Spermatheca contractility and resilience
The C. elegans spermatheca is a great model for studying how biological tubes respond to mechanical stress. My research involves investigating the role of the 14-3-3 protein FTT-2 in regulating calcium signaling and contractility of spermathecal cells in C. elegans. Also, I am performing transcriptomics to evaluate the changes in spermathecal gene expression levels during different life stages of the worms. Lastly, I am screening gene candidates to identify potential regulators of spermathecal function.
Mustafi Raisa Amin
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Coordinated response to mechanical force in a contractile tissue
My current projects are focusing on cell signaling, cell migration, and mechanotransduction. I am using a combination of microscopy, proteomics, and molecular genetics to discover how tubes of cells coordinate Ca2+ signaling in response to stretch.
Fereshteh Sadeghian-Kiadehi
Bioengineering PhD Student
cAMP signaling and coordinated contractility
My recent work involves understanding the role of adenylyl cyclase, specifically acy-4 in the regulation of calcium signaling and cell contractility in spermatheca. Additionally, I am carrying out an RNAi screen to identify new regulators of the spermathecal function.
I am also investigating the role of Rhotekin and the PDZ domain protein TXBP-3 in spermathecal contractility using genetics, imaging, and -omics approaches.
Maria Khalid
Biology PhD Student
Mechanics of gonad elongation and turning
My research involves using the C. elegans gonad to study how organs know where and when to stop growing. I use flow cytometry to isolate specific cells during different points of development in order to study how their gene expression changes over time and how these changes allow the gonad to stop growing at a precise time and location. I am also trying to characterize the transcription factor vab-3 and how it is involved in this process.
Victor Stolzenbach
Biology PhD Student
Undergraduates
Julia Van Buskirk
Aiden Bowers
Emily Ferry
Sophie Griffin
Nicole Parlett
Alumni
Hiba Tannoury (Ph.D.) – VP, Medical Director at H4B Chelsea
Ismar Kovacevic (Ph.D.) – Senior Director, Flywheel Partners
Jessica Weaver (Ph.D.) – Senior Scientist, Alltrna
Alyssa Cecchetelli (Ph.D.) – Senior Scientist, Addgene
Alison Wirshing (Ph.D.) – Postdoc, MIT
Charlotte Kelley (Ph.D.) – Scientist, Sai Life Sciences
Jeff Bouffard (Ph.D) – Postdoc, Concordia University
Perla Castaneda (PhD) – Scientist I, Sarepta Therapeutics
Nan Wu (MS)
Mouna Ibourk (MS) – Scientist, Pfizer
Christina DeMaso (MS) – Scientist, Takeda
Sanket Shah (PSM) – Assoc. Director, AbbVie
Michael Doherty (MS) – Scientist, Ring Therapeutics
Cleo Isaacs (Research Tech) – Associate Director, Be Biopharma
Melissa LaBonty (Research Tech) – Assistant Professor, Southern Oregon University
Coleman Clifford (Research Tech) – MD
Avery Lord (Research Tech) – Clinician and Coach, Riser and Tread