Biochemistry, Structural & Molecular Biology
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Current Students
Oghenerukevwe Akpoghiran
Oghenerukevwe.Apoghiran@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2020
Thesis Advisor: Kyunghee Koh, PhD
Project: TBD
William Auerbacher
William.Auerbacher@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Summer 2022
Thesis Advisor: Richard Pomerantz, PhD
Project: TBD
Jenna Aumiller
Jenna.Aumiller@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2020
Thesis Advisor: Philip Wedegaertner, PhD
Project: TBD
Aditya Bajaj
Aditya.Bajaj@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2023
Thesis Advisor: Lin Guo, PhD
Project: TBD
Sarah Barndt
Sarah.Barndt@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2022
Thesis Advisor: Anna Plucinneik, PhD
Project: TBD
Candice Bizzaro
Candice.Bizzaro@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Summer 2021
Thesis Advisor: Lucia Languino, PhD
Project: TBD
Jenny Carey
Jenny.Carey@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2019
Thesis Advisor: Lin Guo, PhD
Project: My project focuses on studying protein phase separation of ALS-associated protein FUS and developing RNAs to reverse aberrant phase transition.
Adi Caspi
Adi.Caspi@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2020
Thesis Advisor: Scott Waldman, MD, PhD
Project: I study the guanylyl cyclase C (GCC) signaling axis in the context of colorectal cancer.
Jacquelyn DePierro
Jacquelyn.DePierro@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2022
Thesis Advisor: Lin Guo, PhD
Project: TBD
Casey Durso
Casey.Durso@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2022
Thesis Advisor: Diane Merry, PhD
Project: TBD
Morgan Dwyer
Morgan.Dwyer@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2018
Thesis Advisor: Philip Wedegaertner, PhD
Project: TBD
Melanie Goetz
Melanie.Goetz@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2020
Thesis Advisor: Sara Meyer, PhD
Project: Studying the role of p300 in epigenetic mutant acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
Justin Gumas
Justin.Gumas@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2019
Thesis Advisor: Yohei Kirino, PhD
Project: Identification and functional characterization of angiogenin-induced 2’,3’-cyclic phosphate-containing RNAs in the context of ALS
Karl Herbine
Karl.Herbine@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Summer 2019
Thesis Advisor: Dmitry Temiakov, PhD
Project: The purpose of my thesis project is to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms of transcription initiation and processive elongation in human mitochondria using structural methods.
Eden Hornung
Eden.Hornung@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2019
Thesis Advisor: Rajanikanth Vadigepalli, PhD
Project: TBD
Kevin Kim
kevin.kim@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2023
Thesis Advisor: Lin Guo, PhD
Project: TBD
Emily Kurtyan
Emily.Kurtyan@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Summer 2022
Thesis Advisor: Fadia Ibrahim, PhD
Project: TBD
Genevieve Lewis (MD/PhD)
Genevieve.Lewis@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Summer 2021
Thesis Advisor: Emad Alnemri, PhD
Project: My project aims to elucidate the role of WNK1 signaling in macrophage inflammasome activation and how deregulation of this pathway leads to various inflammation-mediated pathologies.
Annie Londregan
Anne.Londregan@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2021
Thesis Advisor: Scott Waldman, MD, PhD
Project: TBD
Brittany Mahon
Brittany.Mahon@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2021
Thesis Advisor: Christine Eischen, PhD
Project: TBD
Ian Mawn
Ian.Mawn@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2022
Thesis Advisor: Michael Soniat, PhD
Project: TBA
Elizabeth McDuffie
Elizabeth.McDuffie@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2019
Thesis Advisor: Charles Scott, PhD
Project: TBA
Henri McGuigan
Henri.McGuigan@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2021
Thesis Advisor: Ya-Ming Hou, PhD
Project: TBA
Anthony Monte Carlo
Anthony.MonteCarlo@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2022
Thesis Advisor: Anna Plucinneik, PhD
Project: TBA
Quynh Nguyen
Quynh.Nguyen@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2023
Thesis Advisor: Michael Soniat, PhD
Project: TBA
Hailey Shankle
Hailey.Shankle@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2021
Thesis Advisor: Steven McMahon, PhD
Project: TBA
Viktoriia Sokolova
Viktoriia.Sokolova@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2021
Thesis Advisor: Dmitry Temiakov, PhD
Project: TBA
Sarah Strock
Sarah.Strock@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2023
Thesis Advisor: Dmitry Temiakov, PhD
Project: TBD
Lily Thompson
Lily.Thompson@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2020
Thesis Advisor: Elise Fouquerel, PhD
Project: My project involves investigating the effect of oxidative stress at the centromere and how this contributes to chromosomal instability.
Mason Tracewell
Mason.Tracewell@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2018
Thesis Advisor: Steven McMahon, PhD
Project: Investigating the mechanism behind USP22's impact on activator-driven transcription
Khushali Vyas
Khushali.Vyas@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Summer 2023
Thesis Advisor: Steven McMahon, PhD
Project: TBA
Zhanerjiao (Jeff) Yuan
Zhangerjiao.Yuan@students.jefferson.edu
Matriculation Term: Fall 2023
Thesis Advisor: Fadia Ibrahim, PhD
Project: TBA
Recent Graduates
Gina Buchel
Matriculation Term: Summer 2018
Thesis Title: "Fidelity of DNA Synthesis by Human Mitochondrial Replication Machinery"
Advisor: Demitry Temiakov, PhD
Victoria Frisbie
Matriculation Term: Summer 2018
Thesis Title: "Mechanism of Cooperative Histone H3 Lysine 76 Methylation by Two DOT1 Enzymes"
Advisor: Erik Debler, PhD
Stephano Iglesias
Matriculation Term: Fall 2020
Thesis Title: "Structural and biochemical studies of phage biomedicines"
Advisor: Gino Cingolani, PhD
Natalie Laspata
Matriculation Term: Fall 2019
Thesis Title: "Investigating the Role of Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase 1 (PARP1) in the Prevention of R-Loop-Mediated Genomic Instability"
Advisor: Elise Fouquerel, PhD
Allison Lisberg
Matriculation Term: Summer 2016
Thesis Title: "IDENTIFYING THE MECHANISM BEHIND THE ROLE OF THE AR N/C INTERACTION IN SBMA"
Advisor: Diane Merry, PhD
Ivana Vukovic
Matriculation Term: Fall 2016
Thesis Title: "Non-redundant roles for the human mRNA decapping cofactor paralogs DCP1a and DCP1b"
Advisor: Steven McMahon, PhD
Ruoyu Yang
Matriculation Term: Fall 2019
Thesis Title: "Multifaceted role of importins in virus nuclear import and antiviral response"
Advisor: Gino Cingolani, PhD
Benjamin Barnhart
Matriculation Term: Fall 2017
Thesis Title: "Partial hepatectomy as a model of liver regeneration: Network-based profiles"
Advisor: Rajanikanth Vadigepalli, PhD
Qingqing Cao
Matriculation Term: Fall 2017
Thesis Title: "The Role of Type VII Collagen in Mediating Extracellular Matrix Protein Secretion in Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa"
Advisor: Andrew South, PhD
Steven Doll
Matriculation Term: Fall 2016
Thesis Title: "Recognition of the TDP-43 Nuclear Localization Signal by importin α1/β"
Advisor: Gino Cingolani, PhD
Clinita Randolph
Matriculation Term: Summer 2014
Thesis Title: "Dissecting how interactions at the apex of HIV-1 Env modulate epitope exposure at the distant base of the glycoprotein"
Advisor: Philip Wedegaertner, PhD
Abhimannyu Rimal
Matriculation Term: Fall 2018
Thesis Title: "ISC10, A Developmentally Regulated Inhibitor Of Non-Canonical MAPK Signaling"
Advisor: Edward Winter, PhD
Hannah Schapiro
Matriculation Term: Fall 2017
Thesis Title: "Dissecting how interactions at the apex of HIV-1 Env modulate epitope exposure at the distant base of the glycoprotein"
Advisor: Michael Root, MD, PhD
Current Position: Teaching Assistant Professor, Thomas Jefferson University, College of Life Sciences
Matthew Varney
Matriculation Term: Summer 2015
Thesis Title: "G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 6 (GRK6) Regulation of Insulin Processing and Secretion"
Advisor: Jeffrey Benovic, PhD
Emanuela Dylgjeri-Kruser
Matriculation Term: Fall 2013
Thesis Title: "DNA-PK: Novel Roles in Metabolism and Therapeutic Targeting in Prostate Cancer"
Advisor: Karen Knudsen, PhD
Marina Farkas
Matriculation Term: Fall 2014
Thesis Title: "Elucidating Mechanisms Mediating Genome Recognition and Cell Fate Determination by P53"
Advisor: Steven McMahon, PhD
Tyler J. Florio
Matriculation Term: Fall 2016
Thesis Title: "Mechanisms and Regulation of NF-kB Nuclear Import through Importin Isoforms"
Advisor: Gino Cingolani, PhD
Michael Joseph Ippolito
Matriculation Term: Fall 2014
Thesis Title: "Selective Activation of G Protein Signaling through the B2AR via Novel and Redefined Small Molecule Ligands"
Advisor: Jeffrey Benovic, PhD
Dominic J. Lapadula
Matriculation Term: Fall 2014
Thesis Title: "Direct Inhibition of Oncogenic Gg/11 in Uveal Melanoma"
Advisor: Jeffrey Benovic, PhD
Amy Catherine Mandigo
Matriculation Term: Fall 2014
Thesis Title: "E2F1 and Androgen Receptor Dysregulation Drives RB-deficient Cancer Progression"
Advisor: Karen Knudsen, PhD
Lindsey Gail Mayes-Hopfinger
Matriculation Term: Fall 2015
Thesis Title: "Identifying WNK1 as a Negative Regulator of NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Pyroptosis"
Advisor: Emad Alnemri, PhD
Alison Rachel Moss
Matriculation Term: Fall 2015
Thesis Title: "Central and Peripheral Transcriptomic Networks Driving Cardiovascular Control"
Advisor: Rajanikanth Vadigepalli, PhD
Austin David Parrish
Matriculation Term: Fall 2014
Thesis Title: "Systems-Level Analysis of Regulatory Networks Involved in Alcoholic Liver Disease"
Advisor: Rajanikanth Vadigepalli, PhD
Azadeh Sarfallah
Matriculation Term: Fall 2018
Thesis Title: "Mechanism of Transcription Initiation and Primer Generation at the Mitochondrial Origin of Replication OriL"
Advisor: Dmitry Temiakov, PhD
Sarah Sulon
Matriculation Term: Fall 2014
Thesis Title: "Regulation of G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 5 by Calmodulin"
Advisor: Jeffery Benovic, PhD
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Penn Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Nicholas Anthony Swanson
Matriculation Term: Fall 2017
Thesis Title: "Structure of the Prototypical Podophage T7 DNA Ejectosome"
Advisor: Gino Cingolani, PhD
Halley Rebecca Washburn
Matriculation Term: Fall 2013
Thesis Title: "Molecular Mechanisms of the EphB-NMDA Receptor Extracellular Interaction"
Advisor: Matthew Dalva, PhD
Samantha Brown
Matriculation Term: Fall 2016
Thesis Title: "Beyond transcription: studying Human Antigen R (HuR/ELAVL1) and its role in post-transcriptionally regulating the pancreatic cancer-driver, Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1)"
Advisor: Jonathan Brody, PhD
Mai Nguyen
Matriculation Term: Fall 2015
Thesis Title: "Optimizing MEK inhibitors in NRAS mutant melanoma - overcoming resistance and combination strategies"
Advisor: Andrew Aplin, PhD
Sheera Rosenbaum
Matriculation Term: Fall 2015
Thesis Title: "The Role of Lineage-Specific Transcription Factors in Regulating Anti-Tumor Immune Responses in Melanoma"
Advisor: Andrew Aplin, PhD
Pravin Patel
Matriculation Term: Fall 2014
Thesis Title: "Role of ASK1 in Platelet Activation and Immune-Induced Thrombocytopenia and Thrombosis"
Advisor: Ulhas Naik, PhD
Elaine Yang (MD/PhD)
Matriculation Term:
Thesis Title: "Mechanisms of Voltage-Gated Na+ Channel Inhibition by Propofol"
Advisor: Manuel Covarrubias, MD, PhD