People Spotlights
All Spotlights
- Assistant Professor of Biochemistry
Isaac Fianu
Using biochemistry, structural biology (especially cryo-EM), and related methods, the research in the Fianu lab aims to uncover how gene regulation works in health and disease. Ultimately, the goal is to understand the spatiotemporal control of gene expression and the coordination of genome-related processes—knowledge that may lead to new therapeutic strategies. ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ
- Professor of Chemistry and Biology
Judith Campbell
The Campbell lab investigates how cells accurately replicate and repair their DNA to maintain genome stability. Her team focuses on the molecular mechanisms that process Okazaki fragments and resolve DNA replication stress, especially the roles of enzymes like DNA2 helicase/nuclease. Their work reveals how defects in these pathways contribute to genome instability and cancer, offering insight into potential therapeutic targets. ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤ
- Assistant Professor of Chemistry; Ronald and JoAnne Willens Scholar
Shasha Chong
Research in the Chong lab interfaces between chemistry, physics, and biology to tackle the molecular mechanisms of fundamental cellular processes. They are interested in intrinsically disordered regions, which compose nearly half of the eukaryotic proteome and perform critical functions in numerous cellular processes without forming stable protein structures. ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤ
- Assistant Professor of Biochemistry; Ronald and JoAnne Willens Scholar
Daniel Semlow
The Semlow lab is interested in understanding the origin and repair of DNA damage. They use biochemical and genetic approaches to uncover mechanisms that enable cells to tolerate and repair DNA damage. The lab is also developing analytical tools to explore the DNA adductome and identify sources of genome instability. Their work provides new insights into the processes that drive cancer, aging, and human genetic diseases. ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ
- Professor of Chemistry
Hosea M. Nelson
The Nelson Lab is a multidisciplinary research group focused on developing next generation tools for organic chemistry. This goal is pursued through two primary research areas: organic synthesis and structural chemistry.
- Ethel Wilson Bowles and Robert Bowles Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Merkin Institute Professor; Director of the Jacobs Institute for Molecular Engineering for Medicine
Rustem Ismagilov
The Ismagilov Group combines creativity, science, and technology to tackle global health challenges. Their research focuses on how microbes interact with the human body—ranging from infections to beneficial colonization. To study these complex systems, they develop advanced technologies for high-resolution measurements and computational analyses.