RNA Fellows

PhD Training Program in RNA Science

RNA Fellows 6th cohort Zoom screenshot 2020 — 6th cohort of RNA Fellows

RNA Fellows

RNA fellows are selected from the four participating departments based on outstanding performance. These RNA fellows form a cohesive cohort that take an RNA centric curriculum of courses and colloquia.

Read about Student Success Stories.

See the profiles of all our RNA Fellows below.

RNA Fellow Profiles

2024-2025

	Tia Swenty Nanoscale Science and Engineering Mentor: Scott Tenenbaum
	Reagan Conrad Biological Sciences Mentor: ChangHwan Lee
	Hannah Theriault Biomedical Sciences Mentor: Alexander Ciota
	Sean Jones Biomedical Sciences Mentor: Pallavi Ghosh
	Ebenezer Omojowolo Chemistry Mentor: Alexander Shekhtman
	Joshua Thomas Chemistry Mentor: Li Niu
	Porama Zafreen Hoque Biological Sciences Mentor: Andy Berglund

2023-2024

	Asmer Aliyeva Biological Sciences Mentor: Andy Berglund
	Riley Alpuche Chemistry Mentor: Igor Lednev
	Rico Amato Biological Sciences Mentor: Paolo Forni
	Sawyer Hicks Biological Sciences Mentor: Andy Berglund
	Shu Jun Lin Biological Sciences Mentor: Gabriele Fuchs
	Haley MacNeil Biological Sciences Mentor: Gabriele Fuchs
	Chetna Mathur Biological Sciences Mentor: Thomas Begley
	Caleb Mallery Biomedical Sciences Mentor: Jon Paczkowshi
	Ian McClain Chemistry Mentor: Maksim Royzen
	Andrew Munoz Gamba Biological Sciences Mentor: Cara Pager
	Humphrey Omeoga Biological Sciences Mentor: Thomas Begley
	Fernando Pesantez Nanobiosciences at SUNY Polytechnic Institute Mentor: Susan Sharfstein
	Esperanza Rosas Biological Sciences Mentor: Gabriele Fuchs
	Joey Tavarez Biological Sciences Mentor: Melinda Larsen

2022-2023

	Emmanuel Adade Biological Sciences Mentor: Alex Valm
	Michael Dolan Nanobioscience Constellation Mentor: Mike Fasullo
	Dylan Ehrbar Biological Sciences Mentor: Thomas Begley
	Sawyer Hicks Biological Sciences Mentor: Andy Berglund
	Shu Jun Lin Biological Sciences Mentor: Gabriele Fuchs
	Rachel Lange Biomedical Sciences Mentor: Alexander Ciota
	Ian McClain Chemistry Mentor: Maksim Royzen
	Charity McManaman Biomedical Sciences Mentor: Pallavi Ghosh
	Zohreh (Rose) Nowzari Chemistry Mentor: Alan Chen
	Jacob Schroader Biological Sciences Mentor: Kaalak Reddy
	Joey Tavarez Biological Sciences Mentor: Melinda Larsen
	Ryan Treen Biomedical Sciences Mentor: Anil Ojha
	Michelle Urman Biological Sciences Mentor: ChangHwan Lee

2021-2022

	Rachel Lange Biomedical Sciences Mentor: Alexander Ciota
	Jacob Schroader Biological Sciences Mentor: Kaalak Reddy
	Michelle Urman Biological Sciences Mentor: Changhwan Lee
	William Mudd Nanobioscience Mentor: Benoit Boivin
	Rachel Fey Biomedical Sciences Mentor: Alexander Ciota
	Ryan Treen Biomedical Sciences Mentor: Anil Ojha
	Chris Smith Chemistry Mentor: Mehmet Yegit
	Emmanuel Adade Biological Sciences Mentor: Alex Valm
	Kavya Chegireddy Biomedical Sciences Mentor: Joseph Wade
	Raghu Katreddi Biological Sciences Mentor: Paolo Forni
	Sawyer Hicks Biology Mentor: Andy Berglund
	Gregory John Chemistry Mentor: Alan Chen

2020-2021

	Amir Agharezaee Chemistry Mentor: Maxim Royzen Project: Bio-orthogonal chemistry-based method for fluorescent labelling of ribosomal RNA
	Luis Perez Almodovar Chemistry Mentor: Igor Lednev Project: Epitranscriptomic Discovery Using Atomic Force Microscopy - Tip Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (AFM-TERS)
	Pheonah Badu Biological Sciences Mentor: Cara Pager Project: Transcriptional regulation of antiviral response during Zika virus infection
	Sara Evke Nanobiosciences Mentors: Juan Andres Melendez / Thomas Begley Project: The epitranscriptomic writer ALKBH8 modulates the response to pharmaceuticals
	Rachel Fay Biomedical Sciences Mentor: Alexander Ciota Project: Characterizing the role of temperature on flavivirus evolution and vector virus interactions
	William Gasperi Biological Sciences Mentor: Thomas Begley Project: Epitranscriptomic effects of mitochondrial toxicants
	Tristen Head Nanobiosciences Mentor: Nathaniel Cady Project: Microfluidic Platform for Integrated Reagent Delivery and In Vivo Imaging
	Mahera Kachwala Chemistry Mentor: Mehmet Yigit Project: DNA/RNA Detection using CRISPR-Cas Systems and Hybridization Chain Reaction for Disease Diagnostics
	Raghu Katreddi Biological Sciences Mentor: Paolo Forni Project: P63 transcription factor identifies multipotent resident basal stem cells in the Vomeronasal organ
	Noor Kobt Biomedical Sciences Mentor: Prashanth Rangan Project: Zfrp8, the homolog of a human tumor suppressor is required for germ cell to oocyte transition
	Avinash Londhe Nanobiosciences Mentor: Ben Boivin Project: Characterization of regulators of PTP1B oxidation in cells
	Christopher Smith Chemistry Mentor: Mehmet Yigit Project: Modified CRISPR technology for and beyond DNA and RNA detection
	Ed Zandro Taroc Biological Sciences Mentor: Paolo Forni Project: Islet-1 lineage of the developing nasal area
	Ryan Treen Biomedical Sciences Mentor: Anil Ojha Project: Ribosome hibernation in Mycobacterium abscessus
	Dana Woodstock Biological Sciences Mentor: Morgan Sammons Project: The Other Master Regulator: Specification of Epithelial Cell Identity by p63

2019-2020

	Pheonah Badu Biological Sciences Mentor: Cara Pager Project: RNA-Binding Proteins Regulating Zika Virus Gene Expression
	Zhixue Bai Chemistry Mentor: Alan Chen Project: Recognition Mechanism in FMN Aptamer via Computer Simulation
	Rachel Fay Biomedical Sciences Mentor: Alexander Ciota Project: The Impact of Tempature on Viral Evolution
	Jesus Frias Biological Sciences Mentor: Andrew Berglund Project: Investigating Small Molecules as a Therapeutic for Myotonic Dystrophy
	Tristen Head Nanobiosciences Mentor: Nathaniel Cady Project: Microfluidic Platform for Integrated Reagent Delivery and In Vivo Imaging
	May Yue Lee Nanobiosciences Mentor: J. Andres Melendez Project: Epitranscriptome Control of Cellular Senescence and Mitochondrial Reprogramming
	Nicole Ralbovsky Chemistry Mentor: Igor Lednev Project: Single-Molecule Detection Using Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for Biomedical Diagnostics
	Ali Ropri Biomedical Sciences Mentor: Jason Herschkowitz Project: Global Analysis of Super Enhancers in MCF10A Breast Cancer Progression Series
	Anwesha Sarkar Biological Sciences Mentor: Tom Begley Project: Deciphering Arsenic Induced Epitranscriptomic Changes in HepG2 Cells
	Kahini Sarkar Biological Sciences Mentor: Prashanth Rangan Project: Activation and Repression of Meiotic Program During Drosophila Oogenesis
	Priyanka Sehta Biological Sciences Mentor: Gabriele Fuchs Project: IRES-Mediated Translation in Mammalian Cells
	Ya Ying Zheng Chemistry Mentor: Jia Sheng Project: RNA Modification

2018-2019

	Waqas Awan Chemistry Mentor: Alan Chen Project: Exploring the Sugar Conformations of 2'-5' Linked RNA via Computer Simulation
	Deniece Brown Biological Sciences Mentor: Cara T. Pager Project: The Role of RNA Decay Pathways in Zika Virus Infection
	Haley Caldwell Biomedical Sciences Mentor: Alexander Ciota Project: Characterizing the Role and Mechanism of the Flavivirus Replication Complex in Virus-host Interactions
	Serene Durham Biological Sciences Mentor: Morgan Sammons Project: Evolution of DNA Damage-dependent RNA Regulatory Networks
	Samantha Ingenito Chemistry Mentor: TBA Project: TBD

2017-2018

	Amber Altrieth Biological Sciences Mentor: Mindy Larsen Project:Endothelial cell signaling in salivary gland regeneration
	Shane Breznak Biological Sciences Mentor: Prash Rangan Project: RNA Regulation Durning Germline Stem Cell Differentiation
	Jamie Corro Biomedical Sciences Mentor: Anil Ojha Project: Functional analysis of alternative ribosomes in mycobacteria
	Alyssa Hoy Chemistry Mentor: Maksim Royzen Project: Synthesis of RNA phosphoramidites incorporating trans-cyclooctene

2016-2017

	Marissa Louis Biological Sciences Mentor: Cara Pager Project: Characterizing Zika virus subversion of cellular RNA granules
	Botros Toro Biological Sciences Mentor: Pan Li Project: Examinaton of the physical basis of nucleic acid interactons
	Justin Waldern Biomedical Sciences Mentor: Marlene Belfort Project: Mobility of group II introns in their native hosts
	Ryan McDowell Biological Sciences Mentor: Kathleen McDonough Project: Non-canonical roles for M. tuberculosis phospodiesterase, Rv0805
	Casey Warszycki Biological Sciences Mentor: Kathleen McDonough Project: 5'-UTR regulation of dormancy-associated genes in M. tuberculosis

2015-2016

	Rachel Cary Biological Sciences Project: Identification and role of post-transitional modification on a cellular DEAD-box RNA helicase.
	Alicia McCarthy Biological Sciences Project: Project: An investigation into the effects of non-coding RNA on the Drosophila melanogaster oocyte epigenome.
	Patrick Blatt Biomedical Sciences Project: Identifying RNA-RNA interactions of, and trans-acting factors that bind to the pgc 3' UTR of Drosophila melanogaster.
	Rebecca D'Esposito Chemistry Project: Using computational methods to support ion mobility spectrometry for large RNA assemblies.
	Marissa Louis Biomedical Sciences Project: Mechanisms by which components of the cellular mRNA decapping complex modulate Dengue virus gene expression.
	Neil Robertson Chemistry Project: Using graphene and iron oxide based miRNA detection, nanotools for breast and prostate cancer diagnosis. Graduated: Neil is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Precision Medicine Program at Michigan State University (School of Medicine).
	Lauren Cooper Biomedical Sciences Project: Using CRISPR to identify the functions of RNAs resulting from pervasive transcription in Escherichia coli. Graduated: Lauren is enrolled in the CPEP Fellowship Program, based at Indiana University.
	Rachel Nelson Biomedical Sciences Project: Structural basis for initiation of DNA synthesis from RNA primers.