Lab Members
Blerta Xhemalçe, PhD
PI / Lab head
PhD: Pasteur Institute, Paris, France
Post-Doc: Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
Start date: September 1st, 2013
PI / Lab head
PhD: Pasteur Institute, Paris, France
Post-Doc: Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
Start date: September 1st, 2013
Audrey Nesbit
Research Engineer/Lab manager
BS in Biology, University of North Georgia
Start date: August 18th, 2025
Research Engineer/Lab manager
BS in Biology, University of North Georgia
Start date: August 18th, 2025
Taehwan Yang, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
PhD: Georgia Institute of Technology
Start date: September 15th, 2025
Postdoctoral Fellow
PhD: Georgia Institute of Technology
Start date: September 15th, 2025
Nathan Abell, PhD
Bioinformatician
PhD: Stanford School of Medicine
Start date: September 1st 2014
[Full time Bioinformatician/Postbac Researcher from 09/01/2014 to 08/30/2015,
Bioinformatics consultant from 09/01/2015]
Bioinformatician
PhD: Stanford School of Medicine
Start date: September 1st 2014
[Full time Bioinformatician/Postbac Researcher from 09/01/2014 to 08/30/2015,
Bioinformatics consultant from 09/01/2015]
Brandon Chiou
PhD student (Cell and Molecular Biology, CMB, graduate program)
BS in Biological Sciences and Technology, National Chiao Tung University (NCTU), Taiwan
Start date: October 6th, 2021
PhD student (Cell and Molecular Biology, CMB, graduate program)
BS in Biological Sciences and Technology, National Chiao Tung University (NCTU), Taiwan
Start date: October 6th, 2021
Yi-Ru Li
PhD student (Genetics and Molecular Biology, GMB, graduate program)
MS in Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan
Start date: June 1st, 2023
PhD student (Genetics and Molecular Biology, GMB, graduate program)
MS in Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan
Start date: June 1st, 2023
Breanna Johnson
PhD student (Biochemistry, Cell and Developmental Biology, BCDB, graduate program)
BS in Biochemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Start date: May 1st, 2025
PhD student (Biochemistry, Cell and Developmental Biology, BCDB, graduate program)
BS in Biochemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Start date: May 1st, 2025
Joseph Hough
Undergraduate Researcher
BS in Chemistry, Class of 2028, Emory University
Start date: January 6th, 2025
Undergraduate Researcher
BS in Chemistry, Class of 2028, Emory University
Start date: January 6th, 2025
Ahmed El Allaoui
Undergraduate Research Assistant
BS in Data Science, Double Major: Biology, Class of 2028, Emory University
Start date: October 6th, 2025
Undergraduate Research Assistant
BS in Data Science, Double Major: Biology, Class of 2028, Emory University
Start date: October 6th, 2025
Former Lab Members
Joshuah Nguyen
Research Engineer
BSA in Biology, University of Texas at Austin
From January 23rd, 2023 to July 21st, 2025
Research Engineer
BSA in Biology, University of Texas at Austin
From January 23rd, 2023 to July 21st, 2025
Sravan Kumar Devanathan, PhD
PhD student
PhD: University of Texas at Austin
Lab manager from August 17th, 2016 to August 31st, 2018; PhD student: February 4th, 2019 to May 31st, 2024; Postdoctoral Fellow: June 1st to August 5th, 2024
PhD student
PhD: University of Texas at Austin
Lab manager from August 17th, 2016 to August 31st, 2018; PhD student: February 4th, 2019 to May 31st, 2024; Postdoctoral Fellow: June 1st to August 5th, 2024
Turja Kanti Debnath, PhD
Research Associate
PhD: University of Tokyo, Japan
November 19th, 2018 to July 31st, 2024
Research Associate
PhD: University of Tokyo, Japan
November 19th, 2018 to July 31st, 2024
Dharit Doshi
PhD student [co-mentored with Dr. Alan Lambowitz]
MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, MA
June 1st, 2023 to July 31st, 2024
PhD student [co-mentored with Dr. Alan Lambowitz]
MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, MA
June 1st, 2023 to July 31st, 2024
Crystal Nguyen
Undergraduate Researcher
BS in Biology, Honors, University of Texas at Austin, Class of 2026
August 21st, 2023 to July 31st, 2024
Undergraduate Researcher
BS in Biology, Honors, University of Texas at Austin, Class of 2026
August 21st, 2023 to July 31st, 2024
Isha Sheth
Summer Intern
BS in Chemical Biology at UC Berkley, Class of 2027
June 1st, 2024 to July 31st, 2024
Summer Intern
BS in Chemical Biology at UC Berkley, Class of 2027
June 1st, 2024 to July 31st, 2024
Nicole Grater
Undergraduate Researcher
BS in Biochemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Class of 2025
January 17th, 2023 to May 31st, 2024
Undergraduate Researcher
BS in Biochemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Class of 2025
January 17th, 2023 to May 31st, 2024
Shilpa Rumalla
Undergraduate Researcher
BSA in Biology; BSA in Human Development and Family Sciences, Class of 2023
October 1st, 2019 to May 6th, 2023
Undergraduate Researcher
BSA in Biology; BSA in Human Development and Family Sciences, Class of 2023
October 1st, 2019 to May 6th, 2023
Enrique Navedo
Research Engineer
BS in Biochemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Class of 2021
September 1st, 2020 to August 8th, 2022
Research Engineer
BS in Biochemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Class of 2021
September 1st, 2020 to August 8th, 2022
Le Hoang
Undergraduate Research Assistant
BS in Biochemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Class of 2022
February 8th to December 8th, 2021
Undergraduate Research Assistant
BS in Biochemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Class of 2022
February 8th to December 8th, 2021
Alexia Harvey
Research Assistant
BSA of Public Health, University of Texas at Austin, Class of 2021
February 5th, 2018 to June 11th, 2021
Research Assistant
BSA of Public Health, University of Texas at Austin, Class of 2021
February 5th, 2018 to June 11th, 2021
Calder Reinsborough
PhD student
Master of Biomedical Sciences, Mount Sinai, New York
February 17th, 2015 to January 15th, 2021
PhD student
Master of Biomedical Sciences, Mount Sinai, New York
February 17th, 2015 to January 15th, 2021
Ellen Gouws
Lab manager/ Research Engineer
BS in Agricultural and Medical Biotechnology, University of Kentucky
August 20th, 2018 to August 19th, 2020
Hélène lpas, PhD
Postdoc
PhD: University of Grenoble, Grenoble, France
September 15th, 2014 to September 14th, 2019
Margot Gautier
Master student [Magistere of Genetics, Paris, France]
April 1st to August 31st, 2019
Sarah Adilla Shaker
Undergraduate researcher
BSA of Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Class of 2019
October 10th, 2018 to July 20th, 2019
Samantha Shelton, PhD
PhD student
BA: Molecular Biology, Scripps College, California
December 2nd, 2013 to January 16th, 2019
Paige Williams
LiveStrong Cancer Institutes Summer Fellowship Researcher
BS of Cell and Molecular Biology, Texas Tech, class of 2019
May 29th to August 3rd, 2018
Adam Sacks
Postbac Researcher
BSA of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin
January 3rd to July 18th, 2018
Christopher K Meilchen
Undergraduate Researcher [Biology/German Major, University of Texas at Austin]
October 1st to December 19th, 2017
Mélina Blanco
Master student [Magistere of Genetics, Paris, France]
April 1st to August 31st, 2017
Marvin Mercado
Research Engineer [Master of Engineering, Major in Chemical Engineering, Iowa State University]
September 16th, 2013 to May 31st, 2016
Nakul Shah
Undergraduate researcher, class of 2015
January 17th, 2014 to July 10th, 2015
Solène Hervé
Master student [Magistere of Genetics, Paris, France]
April 1st to August 31st, 2014
Rotation Students
Work Studies
Lab manager/ Research Engineer
BS in Agricultural and Medical Biotechnology, University of Kentucky
August 20th, 2018 to August 19th, 2020
Hélène lpas, PhD
Postdoc
PhD: University of Grenoble, Grenoble, France
September 15th, 2014 to September 14th, 2019
Margot Gautier
Master student [Magistere of Genetics, Paris, France]
April 1st to August 31st, 2019
Sarah Adilla Shaker
Undergraduate researcher
BSA of Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Class of 2019
October 10th, 2018 to July 20th, 2019
Samantha Shelton, PhD
PhD student
BA: Molecular Biology, Scripps College, California
December 2nd, 2013 to January 16th, 2019
Paige Williams
LiveStrong Cancer Institutes Summer Fellowship Researcher
BS of Cell and Molecular Biology, Texas Tech, class of 2019
May 29th to August 3rd, 2018
Adam Sacks
Postbac Researcher
BSA of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin
January 3rd to July 18th, 2018
Christopher K Meilchen
Undergraduate Researcher [Biology/German Major, University of Texas at Austin]
October 1st to December 19th, 2017
Mélina Blanco
Master student [Magistere of Genetics, Paris, France]
April 1st to August 31st, 2017
Marvin Mercado
Research Engineer [Master of Engineering, Major in Chemical Engineering, Iowa State University]
September 16th, 2013 to May 31st, 2016
Nakul Shah
Undergraduate researcher, class of 2015
January 17th, 2014 to July 10th, 2015
Solène Hervé
Master student [Magistere of Genetics, Paris, France]
April 1st to August 31st, 2014
Rotation Students
- Gary Kao (Winter 2014)
- Samantha B Shelton (Winter 2014)
- Kimberly Bowen (Spring 2014)
- Nathaniel Burkholder (Spring 2015)
- Calder Reinsborough (Spring 2015)
- Jason Ikkpat (Summer 2015)
- Ranjeet Kar (Spring 2016)
- Connor Park (Spring 2017)
- Sravan Devanathan (Spring 2019)
- Rosamaria Yvette Moreno (Fall 2019)
- Sidae Lee (Winter 2020)
- Ellen Gouws (Winter 2021)
- Cem Ozdemir (Spring 2022)
- Ruth Allard (Fall 2022)
- Yi-Ru Li (Winter 2022)
- Dharit Doshi (Spring 2023)
- Taylor Hays (Summer 2023)
- Laura Purkey (Winter 2024)
- Mackenzie Roberson (Winter 2025)
- Isabella Wilson (Winter 2025)
- Breanna Johnson (Spring 2025)
- Dhruv Parikh (Fall 2025)
Work Studies
- Khoi Bui (Summer 2015)
- Jesús Vasquez (September 2015 to August 2017)
- Ariana Silva (August 2021 to December 2022)