genes in the development of the brain; 3) molecular and cellular biology studies that inform the biological processes that are disrupted by alterations in those genes, particularly the ones that are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders.

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LAB WEBSITE:

South Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology, Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton, Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My research is dedicated to advancing the field of oncology through rigorous basic scientific research coupled with innovative clinical trials. By focusing on the interplay between genetic mutations, the tumor microenvironment and cancer development, my laboratory aims to contribute to the broader understanding and treatment of squamous cell carcinomas, ultimately improving patient outcomes and quality of life.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Sperandio Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking, Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes, Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My research investigates chemical, stress and nutritional signaling at the interface amongst the mammalian host, beneficial microbiota and invading bacterial pathogens. The main tenant of research in my laboratory is the study of how bacterial cells sense several mammalian neurotransmitters leading to rewiring and reprogramming of bacterial transcription towards host and niche adaptation. We have also identified several bacterial receptors to mammalian neurotransmitters, and reported that invading pathogens hijack these inter-kingdom signaling systems to promote virulence expression. She also translated these basic science concepts into strategies to develop novel approaches to anti-microbial therapy. More recently we have been working in the gut-brain-axis space to investigate how changes in the intestinal microbiota, modifies the metabolic landscape in the gut and the brain impacting addiction behaviors.

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Microbiology Doctoral Training Program

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LAB WEBSITE:

Spurgeon Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Virology, Cancer Biology, Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Tumor viruses cause at least 15% of human cancers worldwide. The Spurgeon Lab studies two different small DNA tumor viruses: Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) and human papillomaviruses (HPVs). Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is the most recently discovered human tumor virus and causes Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a neuroendocrine cancer of the skin. Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States and cause cancers at various anatomical sites including the anogenital tract and oral cavity in both women and men. Our research investigates the virus-host interactions that contribute to the pathogenesis and oncogenic potential of MCPyV and HPV and seeks to elucidate the mechanisms by which their viral proteins cause disease and cancer. To do so, the Spurgeon Lab specializes in the development and application of novel preclinical models of small DNA tumor virus action. Our research interests intersect with several scientific disciplines, including virology, cancer biology, and cell/molecular biology.

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Cancer Biology Graduate Program

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LAB WEBSITE:

Sridharan Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Transcriptional Mechanisms; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We investigate how chromatin modifications that control gene expression and that can be transmitted across cell divisions control the establishment , maintenance and disruption of cell identity in development and disease. For this purpose we use genomic and gene editing techniques wide techniques to query the epigenome and transcriptome at the population and single cell level. Ultimately we are interested in gaining fundamental insights into cell fate and
applying the information to derive cells with desired properties for regenerative therapy.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Genetics, Cell and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP)

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Class of 2022
BS, Biochemistry – Texas State University, San Marcos
Majumder Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Suresh Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Immunology; Virology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Induction of immunological memory is the basis of vaccinations but the molecular mechanisms underlying the development and maintenance of memory T cells is not well understood. Our research is focused on understanding how signaling pathways and transcriptional factors control the effector T cell fate: terminal differentiation and apoptosis versus survival and differentiation into long-lived memory T cells. We are particularly interested in understanding the PI3K/FoxO/mTOR axis in the differentiation of memory CD8 T cells.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBMS), Microbiology (MDTP), Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Clinical Investigation

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Class of 2022
BS, Bioanalytical Sciences
MS, Biology
Lo Sardo Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Sussman Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Systems Biology; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Plant Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My main research interest is in studying the molecular mechanism of action of plasma membrane receptor proteins and transporters and other components of the signaling pathways that connect the plasma membrane and nucleus, in higher plants. We use Arabidopsis thaliana as a genetic model to study these proteins. My laboratory also develops and applies new genomic technologies to study the role of these proteins, including isotope-assisted mass spectrometric-based methods for quantifying hormone induced changes in the phosphoproteome and metabolome.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Suzuki Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton; Cancer Biology; Virology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Suzuki Lab investigates the molecular machinery underlying chromosome segregation by
integrating quantitative cell biology, high-resolution imaging, and targeted molecular perturbation. While the mechanisms of cell division remain the central focus, the lab has strategically expanded into virology, exploring HIV-1 accessory protein functions, genomic RNA assembly, and EBV capsid formation. This interdisciplinary approach aims to uncover fundamental principles of cellular and viral processes.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Cancer Biology, Biophysics, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Svaren Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Transcriptional Mechanisms; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our laboratory is focused on the transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of myelination. Myelin is a vital constituent of the nervous system that increases the speed of action potentials, and also provides trophic support for the long axons that project from neurons. Our studies are centered on the myelin-producing cells of the peripheral nervous system, and the picture below shows a Schwann cell that has synthesized a myelin sheath around the axon to the left. We have focused on elucidating gene regulation of individual myelin genes by two major regulators of Schwann cell function: Egr2 and Sox10. Sox10 is required at virtually all phases of Schwann cell development and Egr2 is required for initation of myelination. For example, we have recently characterized enhancers within the Pmp22 gene, which is duplicated in the most common form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease, classified as CMT1A. These studies are also developing novel screening assays to identify drugs that could be used for this very common peripheral neuropathy.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBMS)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Tamplin Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Cancer Biology; Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We use multiple approaches and model organisms to understand the fundamental biology that regulates hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in their niche. Harnessing the strength of each model, we are building a dynamic view of stem cell behavior in relation to multiple niche cell types. HSCs are concurrently regulated by many different cell types, including endothelial and mesenchymal stromal cells, as well as other hematopoietic cells. The hematopoietic system is very highly conserved so data from mouse and zebrafish often translates to humans.

We use zebrafish because they are a well-characterized functional genetic model with endogenous labels that allow direct live imaging of the endogenous niche. This allows us to test novel hypotheses that could not be performed in any other model system. The high efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in zebrafish now allows the rapid generation of mutant models. Together with transgenic fluorescent reporters of hematopoietic stem cells and many niche cell types, we can track live cellular interactions in wild-type and mutant genetic backgrounds. We are using correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) to look at the ultrastructure of endogenous HSCs in their niche.

We use mouse as an established HSC transplant model with an extensive panel of markers that can be used to dissect in fine detail changes within the hematopoietic system. We are currently focused on neurotransmitters that are found in the bone marrow niche, and neuroreceptors that are expressed on HSCs themselves. We are finding fascinating novel regulatory mechanisms that have the potential to improve clinical HSC transplantations.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Cellular & Molecular Pathology Graduate Program (CMP); Cancer Biology Training Program; Genetics; Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (CBMS); Integrative Biology Graduate Program (iBio)

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Class of 2021
BS, Biology – Ursinus College
Hardin Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Tibbetts Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; RNA Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Current work in the Tibbetts lab is focused on two major themes: (i) genetic and biochemical mechanisms of neurodegeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia (ALS/FTD); and (ii) The role of alternative splicing in DNA damage repair and tumor suppression. ALS/FTD-related studies are focused on several genes, including the gene encoding the ubiquitin-binding protein, UBQLN2 whose mutation cause inherited forms of ALS/FTD. We employ a “fly-to-human” approach in which genetic screens are first used to identify novel genes that modify the toxicity of ALS/FTD-associated proteins in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. These genes are then studied at the mechanistic level using human inducible pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived motor neurons and gene edited mice containing mutations in ALS/FTD-associated genes. Using this strategy we have identified several disease-modifier genes, including axon guidance genes and regulators of endolysosomal function, which are being investigated for therapeutic potential in preclinical ALS/FTD models. These studies will employ cutting edge transcriptomic and proteomic approaches to understand how ALS/FTD-causal mutations instigate neurodegeneration at the cellular level. In a second project we are investigating how alternative splicing of the DNA repair gene RIF1 influences its participation in DSB repair and genome stabilization using both cell culture and mouse models.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Genetics; Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Training Program (MCP); Cancer Biology Training Program

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Class of 2021
BS, Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology – Purdue University
Kirchdoerfer Lab

Class of 2022
BS, Physics – Universite Francois Rabelais de Tours
Brand Lab

Class of 2024
BS, Biotechnology- Arkansas State University-Querétaro
MS, Biology – New York University
Kimple Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Vargas Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; RNA Biology; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The long-term goal of my research program is to develop new therapeutic strategies using mechanistic insights drawn from understanding astrocyte-motor neuron interaction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). While the degeneration of motor neurons is the characteristic feature of ALS, astrocytes play a key role determining motor neuron fate in the course of the disease. Astrocytes from diverse ALS models induce motor neuron death in co-culture models and several strategies aimed at reverting astrocyte-mediated toxicity increase motor neuron survival and improve motor performance in ALS mouse models. Our goal is to better understand astrocyte cellular and molecular biology and define the therapeutic value of modulating mitochondrial function, antioxidant defenses and astrocyte-neuron metabolic coupling in the context of ALS.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Neuroscience Training Program (NTP)

Bibliography

LAB WEBSITE:

Vezina Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Physiology; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We study how the lower urinary tract works—and what goes wrong in common, non-cancerous conditions like urinary
tract infections, incontinence, and trouble emptying the bladder. Our research dives into the cells and molecules behind
these problems, using cutting-edge tools like genetics, imaging, and custom-built models to explore how the urinary
system functions. It’s a dynamic mix of biology, technology, and discovery aimed at solving real-world medical
challenges.

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Molecular and Environmental Toxicology, Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Comparative Biosciences

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Class of 2024
BS, Biochemistry – Case Western Reserve University
Anderson Lab

Class of 2023
BS, Molecular and Cellular Biology – University of California Berkley
Werling Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Wang Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Physiology; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My lab is interested in studying how the brain controls behaviors. Our current focus is to understand sleep. Despite being an evolutionarily conserved behavior, sleep remains one of the most intriguing mysteries in biology. We use C. elegans as a model system and exploit its advantages (powerful genetics, optical transparency, and a small nervous system with well defined anatomical connectivity) to understand the molecular, cellular, and circuit mechanisms underlying sleep. We take an integrative approach by combining classic molecular and genetic tools with state-of-the-art techniques, such as optogenetics, in vivo live imaging, genome editing, and next generation sequencing. In parallel, we also develop novel molecular and genetic tools to precisely control transgene expression and manipulate gene activity.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: 

Neuroscience (NTP), Genetics, Integrative Biology Graduate Program

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LAB WEBSITE:

Wang Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Systems Biology; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My research group explores the role of stress-signaling nucleotides in helping bacterial cells withstand antibiotics and
evolve resistance mechanisms.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Microbiology (MDTP), Genetics, Biophysics

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FOCUS GROUPS:

Transcriptional Mechanisms; Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We are using fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) to understand human neuronal disorders. Currently, we are focusing on Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), both of which are characterized by neuronal degeneration (neurodegeneration) in the central nervous system. We are using genetic and molecular biology approaches to determine the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie neurodegeneration. The long-term goal of this research is to identify gene targets for diagnostic and therapeutic intervention in A-T and TBI.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Genetics

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Dr. Wassarman’s research information

LAB WEBSITE:

Weaver Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Chromosome segregation during mitosis is a highly regulated process. My laboratory studies the molecules required for accurate chromosome segregation and the consequences on tumor initiation, progression, and response to chemotherapy when chromosome segregation goes awry.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:  Genetics, Cancer Biology, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology

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LAB WEBSITE:

Weaver Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Physiology, Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My research program is focused on defining the molecular mechanisms that govern bone and cartilage regeneration. Musculoskeletal conditions are a leading reason that patients visit their doctors in the United States, yet there are limited therapeutics for bone regeneration and no disease-modifying agents for cartilage regeneration. My laboratory uses rodent models to study the molecular mechanisms that govern bone and cartilage development and disease with the ultimate goal of leveraging these pathways to inform new therapeutic development.

Currently, my research is funded by an NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award through NIAMS and by departmental start-up funds. The R00 project is focused on defining the role of the potassium channel G protein gated inwardly-rectifying K+ channel 3 (GIRK3) in bone development.

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Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (CBMS) , Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology Program (ERP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Weeks Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Systems Biology, Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking, Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Eukaryotic signaling pathways rely on the introduction of PTMs to specific proteins to rapidly change protein function and localization, enabling cells to respond to changing internal or environmental conditions. However, despite the importance of spatial organization and temporal dynamics in biological signaling, current technologies are unable to provide a
systems-level experimental mapping of the dynamic subcellular localization of post-translationally modified proteins. To meet this challenge, we are developing new methods for PTM proteomics with subcellular spatial and temporal resolution by engineering genetically targetable, PTM-selective proximity labeling enzymes. These enzymes tag post-translationally modified proteins in specific subcellular locations, enabling their enrichment and analysis with mass spectrometry-based proteomics experiments for mapping PTMs with spatial and temporal resolution. Using these tools, we seek to provide an integrated view of cellular signaling to advance biological discovery, with potential therapeutic implications.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Chemistry, Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IpiB), Biophysics

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LAB WEBSITE:

Wei Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Physiology; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Our lab is broadly interested in deorphanizing biochemical pathways that regulate nutrient metabolism, with the goal of
uncovering new metabolic circuits that control physiology and contribute to disease. We focus on identifying previously
uncharacterized metabolites, enzymes, and transporters, and determining their roles in nutrient sensing, energy
balance, and metabolic signaling.
By combining untargeted metabolomics, stable isotope tracing, enzymology, and mouse and human genetics, our goal
is to illuminate hidden layers of mammalian metabolism and open new avenues for therapeutic intervention.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IpiB)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Wellik Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My laboratory focuses on the role of Hox genes in development, disease, repair and regeneration using mouse as a model organism. The expression and function of Hox genes have been highly conserved throughout evolution where these genes play critical roles in many aspects of developmental patterning and organogenesis. In addition to roles in embryonic development, more recent work in my laboratory reveals that Hox-expressing cells are retained in many tissues and organs through postnatal and adult life as mesenchymal stem/precursor cells that remain important for maintenance and repair of organs and tissues. Utilizing mainly mouse developmental genetics, my laboratory explores the function of these genes in development, regeneration and repair, and in response to disease. We are currently actively exploring the musculoskeletal system and the lung as model organ systems for Hox function. Our longterm goal is to understand mechanisms by which Hox genes to direct development, repair and regeneration in mammals and to elucidate how this information can be used to improve potential regenerative therapies.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Genetics

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LAB WEBSITE:

Werling Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Protein Trafficking; RNA Biology; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Werling Lab is interested in investigating the key neurobiological mechanisms involved in the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neuropsychiatric disorders, including the dimensions of genetic variation, development, and sex-differential biology, and interactions between them. We apply genome-wide genetics, functional genomics, and bioinformatics approaches (e.g. RNA-seq, single cell analyses, eQTLs) in human tissue and model systems to identify and characterize the mechanisms involved in sex-differential and disorder-associated neurobiology. The long-term goal of our research program is to uncover fundamental causal pathways in both sexes that will facilitate treatment development and benefit affected individuals and their families. 

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP), Neuroscience Training Program (NTP), Genetics Training Program, Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP)

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Class of 2019
BS, Biochemistry – Kansas State University
Drummond-Barbosa Lab

Class of 2020
BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology – College of Wooster
Bhattacharyya Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Wheeler Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Membrane Biology & Protein Trafficking; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The focus of my laboratory centers around the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) which is ubiquitously expressed receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK). Upon ligand binding, the EGFR initiates a spectrum of signaling pathways that promote cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, motility, and cellular adhesion. The EGFR is recognized as a key mediator of proliferation and progression in many human tumors and strategies to inhibit EGFR signaling have emerged as highly promising cancer therapy approaches. Following more than 20 years of preclinical development, five EGFR inhibitors, two monoclonal antibodies and three small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), have recently gained FDA approval in oncology (cetuximab, panitumumab, erlotinib, gefitinib and lapatinib). Both strategies of EGFR inhibition have demonstrated major tumor regressions in approximately 10-20% of advanced cancer patients. However, many tumors do not show response to EGFR inhibition and some of the responders eventually manifest resistance to treatment. The underlying mechanisms of intrinsic and acquired resistance to EGFR inhibitors remain largely unexplored. In an effort to examine mechanisms of acquired resistance to EGFR inhibition we have developed a series of cetuximab-resistant cancer cell lines (H&NSCC1 and NCI-H226) models to elucidate molecular pathways leading to resistance to targeted therapies. The overall goal is to elucidate pathways that resistant cells have activated and aim at blocking these pathways and restoring sensitivity to the original target agents.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Oncology

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LAB WEBSITE:

Wolter Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton, Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine, RNA Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My lab is generally interested in the molecular mechanisms by which genetic variation affects neurodevelopment. We use classic mouse models to study the molecular and cellular consequences of highly penetrant rare variants, and libraries of human iPSCs to study how common genetic variation shapes molecular, cellular, and patient outcomes in autism.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Genetics Graduate Program, Neuroscience Training Program (NTP)

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Class of 2022
BS, Microbiology & Infection – University of Alberta
Coyle Lab

Class of 2021
BA, Biochemistry and Biology – Albion College
Tamplin Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Wright Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton; Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes; Virology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My laboratory uses cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and molecular biology approaches to explore the three-dimensional structure and function of viruses, bacteria, and mammalian cells in order to develop targeted therapeutic agents. Independent projects focus on bacteria and bacteriophage interactions, the structure and function of bacterial appendages, HIV-1 maturation, paramyxovirus and pneumovirus assembly and glycoprotein architecture, and mammalian host cell structure. My laboratory also develops and uses novel cryo-EM and correlative light and electron microscopy technologies to further improve our capacity to address specific questions in cell biology and infectious disease research.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Biochemistry (IPiB), Biophysics, Virology, and Biotechnology (BTP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Wu Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular and Molecular Metabolism, Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Cardiac development is precisely regulated by the interplay of several transcription factors within a network. How these transcription factors mechanistically interact and how perturbation of the transcription factor network results in congenital heart disease requires further elucidation. Through the use of advanced microscopy, single cell sequencing technologies, proteomics, and functional assays, we have identified key players and pathways of the transcription factor network regulating cardiac development and how various insults can disrupt these elements leading to congenital heart disease. Results from this work will not only further our understanding of cardiac development, but will also identify therapeutic candidates.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Training Program (MCP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Xing Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The Xing lab is interested in elucidating the molecular, structural and biochemical basis of diverse cell signaling pathways and regulations related to cancer, neurological disorder and toxicity, such as phosphatase regulation and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) signaling. We utilize diverse multi-disciplinary biophysical, biochemical, bioinformatics, and cell biology approaches, including x-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, computational structural biology, enzymology, the state-of-the-art proteomics, bioinformatics and time-lapse fluorescent imaging, to gain deep mechanistic understanding and facilitate identification of novel therapeutic targets and strategies.

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is one of the most important and abundant Ser/Thr phosphatases in all eukaryotic cells with complex regulation and compositions. It plays a critical role in many essential aspects of cellular function, and deregulation of its function has been linked to many types of cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and heart failure. PP2A participates in diverse cellular processes via formation of ~100 heterotrimeric holoenzymes. We made critical contributions to the understanding of the broad structural basis of PP2A core enzyme, holoenzymes and regulation complexes, and developed a plethora of research tools that allow us to reconstitute and dissect the biochemical processes involved in diverse aspects of PP2A regulation and substrate recognition. Our ongoing research involves a highly dynamic aspect of PP2A regulation that is crucial for tight control of PP2A holoenzyme biogenesis, disassembly, and activity. We also have critical efforts toward identifying interaction motifs for diverse PP2A holoenzymes and characterizing biochemical codes for PP2A holoenzyme-substrate interactions that can be described in computer language for bioinformatic search. Built on a highly multidisciplinary research with broad research strategies, including biochemistry, cell biology, system biology, cryo-EM, x-ray crystallography and cancer bioinformatics, we aim to rapidly predict and test phosphatase action in diverse signaling networks and disease mutations that alter phosphatase function in multiple types of cancer, neurological disorders and rare genetic diseases.

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a PAS family transcription factor that mediates cellular responses to diverse environmental chemicals and endogenous metabolites. It plays an important role in toxicity response, and normal immune and cardiovascular functions, with important implication for cancer and autoimmune diseases. Our ongoing research is built on our recent breakthroughs on the crystal structure of AHR signaling complex and AHR ligand chemistry in which we identified trace derivatives from cellular metabolite, kynurenine, as potent AHR ligands, which we named TEACOPs (trace elongated aromatic condensation products of kynurenine). Our research aim to decipher how kynurenine/TEACOPs and environmental compounds differentially activate AHR signaling and differentially modulate the functions of diverse immune cells to provide insights for diverse inflammatory diseases and cancer. We also aim to elucidate the structural basis underlying the dichotomy of AHR signaling using single particle cryo-EM.

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LAB WEBSITE:

Xu Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Immunology, Virology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My lab is broadly interested in understanding the protein-protein interactions and structural dynamics at the host-pathogen interface. We take a protein engineering approach, in combination with biochemistry, structural biology and immunology, to identify new classes of antibodies and design principles to manipulate immunogenicity. The long-term goal is to identify new targets and approaches for designing vaccines and therapeutics, especially against important infectious diseases with unmet human needs.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IpiB), Biophysics

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LAB WEBSITE:

Xu Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology; Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Transcriptional Mechanisms

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Dr. Xu’s laboratory explores the protective roles of environmental and nutritional estrogenic compounds in mammals for breast cancer prevention and treatment. Estrogen receptors (ERs) exist in two forms, ERa and ERb, which have opposing roles in cell proliferation. Estrogenic compounds can control balance between mammary cell proliferation and differentiation via stimulating the formation of different forms of ER dimers. Xu lab has developed the Bioluminescent Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET) assays for detecting in vivo homodimerization and heterodimerization of ERa and ERb induced by estrogenic compounds. Biological functions of these estrogenic compounds are currently being investigated in cell-based and breast cancer mouse models. Dr. Xu’s laboratory has also employed biochemical and functional genomic approaches, as well as mouse genetics to decipher the contribution of histone arginine methylation to the epigenetic control of cancer cells. The major focus of Xu lab is on a protein arginine (R) methyltransferase CARM1/PRMT4, a nuclear hormone receptor co-activator. Dr. Xu has identified a number of non-histone substrates for CARM1 and is in the progress of elucidating the functions of protein arginine methylation in breast cancer initiation and progression.

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Class of 2022
BS, Pharmacy – Nanjing Medical University
MS, Neuropharmacology – Nantong University
Zhao Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Yen Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cellular & Molecular Metabolism; Physiology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Triacylglycerol (TAG) serves as reserves of substrates for making cell membranes and generating metabolic energy, and its synthesis intermediates may serve as signaling molecules. TAG is essential for many biological processes; however, excessive accumulation of TAG leads to obesity, diabetes, and related metabolic diseases. Our lab examines the physiological functions of enzymes involved in the synthesis of TAG, focusing on acyl:CoA monoacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 and 2 (MGAT1 and MGAT2). We demonstrated that intestinal MGAT2 regulates food intake and, unexpectedly, energy expenditure. We are now using research approaches from classic biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, and systems biology to understand how intestinal lipid metabolism regulates systemic energy balance. Our on-going research has expanded into other functions of MGATs and additional genetic and dietary factors modulating energy balance in the broad context of understanding the mechanisms by which nutrition impacts health and disease.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Nutritional Sciences (IGPNS), Physiology

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Class of 2025
BS, Biology, specializing in Bioinformatics- University of California, San Diego
MS, Biology & Biotechnology- University of California, San Diego
Sharp Lab

LAB WEBSITE:

Yin Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Transcriptional Mechanisms; RNA Biology; Systems Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We use molecular, genetic and cellular approaches to answer questions on neuronal function and dysfunction. We are focused on how memories are formed and persist in the brain. Circadian and sleep-related processes are part of this process. Most of our work centers around the cAMP/PKA/CREB signaling pathway. In fly models of disease, sleep and cAMP signaling are prodromal endophenotypes that are causally involved in disease progression. We are interested in why they are dysfunctional, and how to overcome their problems.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:  Neuroscience (NTP), Genetics, Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Yin Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Virology; Systems Biology; Immunology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

We aim to advance a quantitative and integrated understanding how viruses grow and their infections spread. We are developing experimental systems and computational simulations for three single-stranded RNA viruses: vesicular stomatitis virus, a negative-sense RNA virus; and human rhinovirus (HRV) and Zika (ZIKV) virus, both positive-sense RNA viruses. Quantitative experiments are enabling the development of predictive models of growth and spread. Our recent studies entail high-throughput measures of single-cell infections, dual-color virus and host-cell reporters of virus-host interactions, single-cell measures of virus-DIP(defective interfering particle) interaction. Overall, our approaches are directed toward a deeper ‘systems level’ understanding of how viruses grow and cause disease, and we aim to exploit such understanding to develop novel anti-viral strategies that resist escape.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Biophysics, Computation and Informatics in Biology and Medicine (CIBM), Genomic Sciences Training Program (GSTP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Integrated Systems Neuroimaging Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Systems Biology; Immunology; Molecular & Genome Biology of Microbes

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

Dr. Yu’s laboratory is currently aligned along two major thematic areas of interest: (1) examining the impact of genes, the environment, and gene-environmental interactions on quantitative neuroimaging measures of neural microstructure in psychiatric illness and (2) development of MR and PET neuroimaging methods for the sensitive characterization and detection of microglial-driven neuroinflammation.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Neuroscience (NTP), Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Zhang Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Cancer Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

My lab focuses on identification of novel genetic driver mutations in promoting chronic leukemia formation and its malignant transformation to an acute phase using whole exome sequencing. These candidate mutations will subsequently be cloned and validated in leukemia cell lines in vitro and genetically engineered mouse models in vivo.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Cancer Biology, Genetics, Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP)

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LAB WEBSITE:

Zhao Lab

FOCUS GROUPS:

Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine; Transcriptional Mechanisms; RNA Biology

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:

The research in our laboratory focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate neuronal development. We are particularly interested in two aspects of gene expression regulation: epigenetic mechanisms through chromatin remodeling and noncoding RNAs and post-transcriptional regulation through RNA binding proteins. We use mouse genetics, primary neural stem cells (NSC), and human pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC, hESC), as well as CRISPR gene editing-created genetic mutant and gene-corrected mouse lines and human cells as model systems in our research. We employ a combination of genetic, genomic, proteomic, imaging, and behavioral methods to interrogate the fundamental relationships among gene, brain, and behaviors in neuronal development and their implications in human neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Fragile X Syndrome, Autism, and Rett syndrome.

ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Neuroscience (NTP), Genetics, Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP), Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP)

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Class of 2021
BS, Veterinary Medicine – Sichuan Agricultural University
MS, Developmental Biology- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xu Lab

Class of 2025
BS, Genetics and Genomics- University of Wisconsin, Madison
Skop Lab
Wolter Lab

Class of 2024
BS, Biochemistry and Biophysics- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Rhoads Lab