P.I.
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Justin Blumenstiel
Justin is interested in how selfish DNA shapes the evolution of genetic systems. He is also working on method development in the lab, with a recent focus on getting CRISPR going in different species of Drosophila.
Justin is interested in how selfish DNA shapes the evolution of genetic systems. He is also working on method development in the lab, with a recent focus on getting CRISPR going in different species of Drosophila.
Graduate Students
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Ekta Mohanty
Ekta is a Ph.D. student studying genomic shock and the global landscape of transposition during hybrid dysgenesis.
Ekta is a Ph.D. student studying genomic shock and the global landscape of transposition during hybrid dysgenesis.
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Diane Nguyen
Diane is a Ph.D. student studying the developmental biology of hybrid dysgenesis.
Diane is a Ph.D. student studying the developmental biology of hybrid dysgenesis.
Undergraduates
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Brian Garretson
Brian is an undergraduate pursuing an Honors Thesis on dysgenesis.
Brian is an undergraduate pursuing an Honors Thesis on dysgenesis.
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Morgan Sinsel
Morgan is an undergraduate working with Ekta on genomic shock.
Morgan is an undergraduate working with Ekta on genomic shock.
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Lloyd Mclaughlin
Lloyd is an undergraduate working on dysgenesis.
Lloyd is an undergraduate working on dysgenesis.
Previous Members
Postdocs
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Stefan Cerbin
Stefan completed his Ph.D. with Ning Jiang at Michigan State University and worked on transposition in Drosophila . He is now a bioinformatician in the Gene Therapy Program at U Penn.
Graduate Students
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Sean Nash
Sean was a Master's student studying hybrid dysgenesis and the expression of Piwi proteins.
Sean was a Master's student studying hybrid dysgenesis and the expression of Piwi proteins.
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Alex Erwin
Alex was a Ph.D. student. She graduated in 2018. Her research focused on aging, germline stability and off-target effects of piRNA silencing. She is now a manager of scientific programs at Susan G. Komen.
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Lucas Hemmer
Lucas was a Ph.D. student. His research focused on the evolution of the synaptonemal complex and the landscape of meiotic recombination in Drosophila. He is now a computational biologist at Invaio Sciences.
Lucas was a Ph.D. student. His research focused on the evolution of the synaptonemal complex and the landscape of meiotic recombination in Drosophila. He is now a computational biologist at Invaio Sciences.
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Mauricio Galdos
Mauricio was a M.S. student. His research focused on hybrid dysgenesis in D. virilis and the effects of radiation on transposable element activity. He is now a software developer.
Mauricio was a M.S. student. His research focused on hybrid dysgenesis in D. virilis and the effects of radiation on transposable element activity. He is now a software developer.
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Xi Chen
Xi was a M.S. student. His research focused on molecular evolution and expression of the piRNA machinery in response to a changing TE load. He is now a software developer.
Xi was a M.S. student. His research focused on molecular evolution and expression of the piRNA machinery in response to a changing TE load. He is now a software developer.
Laboratory Technicians
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Kelley Van Vaerenberghe
Kelley was the lab manager for two years. He worked on small RNA sequencing method development, CRISPR genome modification and transgenics. He is now a graduate student with Brandon Cooper at the University of Montana where he studies Wolbachia.
Kelley was the lab manager for two years. He worked on small RNA sequencing method development, CRISPR genome modification and transgenics. He is now a graduate student with Brandon Cooper at the University of Montana where he studies Wolbachia.
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Michelle Wickersheim
Michelle was the lab manager for several years. She worked on small RNA sequencing method development and hybrid dysgenesis in D. virilis.
Michelle was the lab manager for several years. She worked on small RNA sequencing method development and hybrid dysgenesis in D. virilis.
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Chris Harrison
Chris was a lab technician for a year and he worked on RNA-seq analysis and genetics of hybrid dysgenesis in D. virilis. He is a founder and COO of Liber & Co. in Austin, Texas.
Chris was a lab technician for a year and he worked on RNA-seq analysis and genetics of hybrid dysgenesis in D. virilis. He is a founder and COO of Liber & Co. in Austin, Texas.
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Christine Yoder
Michelle was the lab manager for several years. She worked on the development of high-throughput sequencing methods. She now is a Senior QA Specialist at Plastikon.
Michelle was the lab manager for several years. She worked on the development of high-throughput sequencing methods. She now is a Senior QA Specialist at Plastikon.
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Dean Castillo
Dean Castillo was a technician in the lab for a year. During that time he worked on molecular evolution of the piRNA machinery. After graduate school in Indiana and postdoctoral research at Cornell, he is now an Assistant Professor at the University of Utah.
Dean Castillo was a technician in the lab for a year. During that time he worked on molecular evolution of the piRNA machinery. After graduate school in Indiana and postdoctoral research at Cornell, he is now an Assistant Professor at the University of Utah.
Undergraduates
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Mia Willingham
Mia was an undergraduate and former lab technician who completed an Honors Thesis on hybrid dysgenesis. As a tech, she worked on a variety of CRISPR projects. She is now attending KU Medical School.
Mia was an undergraduate and former lab technician who completed an Honors Thesis on hybrid dysgenesis. As a tech, she worked on a variety of CRISPR projects. She is now attending KU Medical School.
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Tashanna Johnson
Tashanna worked on construct design for gene overexpression.
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David Robertson
David worked on hybrid dysgenesis.
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Samson Mah
Samson worked on CRISPR gene knockouts.
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Mia Reddy
Mia worked on CRISPR gene knockouts.
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Ana Dorador
Ana was an Honors student working on an undergraduate thesis studying paramutation in Drosophila virilis. She is now a graduate student with Danesh Moazed at Harvard Medical School. Here she is with her two favorite strains - Strain 9 and Strain 160.
Ana was an Honors student working on an undergraduate thesis studying paramutation in Drosophila virilis. She is now a graduate student with Danesh Moazed at Harvard Medical School. Here she is with her two favorite strains - Strain 9 and Strain 160.
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Chris Stillman
Chris worked on the bioinformatics of transposable elements.
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Jordan Lyerla
Jordan worked on hybrid dysgenesis and genetics. She is now a mentor in the Americorps Program.
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Nick Lacy
Nick studied the expression of the piRNA machinery and hybrid dysgenesis. He is now a screening chemist at Clinical Reference Laboratory.
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Eva Morrison
Eva was a student in the integrated Computational Biology program. She is working on developing bioinformatics tools for understanding transposition. She is now a data analyst for John Deere.
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Angela Li
Angela was an Honors Thesis student. She studied how transposon insertions silence genes that flank them. She is now an M.D. student at the University of Kansas.
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Henry Kircher
Henry was a student in the lab working on the evolution of the DNA damage response across Drosophila. He is now an M.D. student at the University of Kansas.
Henry was a student in the lab working on the evolution of the DNA damage response across Drosophila. He is now an M.D. student at the University of Kansas.
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Ashley Howard
Ashley was a student in the lab working on hybrid dysgenesis and transposition. She is now a Ph.D. student and Self Fellow in the University of Kansas Medical School
Ashley was a student in the lab working on hybrid dysgenesis and transposition. She is now a Ph.D. student and Self Fellow in the University of Kansas Medical School
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Jonathon Russel
Jonathon was a student working of studying TE expression in the placenta. He is now a bioinformatician at the Stowers Institute.
Jonathon was a student working of studying TE expression in the placenta. He is now a bioinformatician at the Stowers Institute.
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Marilyn Barragan
Marilyn was an Honors research student and part of the excellent IMSD program. Her thesis was on the epigenetic effects of gene silencing by off-target piRNA. She is now an MD/Ph.D. student.
Marilyn was an Honors research student and part of the excellent IMSD program. Her thesis was on the epigenetic effects of gene silencing by off-target piRNA. She is now an MD/Ph.D. student.
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Michael Long
Michael was a student researcher. He developed mutant alleles of white using CRISPR in D. virilis. He is now a graduate student Northwestern.
Michael was a student researcher. He developed mutant alleles of white using CRISPR in D. virilis. He is now a graduate student Northwestern.
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Emily Grantham
Emily was an Honors research student. Her thesis focused on how TE insertions cause silencing of neighboring genes by piRNA. She is now a graduate student at the University of Texas.
Emily was an Honors research student. Her thesis focused on how TE insertions cause silencing of neighboring genes by piRNA. She is now a graduate student at the University of Texas.
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Griffin Bins
Griffin was a student working on recombination during hybrid dysgenesis.
Griffin was a student working on recombination during hybrid dysgenesis.
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Sam Groth
Sam Groth was a computer programmer in the lab. He worked on simulations of TE dynamics.
Sam Groth was a computer programmer in the lab. He worked on simulations of TE dynamics.
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Natalie Vignette
Natalie was a summer REU student who worked on piRNA biogenesis toward the P element.
Natalie was a summer REU student who worked on piRNA biogenesis toward the P element.
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Celeste Cummings
Celeste was a summer REU student who worked on the effect of TE insertions on gene expression
Celeste was a summer REU student who worked on the effect of TE insertions on gene expression
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Jennifer Kaberline
Jennifer worked on the effect of aging on hybrid dysgenesis.
Jennifer worked on the effect of aging on hybrid dysgenesis.
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Larry Adumatioge
Larry was a summer REU student who worked on the effect of TE insertions on gene expression
Larry was a summer REU student who worked on the effect of TE insertions on gene expression
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Fiona Wood
Fiona was an Honors research student. Her thesis focused on the role that DNA damage has on activating TEs in the ovary. After a stint as a technician at Spelman College, she is now a graduate student at the University of Georgia.
Fiona was an Honors research student. Her thesis focused on the role that DNA damage has on activating TEs in the ovary. After a stint as a technician at Spelman College, she is now a graduate student at the University of Georgia.
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Aquib Jamil
Aquib was a student researcher. His work focused on the evolution of the somatic DNA damage response across the Drosophila genus. He is now pursuing an M.D. at KU Medical School
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Jaimie Johnson
Jaimie was a student researcher. His research focused on mechanisms of sterility mediated by transposable elements. He is now a laboratory technician at UMKC.
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Kendra Marr
Kendra was an Honors research student. Her thesis was focused on a genetic and chemical investigation of egg shell defects in D. virilis. She is now pursuing an M.D./Ph.D. at the University of Arizona.
Kendra was an Honors research student. Her thesis was focused on a genetic and chemical investigation of egg shell defects in D. virilis. She is now pursuing an M.D./Ph.D. at the University of Arizona.
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Alex Abdullayev
Alex was a student researcher. He worked on chemical approaches to the study of hybrid dysgenesis. He is pursuing an M.D. at KU Medical School.
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Dan Brown
Dan was a student researcher. He worked on developing genetic tools for Drosophila virilis.
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Kim Box
Kim Box was a student researcher. She worked on the molecular evolution of the piRNA machinery and hybrid dysgenesis. She received a Ph.D. at Princeton and is now a Principal at the Boston Consulting Group.
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Andrew McShan
Andrew was a student researcher in 2008. He was the first one in the lab studying all sorts of stuff! And you have gotten to the bottom of the web page! He got his Ph.D. at KU and is now a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Time flies!