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Team

Who We Are

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Lu Chen

Position/Role: PI

B.S. 2006, Wuhan University​

PhD. 2013, University of Kansas Medical Center/Stowers Institute 

 

2018, Stanford Cancer Institute (SCI) fellowship in cancer research

2023, NIGMS-MIRA (Maximizing Investigators' Research Award) 

 

Favorite Quotes:

Evolution is the clinical trial of the nature.

Don't waste your clean thoughts on dirty enzymes.

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Members: Team Members
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Musinu Zakari

Position/Role: Postdoctoral Fellow

B.S. 2008, University of Ghana, Ghana

MSc. 2010, Maastricht University, Netherlands

MSc. and PhD 2015, Paris VI University, France

 

2023- Patterson Postdoctoral Fellowship in Structural Biology and Biochemistry

Julia

Julia Hoopman

Position/Role: PhD student (Temple-BMSC 2022)

B.S. 2022, Liberty university, Lynchburg, VA

 

2022- Presidential Fellowship, Temple University

2023- T32 Predoctoral Training Award (NIGMS)

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Alexander Morris

Position/Role: PhD student (Temple-BMSC 2022)

-2022, Lab Tech II, Harvard University / MGH

2020, BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,

The College of Wooster, OH

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Grigory "Grisha" Matveev

Position/Role: Graduate Student (MIPT)

2024, MSc, MIPT, integrated Structural Biology and Genetics Program

2022, BS, MIPT, Applied Mathematics & Physics

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Aldana Vistarop

Position/Role: Postdoctoral Associate, 2023-10 - 

Ph.D. 2019 in Parmacy and Biochemistry,

University of Buenos Aires, Argentina

2024- Kirby Postdoctoral Fellowship

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Emily Pochet

Position/Role: Graduate Student, 2024-01 

Drexel University College of Medicine

Molecular & Cellular Biology & Genetics Program

Dept of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

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Genxuan "Cameron" Lian

Undergraduate Research Scholar

2022-, Sophomore in Biological Chemistry,

Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA

2023, IN VINO VITA Summer Scholar

 

Clinical Shadow: wtih Dr. Efrat Dotan

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Maria Ruiz

Position/Role: Master Graduate Student, 2024-08 ~

Drexel University College of Medicine

Molecular & Cellular Biology & Genetics Program

Dept of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

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Mengmeng Li

Position/Role: Senior Data Analyst / Friend of the lab

MBBS 2008, Nanjing Medical University

MSPH 2017, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

2020-, Senior Data Analyst and PhD Candidate, 

                     Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

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Research focuses:

understand and assess maternal, fetal, perinatal, child, and adolescent health through a life course perspective.

Fitness

Lab Alumni

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Soon-keat Ooi

Position/Role: Postdoctoral Fellow

B.S. 2009, National University of Malaysia (UKM)

PhD 2021, Stowers Institute for Medical Research

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Dr. Soon-keat Ooi joined the lab in Sept 2021 with his newly minted PhD thesis with Joan and Ronald Conaway at Stowers Institute. Soon-keat dedicated his efforts in the setting up of the young lab, and contributed intellectually during lab/floor meetings and various seminars. Outside of the lab, Soon-keat enjoys playing competitive badminton, watching soap operas, and dining with friends.

 

Next Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania.

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Victoria (Tori) Gillespie

Position/Role: Sci Tech I/Lab Manager

B.S. 2021, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Tori contributed to the set up of the lab from ground zero. Tori successfully deleted chromosomal regions from isogenic clone cells using CRISPR/Cas9. Tori also emerged as an expert in lentiviral packaging and transduction. She published a co-authored Nature paper in 2024

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Next Position: Graduate student at Temple LKSOM from Fall 2024

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Ashley Park

High School Researcher, 09/2022-2023

2022, Junior, Wissahickon High School

2023, IN VINO VITA Summer Scholar

2024-, Undergraduate, University of Pennsylvania

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Marie "Masha" Kobin 

2022-, Sophomore in Biochemistry, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Clinical Shadow: with Dr. Jeffrey Farma

2022, Jeanne E. and Robert F. Ozols Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship

2023, IN VINO VITA Summer Scholar

Masha published a co-authored NAR paper with the lab in 2021.

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Abby Fowler

Position/Role: Undergrad Fellow, 06/12/2023

University of Delaware

FCCC-UD Summer Research Fellow 2023

Next Position: REU, Texas State University

with Dr. Mylene Queiroz de Farias 

UD

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Amal Oubarri

High School Researcher, 09/2023-2024

2023-2024, Rising Senior, Central High School

2024, 1st prize in the 45th George Washington Carver Science Fair

2024 Fall, Undergraduate, Upenn School of Engineering

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Emily Gerstein

High School Researcher, summer 2023 and 2024

Central Buck School-West

2024 fall, Undergraduate, Cornell University

Ivy Tran

Position/Role: Rotation student, 2024

MD/PhD candidate

Temple LKSOM

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Zihan Chu

Rachana Thang

Position/Role: Undergrad internship

FCB2P_2023, 2024/01~ 2024/04

Zhejiang University - Edenborough University Institute​

Next Position: Graduate student, UIUC, IL

Position/Role: Undergrad Volunteer, 04/19/2023-2024

Biology, Temple University

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Elizabeth "Lizzie" Urbanowicz

Kevin Ethridge

Position/Role: Undergrad Volunteer, 02/10/2023-2023

Biology, Temple University

Clinical Shaddow: with Dr. Efrat Dotan, 04/17/2023

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Undergrad Volunteer, 07/05/2022-08/05/2022

Wistar Institute - Biomedical Technician Training Program (BTT)

Next Position: finishing undergraduate degree.

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