Skip to main content
Explore URMC
menu

Trainees

The following lists represents graduate students and post-doctoral fellows within departmental laboratories. For students in our graduate programs please see:

Students in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. Program

Students in the Biophysics, Structural and Computational Biology Ph.D. Program

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Post-Doctoral Associates/Fellows and Graduate Students

Elizabeth Abshire, Ph.D.
Elizabeth Abshire, Ph.D.

Email ElizabethAbshire

Postdoctoral Fellow
Maquat Lab

Mohammed Ali,
Mohammed Ali

Email MohammedAli

Graduate Student
Boutz Lab

Research Interest:

Investigating differential intron sensitivity to core spliceosome factors that are amplified or deleted in developmental syndromes and cancer

Sara Ali, MS
Sara Ali, MS

Email SaraAli

Graduate Student
Mathews Lab

Research Interest:

Identifying structurally conserved motifs in Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

FNU Anshuman, Ph.D.
Anshuman, Ph.D.

Email Anshuman

Postdoctoral Fellow
Rustchenko-Bulgac Lab

Gloria Asantewaa, MS
Gloria Asantewaa, MS

Email GloriaAsantewaa

Graduate Student
Harris Lab

Research Interest:

Interplay Between Glutathione and Hepatic Lipid Metabolism

Alissa Beam,
Alissa Beam

Email AlissaBeam

Graduate Student
First Year

Javeed Bhat, Ph.D.
Javeed Bhat, Ph.D.

Email JaveedBhat

Postdoctoral Fellow
Hayes Lab

Joseph Bucukovski, MS
Joseph Bucukovski, MS

Email JosephBucukovski

Graduate Student
Benjamin Miller Lab

Research Interest:

Developing a tendon-on-a-chip model with integrated photonic sensors to detect tendinopathic biomarkers in situ

Wesley Chiang, MS
Wesley Chiang, MS

Email WesleyChiang

Graduate Student
Krauss Lab

Research Interest:

Constructing a Quantum Dot Biomimetic of SARS-CoV-2 to Interrogate COVID-19 Associated Neuropathophysiology

Jessica Ciesla, MS
Jessica Ciesla, MS

Email JessicaCiesla

Graduate Student
Munger Lab

Research Interest:

Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNFα) Induces Metabolic Reprogramming to Promote an Anti-viral Cell State

Hannah Clary,
Hannah Clary

Email HannahClary

Graduate Student
Kielkopf Lab

Ananya Das, PhD
Ananya Das, PhD

Email AnanyaDas

Postdoctoral Associate
Ermolenko Lab

Brandon Davis, MS
Brandon Davis, MS

Email BrandonDavis

Graduate Student
O'Connell Lab

Research Interest:

 Picking up the Pieces: The Fragmented Process of Cas13 Mediated RNA Cleavage in Human Cells

Jeffrey Gabell,
Jeffrey Gabell

Email JeffreyGabell

Graduate Student
Lueck Lab

Justin Galardi, MS
Justin Galardi, MS

Email JustinGalardi

Graduate Student
Kielkopf Lab

Research Interest:

A UHM-ULM interface contributes to the pre-mRNA splicing functions of U2AF2 and SF3B1

Coleman Goenner,
Coleman Goenner

Email ColemanGoenner

Graduate Student
Wedekind Lab

Leon Harvey,
Leon Harvey

Email LeonHarvey

Graduate Student
Boutz Lab

Research Interest:

Investigating the Role of RNA Helicases in Splicing Changes caused by Cancer Associated SF3B1 Mutations

MaryClaire Haseley,
MaryClaire Haseley

Email MaryClaireHaseley

Graduate Student
Wagner Lab

Xueyang He, MS
Xueyang He, MS

Email XueyangHe

Graduate Student
Boutz Lab

Research Interest:

Modeling the effects of cancer-associated spliceosome mutations and identifying driving intronic features using deep-learning neural networks

Omar Hedaya, MS
Omar Hedaya, MS

Email OmarHedaya

Graduate Student
Yao Lab

Research Interest:

Understanding the Role of RNA Structures in Regulating Upstream Open Reading Frames

Eric Hillpot, MS
Eric Hillpot, MS

Email EricHillpot

Graduate Student
Gorbunova & Seluanov Laboratory

Research Interest:

Structural Characterization of a SIRT6-Nucleosome Array Complex

Molly Hulver, MS
Molly Hulver, MS

Email MollyHulver

Graduate Student
Boutz Lab

Research Interest:

Modeling CDK12 and CDK13 loss-of-function (LOF) in prostate cancer cells to investigate their roles in alternative polyadenylation and neo-antigen expression

Madeline Jensen,
Madeline Jensen

Email MadelineJensen

Graduate Student
Wagner Lab

Research Interest:

Identification and Structural Basis of a Novel Cellular Inhibitor of the Integrator Cleavage Module

Feng Jiang, MS
Feng Jiang, MS

Email FengJiang

Graduate Student
Yao Lab

Research Interest:

Potential mRNA Translation-Related Function of RNA-Binding Protein PRRC2B

Seth Jones,
Seth Jones

Email SethJones

Graduate Student
First Year

Daniil Kiliushik,
Daniil Kiliushik

Email DaniilKiliushik

Graduate Student
Wedekind Lab

Christopher Kirchhoff,
Christopher Kirchhoff

Email ChristopherKirchhoff

Graduate Student
Kielkopf Lab

Mert Koka,
Mert Koka

Email MertKoka

Graduate Student
O'Connell Lab

Gabrielle Kosoy, MS
Gabrielle Kosoy, MS

Email GabrielleKosoy

Graduate Student
Benjamin Miller Lab

Research Interest:

A biophysical approach to studying anti-influenza antibody affinity with respect to antigen presentation and context

Rahiim Lake,
Rahiim Lake

Email RahiimLake

Graduate Student
First Year

Matthew Law,
Matthew Law

Email MatthewLaw

Graduate Student
First Year

Elizabeth Lucas,
Elizabeth Lucas

Email ElizabethLucas

Graduate Student
First Year

Nicholas Macoretta, MS
Nicholas Macoretta, MS

Email NicholasMacoretta

Graduate Student
Gorbunova & Seluanov Laboratory

Research Interest:

The Role of Histone Modifications and Variants in Longevity of Rodent Species

Tanveer Malik, PhD
Tanveer Malik, PhD

Email TanveerMalik

Postdoctoral Associate
Yu Lab

Abby Manning,
Abby Manning

Email AbbyManning

Graduate Student
First Year

Megan Miaro,
Megan Miaro

Email MeganMiaro

Graduate Student
First Year

Abhinav Mittal, MS
Abhinav Mittal, MS

Email AbhinavMittal

Graduate Student
Mathews Lab

Research Interest:

Inferring RNA Secondary Structure Using a Multiple Homologous Sequence Alignment

Adrian Moises Molina Vargas,
Adrian Moises Molina Vargas

Email Adrian MoisesMolina Vargas

Graduate Student
O'Connell Lab

Research Interest: RNA biology, CRISPR-Cas systems. Understanding gRNA design rules for efficient and specific Cas13 RNA-binding in human cells.

Isreal Moreno, M.S.
Isreal Moreno, M.S.

Email IsrealMoreno

Graduate Student
Munger Lab

Research Interest:

The Role of Enolase 2 During Human Cytomegalovirus Infection

Sathya Muthusamy,
Sathya Muthusamy

Email SathyaMuthusamy

Graduate Student
First Year

Julia Nicosia, MS
Julia Nicosia, MS

Email JuliaNicosia

Graduate Student
O'Connell Lab

Research Interest:

The role of the Type VI CRISPR-Cas accessory protein Csx27 in the regulation of CRISPR-Cas13 mediated anti-viral immunity

Thomas Ossevoort,
Thomas Ossevoort

Email ThomasOssevoort

Graduate Student
Ermolenko Lab

Yi Pan, MS
Yi Pan, MS

Email YiPan

Graduate Student
Yu Lab

Research Interest:

Exploring the potential role of U2 m6Am modification in branch site recognition during pre-mRNA splicing

Brandon Park,
Brandon Park

Email BrandonPark

Graduate Student
Patrick Murphy Lab
O'Connell Lab

Research Interest:

Nucleic Acid Biology, Epigenetics, and Development. My project is focused on the role of H2A.Z in epigenetic inheritance.

Ashlin Poruthoor, MS
Ashlin Poruthoor, MS

Email AshlinPoruthoor

Graduate Student
Grossfield Lab

Research Interest:

Estimating the Free Energy Landscape of Phase Separation in Lipid Bilayers

Keegan Proctor,
Keegan Proctor

Email KeeganProctor

Graduate Student
Ermolenko Lab

Matthew Raymonda, MS
Matthew Raymonda, MS

Email MatthewRaymonda

Graduate Student
Munger Lab

Research Interest:

Identifying the Mechanisms of UL38-Mediated Metabolic Rigidity

Masih Rezaee, M.D.
Masih Rezaee, M.D.

Email MasihRezaee

Postdoctoral Associate
Yu Lab

Emily Robinson, MS
Emily Robinson, MS

Email EmilyRobinson

Graduate Student
Grossfield Lab

Research Interest:

Application of Molecular Dynamics to Elucidate Key Binding Interactions for the Development of Therapeutics Against Opioid Overdose

Tiana Rohe,
Tiana Rohe

Email TianaRohe

Graduate Student
First Year

Nicholas Rugelis,
Nicholas Rugelis

Email NicholasRugelis

Graduate Student
Hayes Lab

Research Interest:

Understanding how H1s condense chromatin and contribute to regulating gene expression through investigating the H1-nucleosome binding mode

Sudisht Sah, Ph.D.
Sudisht Sah, Ph.D.

Email SudishtSah

Postdoctoral Fellow
Rustchenko-Bulgac Lab

James Seuch,
James Seuch

Email JamesSeuch

Graduate Student
Mathews Lab

Research Interest:

Seven-Dimensional Clustering of RNA Backbone Conformations to Define RNA ‘Suites’

Akshara Sharma,
Akshara Sharma

Email AksharaSharma

Graduate Student
First Year

Lucas Simpson,
Lucas Simpson

Email LucasSimpson

Graduate Student
Munger Lab

Research Interest:

Defining the vulnerabilities of HCMV’s metabolic landscape 

Zachary Smith,
Zachary Smith

Email ZacharySmith

Graduate Student
Vertino Lab

Research Interest:

Regulation of transcription by histone demethylase KDM5B in breast cancer

Yoshita Srivastava, MS
Yoshita Srivastava, MS

Email YoshitaSrivastava

Graduate Student
Wedekind Lab

Research Interest:

Optimization of an HIV TAR-RNA-binding cyclic-peptide library for enhanced interactions and antiviral function

Jonathan (Jack) Stallone,
Jonathan (Jack) Stallone

Email Jonathan (Jack)Stallone

Graduate Student
First Year

Franziska Stegemann,
Franziska Stegemann

Email FranziskaStegemann

Postdoctoral Associate
Phizicky Lab

Jennifer Twardowski, MS
Jennifer Twardowski, MS

Email JenniferTwardowski

Graduate Student
Mello Lab

Research Interest:

Inhibition of Precancerous Transformation via Drug-Induced p53 Activation

Elinore Vangraafeiland, MS
Elinore Vangraafeiland, MS

Email ElinoreVangraafeiland

Graduate Student
Benjamin Miller Lab

Research Interest:

Targeting programmed ribosomal frameshifting in SARS-CoV-2 with a resin-bound dynamic combinatorial library

Nicole Waild,
Nicole Waild

Email NicoleWaild

Graduate Student
Munger Lab

Research Interest:

CRISPR-mediated Functional Dissection of the HCMV Interactome

Lindsey Wainwright,
Lindsey Wainwright

Email LindseyWainwright

Graduate Student
First Year

Rui Zhang,
Rui Zhang

Email RuiZhang

Graduate Student
Yu Lab