Samara Reck-Peterson, Ph.D.

Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute | slr4003 at med.cornell.edu

Chair and Professor, Biochemistry and Biophysics Department

B.A. Biology, Carleton College, Northfield, MN

Ph.D. Cell Biology, Yale University

Postdoctoral Fellow Ron Vale’s lab, University of California, San Francisco

Max Borden

Research Technician | wib4009 at med.cornell.edu

B.A. Biology, Carleton College, Northfield, MN

Mary Couvillion, Ph.D.

Bioinformatics Scientist | mcouvillion at health.ucsd.edu

B.S. Molecular and Cell Biology, Texas A&M University

Ph.D. Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkley

Adam Fenton, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow | arf4008 at med.cornell.edu

B.S. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, PA

Ph.D. Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Pennsylvania, PA

Funded by: Jane Coffin Childs Postdoctoral Fellowship

Wei Gai, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow | weg4005 at med.cornell.edu

B.S. in Biological Science, Dezhou University, China

M.S. in Pharmacology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

Ph.D. Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, TX

Gaurav (Garry) Kumar, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow | gak4007 at med.cornell.edu

B. Tech, JMIT- Kurukshetra University, Haryana, India

M. Biotech, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

Ph.D. Cell Biology, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India

Nick Lattal

Research Associate | nil4021 at med.cornell.edu

B.A. Biology, Carleton College, Northfield, MN

Krishna Kishore Mahalingan, PhD.

Senior Research Associate | kkm4001 at med.cornell.edu

B. Tech, Pharmaceutical Technology, Anna University, Chennai, India

Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis

Postdoctoral researcher & Research fellow, NINDS, NIH

Research Associate, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, MI

Domenico Modaffari, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow | dom4013 at med.cornell.edu

B.Sc. Molecular Genetics, King’s College London, UK

Ph.D. Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, UK

Anu Singh, Ph.D.

Postdoctorial Fellow | asi4012 at med.cornell.edu

B.Sc., Maharishi Dayanand Balika Vigyan Mahavidyalaya, Jhunjhunu (India)

M.Sc., University of Rajasthan, Jaipur (India)

Ph.D., CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh (India)

Postdoctorial Fellow, Salk Institute of Biological Science, San Diego, CA (USA)

Patreece Suen, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow | phs4008 at med.cornell.edu

B.S. Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Ph.D. Cell Biology, Yale University

Funded by: NIH National Research Service Award F32, NIGMS

Katy Surridge, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow | kjs4005 at med.cornell.edu

B.S. Molecular Cell Biology, University of Sheffield, UK

Ph.D. Biochemistry, University of Bristol, UK

Funded by: American Cancer Society and Parkinson's Foundation

Eva Karasmanis, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow

B.S. Molecular Biology and Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece

Ph.D. Cell Biology, Drexel University, PA

Funded by: Jane Coffin Childs Postdoctoral Fellowship

Current Position: Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, Assistant Professor of Physics & Astronomy, Vanderbilt University

Swetha Mahesula

Staff Scientist

B.Tech Biotechnology, JNTU, India

M.S. Biological Sciences, University of Texas at San Antonio

Current Position: Analytical Scientist, Receptive Bio

Ameerah Holliday

Administrative Assistant (2018-2025)

B.A. English Literature, San Diego State University, CA

M.S. Social Work, Arizona State University, Online

Current Position: Community Engagement Coordinator, Cristie's Place

Neil Liu

Undergraduate Researcher (2024-2025)

B.S. Biochemistry, UCSD (Graduated 2026)

Laura Kellman, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral fellow (2024-2025)

B.S. in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, CN

Ph.D. in Cancer Biology, Stanford University, CA

Current Position: Postdoctoral fellow, Joseph Ecker's lab at the Salk Institute

Jessica Allen, Ph.D.

Staff Scientist (2024-2025)

B.S. Biology, Eastern Washington University

Ph.D. Biology, The City University of New York and The New York Botanical Garden

Postdoctoral Researcher, The Swiss Federal Institute of Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research

Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Eastern Washington University

Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Eastern Washington University

Current Position: Lead Mycologist, NatureServe

Jackie Lanzalotto

Graduate Student (2024-2025)

B.A. Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley

Current Position: Graduate Student, Joe Pogliano Lab, Univeristy of California, San Diego

Luther Ela

Undergraduate Researcher (2023-2025)

B.S. Molecular and Cellular Biology, UCSD (Graduated 2025)

Livia Songster

Graduate Student (2020-2024)

B.S. in Biochemistry, University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities

Funded by: Quantitative Integrative Biology Training Grant and NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Current Position: Postdoc, Cereal Disease Lab, USDA-ARS/ University of Minnesota, MN

Valentin Wernet, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow (2022-2024)

B.S. Biology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany

M.S. Biology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany

Ph.D. Biology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany

Current Postion: Scientist, Badische Anilinund Sodafabrik (BASF), Ludwigshafen, Germany

B.S. Microbial Biology, University of California - Berkeley

Ph.D. Microbial Pathogenesis and Chemical Biology, Rockefeller University, NY

Funded by: Life Sciences Research Foundation Fellowship

Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University [website].

Rob Abrisch, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow (2020-2024)

B.A. Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

Ph.D. Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

Current Position: Reasearch Scientist at Gia Voeltz lab, University of Colorado Boulder and Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Landon Vũ Nguyễn

Research Associate II (2022-2024)

Associates Degree, Houston Community College

B.S. Microbiology, Minor in Genetics, Texas (A&M)

Current Postion: Graduate Student at University of California, San Francisico, Tetrad Program

Agnieszka (Aga) Kendrick, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow (2016-2023)

B.S. Chemistry, University of Wroclaw, Poland

M.S. Chemistry, University of Colorado, Denver

Ph.D. Stuctural Biology and Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Denver, School of Medicine

Funded by: NIH National Research Service Award F32 and American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowship

Current Position: Assisant Professor, Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory at Salk Institute for Biological Studies [website].

Jenna Christensen, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow (2017-2023)

B.A. Molecular Biology, William Jewell College, Liberty, MO

Ph.D. Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago

Funded by: NIH National Research Service Award F32 and [NIGMS MOSAIC K99][0]/R00 Award

Current Position: Assisant Professor, Molecular Biosciences Department at Northwestern University [website].

Deva Bhuyan

Staff Research Associate
(2022-2023)

B.S. Neurobiology, UCSD (Graduated 2024)

D. Alexander (Alex) Stevens

Graduate Student (2018-2023)

B.A. Double Degree in Biology and Spanish Literature, Washington and Jefferson College, Washington, PA

Funded by: NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and the HHMI Gilliam Fellowship

Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Lasker lab at Scripps Research Institute.

Molecular and Cell Biology and Global Health

Internship at the Global Change Research Group, San Diego State Univeristy

Genevieve Curtin

Graduate Student (2022-2023)

B.S. Neuroscience, Tulane University

Soojin Kim, Ph.D

Postdoctoral Fellow (2020-2022)

B.A. Biological Sciences, Seoul National University

Ph.D. Neuroscience, Northwestern University

Current Position: Scientist, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA

B.S. Cellular and Molecular Biology, UCSD

Current Position: Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Davis

B.S. Bioengineering, University of California - Berkeley

Funded by: Molecular Biophysics Training Grant

M.D. Ph.D. UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA

Current Position: Pathology Resident, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco CA

Sataree Khuansuwan, Ph.D.

Staff Scientist (2021-2022)

B.S. Biology and Chemistry, Summa Cum Laude, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN

Ph.D. Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University

Current Position: Senior Scientist, Seawolf Therapeutics

James Holcomb

Undergraduate Researcher (2019-2021)

B.S. Cellular and Molecular Biology, UCSD (Graduated 2021)

John Salogiannis, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow (2014-2021)

B.S. Double degree in Neurobiology/Physiology and Psychology, University of Maryland, MD

Ph.D. Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, MA

Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont [website].

David Snead, M.D., Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow (2018-2021)

B.S. Chemistry, Haverford University, PA

M.D./Ph.D. Biochemistry, Cornell University, NY

Current Position: Research Associate, Kavran Lab at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD

Oscar Donosa

Lab Tech/Manager (2017-2021)

B.S. Cell Biology and Social Psychology, University of California - San Diego

Current Position: Cancer Biology Bioscience Program, Stanford University, CA

John Gillies

Biology Graduate Student (2017-2021)

B.S. Biochemistry, University of Oregon

Ph.D. UCSD

Current Position: Staff Scientis, DeSantis Lab at University of Michigan

Funded by: Molecular Biophysics Training Grant

Adriana Aguilar-Maldonado

Research Tech I (2017-2020)

B.S. in Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of California - San Diego

Current Position: Harvard Graduate School of Art and Science, Molecules, Cells and Organisms Program

Vinit Adani

Lab Assistant (2019-2020)

B.S. Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of California - San Diego

Current Position: Research Associate at Inova Diagnostics

Morgan DeSantis

Postdoctoral Fellow (2014-2019)

B.A. Biochemistry, The College of Wooster

Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania

Funded by: Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Cancer Research and NIH K99/R00 Award (K99GM127757)

Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan [website].

Rachael McMinimy

Research Associate (2017-2019)

B.A. Neuroscience and Biology, Oberlin College, OH

Current Position: Graduate Student at University of California - Berkeley

Kelly Hayes

Undergraduate Researcher (2017-2019)

Majoring in Bioengineering/Biotechnology

Current Position: Undergraduate Researcher with Yo Suzuki at the J Craig Venter Institute.

Zaw Htet

Graduate Student (2014-2019)

B.S. Engineering Physics, University of California - Berkeley

Ph.D. Biophysics, Harvard University

Postdoctoral Fellow with Andreas Martin, University of California - Berkeley

Funded by: NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Current Position: Math and Science Program Director, Mount Tamalpais College

Bret Redwine

Graduate Student Postdoctoral Fellow (2009-2018)

B.S. Biochemistry, University of Missouri-Columbia

Ph.D. Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard University

Current position: Head of custom protein resources, Stowers Institute for Medical Research

Phuoc Tien Tran

Research Associate (2015-2018)

B.A. Biology, Carleton College, Northfield, MN

Current position: Graduate Student, Harvard University (MCB Program)

Cassandra Niman

Postdoctoral Fellow (2015-2018)

B.S. Physics, University of California - San Diego

M.S. Physics, University of Oregon

Ph.D. Biophysics, Lund University, Sweden

Current position: Staff Systems Engineer, Staff Systems Engineer

Ophélie Kompaoré

Lab Assistant

B.A. Biological Anthropology, minor in General Biology

Michael Cianfrocco

Postdoctoral Fellow

B.S. Biochemistry, Providence College

Ph.D. Biophysics, University of California - Berkeley

Funded by: Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation

Current position: Research Associate Professor, U-M Life Sciences Institute/Associate Professor of Biological Chemistry, U-M Medical School/Associate Professor of Biophysics, College of Literature, Science and the Arts [website].

Martin Egan

Postdoctoral Fellow (2009-2016)

B.S. (Hons) Biological Sciences, Exeter University, Exeter UK

Ph.D. Molecular Plant Pathology, Exeter University, Exeter UK Worked on: Regulation of microtubule based transport in Aspergillus nidulans

Current position: Associate Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology, Merrimack College

Mark McClintock

Graduate Student

B.A. Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder

Ph.D. Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard University Worked on: Determining the relationship between microtubule-based transport and cytotoxic protein aggregation.

Current position: Senior Investigator Scientist, LMB, Cambridge, UK

Himanish Basu

Graduate Student

B.S. Microbiology, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, India

M.S. Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India Worked on: Microtubule based transport in Aspergillus nidulans

Current position: Graduate student in Tom Schwarz' lab, Children's Hospital Boston

Mark Chonofsky

Undergraduate Student

Worked on: Identification of novel genes required for microtubule-based transport in Aspergillus nidulans

Current position: Undergraduate student, University of Cambridge, UK

Nathan Derr

Graduate Student (2008-2013)

B.A. Physics, Amherst College

Ph.D. Biophyscis, Harvard University Worked on: Biophysical mechanisms of individual and ensemble molecular motors

Current position: Chair of Biochemistry, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Smith College [website].

Marisa Di Gregorio

Laboratory Assistant

B.S. Biology, Salem State College

Current position: Operations Specialist, Pfizer

Karen Easley

Administrative Assistant

B.S. Zoology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Current position: Research Operations Manager, Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School

Brian Goodman

Graduate Student (2009-2013)

B.S. Biochemistry, Brandeis University

Ph.D. Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard University Worked on: Mechanisms of multiple motor ensembles in vivo and in vitro

Current position: Partner, MPM BioImpact, Boston, MA

Natalie Heer

Undergraduate Student (2010-2012)

B.A. Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University Worked on: Identification of novel genes required for microtubule-based transport in Aspergillus nidulans

Current position: Graduate student, MIT

Ian Hollyer

Lab Manager (2014-2016)

B.A. Biology, Carleton College, Northfield, MN Worked on: Discovery of the dynein proteome.

Current position: Medical Student, Northwestern University School of Medicine

Julie Huang

Lab Director (2007-2013)

B.A. Biology, University of Pennsylvania

Ph.D. Cell and Developmental Biology, Harvard University Worked on: Mechanisms used by dynein-associated factors to modulate dynein motility

Current position: Director of Research Administration, Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School

Weihong Qiu

Postdoctoral Fellow (2008-2013)

B.S. Physics, Nankai University

M.S. Applied Physics, Nankai University

Ph.D. Biophysics, The Ohio State University Worked on: Molecular mechanism of dynein motility and regulation

Current position: Associate Professor of Physics, Oregon State University [website].

Anthony Roberts

Postdoctoral Fellow (2008-2013)

B.S. (Hons) Biochemistry, Imperial College, London

Ph.D. Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Leeds Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellow with Peter Knight, Stan Burgess (Leeds) and Sam Reck-Peterson (Harvard)

Current position: Associate Professor, Sir Henry Dale Fellow School of Pathology, Oxford University, Oxford, UK [website].

Kaeling Tan

Postdoctoral Fellow (2010-2014)

B.S. (Hons) Biochemistry and Genetics, University of Melbourne, Australia

Ph.D. Science, University of Melbourne, Australia Worked on: Identification of novel genes required for microtubule-based transport in Aspergillus nidulans

Current position: Senior Instructor, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macao

Michael Wu

Postdoctoral Fellow (2009-2011)

B.A. Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University Worked on: Identification of novel genes required for microtubule-based transport in Aspergillus nidulans

Current Position: Senior Manager of Global Marketing, Celgene

Sirui Zou

Graduate Student (2011-2014)

B.S. Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China Worked on: Structural and functional studies of dynein and its regulation

Current position: Senior Research Scientist, BrainCo_Tech

Amalia Driller-Colangelo

Summer student

Undergraduate student at Smith College

Nate Harper

Summer student

Undergraduate student at Lafayette College