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Jen Gallagher

Jen

Friday afternoons are the best time in the lab. I look forward to the weekend where I can conduct my experiments. I am fascinated by the inter-connectivity of metabolism. Pull a string on pathway and you see an effect on a seemly unrelated phenomenon. Use genetic variation of yeast as a model organism, we work on understanding the mechanisms of a drug/ chemical. During the week you will find me in front of my computer, running tech support for my lab or in the teaching labs were I use yeast to teach inquiry based classes. After lab, class, and writing you will find me at the local waterhole enjoying the products of yeast metabolism.

Google Scholar

Taizina Momtareen

grad student

Taizina

I received my Bachelors degree in Biotechnology from BRAC University in Bangladesh. I moved to the United States in 2017 to pursue a PhD in Genomics in the Gallagher Lab. My research interest lies in the biology of the chromatin, particularly of the telomere region.

Scott Arbet

grad student

Undergraduate degree in Biology. Pursuing a Ph.D. in Biology with an emphasis in cellular/molecular and biochemistry. I am working to further characterize the upstream activating kinases (Sak1, Tos3, Elm1) of the SNF1 (sucrose non-fermenting) complex. The Snf1 protein kinase is part of a kinase family that is highly conserved in eukaryotes and is required for maintaining energy homeostasis in mammals, plants, and fungi. Additionally, Snf1 has an extensive role in the cellular response to several forms of stress, such as salts, temperature, or nutrients.

Daniel Judge

graduate student

Daniel

I completed my undergraduate at the University of Virginia, studying biology and computer science. Now, I'm pursuing a PhD in biology trying to merge my interests in cellular biology, data analytics, and biochemistry to study cells at a systems level.

Dionysios Patriarcheas

graduate student

I completed my B.Sc. in Molecular Biology and Genetics at the Democritus University of Thrace in Greece (2018), where I carried out a research thesis in bacterial genomics. After graduating I started working in the pharmaceutical industry as a scientific writer and in 2021 I moved to West Virginia to pursue a PhD and my true passion, which is genetics and genomics of response to chemicals.

Michael DiBacco

undergrad student

Bacco

I am an undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in English. I hope to have a career as either a genetic counselor or as a genetic researcher. I also want to become an author, able to incorporate my love of science into my work. While this is my first time in a lab, I previously conducted research with Dr. Nancy Caronia to examine biases against Italian Americans in dime novels.

Santiago Martinez

undergrad student

Santiago

I am finishing my bachelor’s degree in Biology as an exchange student from Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León in Monterrey, Mexico. I am passionate about science and have a wide interest in all aspects of biology. I particularly enjoy the study of genetics and I am working at the Gallagher lab to expand this interest.

Alumni

Cameron Pucci 2019-2022 - Then undergrad. Now master's student at Fordham University

Leon Wilson 2019-2022 - Then undergrad. Now thinking of the next adventure

Eklesia Stubbs 2021 - Then undergrad. Now still undergrad

Negar Farhangdoost 2021 - Then Ph.D. student.

Suk Lan Ser 2018-21 - Then masters student. Now Ph.D. student at Penn State

Jonathan Lipovich 2020-21 - Then undergrad. Now master's program in medicine

Dr. Michael Ayers 2014-20 - Then Ph.D. student. Now postdoc at University of Rochester in Dr. Murphy lab https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/labs/murphy.aspx

Dr. Tulika Sharma 2019-21 - Then visiting scientist. Now postdoc at Dr. Hu lab https://openwetware.org/wiki/Hu:Members

Dr. Matt Winans 2015-20 - Then Ph.D. student. Now Scientist at Imperial Yeast. https://www.imperialyeast.com/

Dr. Apoorva Ravishankar 2014-20 - Then Ph.D. student. Now postdoc at NIH in Dr. Sadhu lab. https://www.genome.gov/staff/Meru-J-Sadhu-PhD

Dr. Amaury Pupo 2017-19- Then postdoc. Now scientist at AskBio Google Scholar

Jordan Barney 2016-19 - Then undergrad. Now masters student at Trinity Hospital.

Zach Sherman 2018-19 - Then undergrad. Now lab tech at University of Rochester.

Steven Carlson 2018-19 - Then undergrad. Now medical student at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine

Mahmoud Summers 2016-2020 - Then high school student. Now med student at Johns Hopkins University/ Oxford University.

Rachel Vance - Then Lab tech. Now lab tech at University of Alabama

Justin Blaize 2018 - Then undergrad. Ph.D. student at the University of Rhode Island

Jasleen Ghandi 2016-17 - Then undergrad. Now master's student in Dr. Hu at WVU.

Katie Perroz 2017 - Then NanoSafe summer undergrad. Now undergrad at Allegany College.

Noor Malik 2017 - Then SURE undergrad. Now a medical student at West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.

Audrey Biega 2016-17 - Then undergrad. Now in the real world.

Alejandra Guardado 2017 - Then undergrad foreign exchange student from Universidad de Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Now at large.

Justin Lee 2015-16 - Then undergrad. Now medical student at West Virginia University.

Matthew Pyster 2015-16 - Then undergrad. Now health profession.

Catherine Blackwood 2014-16 - Then undergrad. Now postdoc at NIOSH.

Vince Pilolli 2016 - Then NSF NanoSafe student. Now in the real world.

Dr. Xiaoqing Rong-Mullins 2013-15 - Then postdoc. Now Bioinformatic Specialist at The Ohio State University, School of Public Health.

Scotia Kirkham 2015 - Then undergrad. Now training to be an EMT.

Jordan Brewer 2015 - Then undergrad. Now in physicians assistant.

Emily Morgan 2015 - Then undergrad. Now at the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute.

Lyndsey Weatherly 2014 - Then undergrad. Now M.D.

John Philip Creamer 2014-15 - Then undergrad. Now grad student at Washington University, St. Louis.

Julia Gallo 2014 - Then undergrad. Now M.D.

Casey Nassif 2014 - Then undergrad. Now Associate Scientist at Eurofins.

Jenay Grant 2014 - Then SURE undergrad. Now working in an optimist office.

Amna Khan 2013-14 - Then NASA scholar undergad. Now medical student at Avalon University School of Medicine.

Zach Lonergan 2013 - Then NSF REU undergad. Now a postdoc at Cal Tech

Kirsten McNeal nee Robinette 2013 - Then undergrad. Now research assistant at GenDx.

Cassie Worley 2013 - Then undergrad. Public Health/ Medical professional.

Photo credit David Grose davidwvgrose@gmail.com

Profiles of Alums

Steven Carlson

After departing the Gallagher Lab, Steven accepted a post-baccalaureate research position in the Pavan Lab at the National Institutes of Health. His research will focus on the rare lysosomal storage disorder, Niemann-Pick disease, Type C. Using genomic tools and genetic manipulation, he will study the molecular modifiers which are associated with phenotypic variation in this disease. In addition to the laboratory research experience that he will gain from the NIH Post-Baccalaureate program, he will also be able to explore the clinical components of medical genetics. Despite the rarity of Niemann-Pick Type C, Steven will be able to interact with several patients with this disease through the NIH clinical center. After his research internship is concluded, he plans to utilize these experiences in pursuit of a career as a physician-scientist.