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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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Julia Hoopman

Position/Role: PhD candidate (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 candidate (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, MS

Position/Role: Graduate Student (MIPT)

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

2022, BS, MIPT, Applied Mathematics & Physics

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Emily Pochet, MS

Position/Role: Master Student, 2024-01-2025

Predoctoral student, from 2025-07 

Drexel University College of Medicine

Molecular & Cellular Biology & Genetics Program

Dept of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

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Baihao Su, PhD

Position/Role: Research Associate, from 2025-01

 

PhD in Biology, Temple University College of Science and Technology (CST)

Master of Biotechnology, NYU Tandon School of Engineering

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Vidhyadhar Nandana, PhD

Position/Role: Postdoctoral Fellow, from 2025-01

 

PhD, Structural biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin

MSc, Biotechnology, Acharya Nagarjuna University, India

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Elizabeth Brown

Position/Role: Pre-med Scholar, from 2025

Senior, Villanova University, PA

Biology Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Dept of Biology of the VU.

Vocare Summer Fellowship, VU

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U

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Maria Ruiz, MS

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, MD, PhD, MSPH

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

MBBS 2008, Nanjing Medical University

MSPH 2017, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

2025, Senior Data Analyst and PhD in Epidemiology, 

                     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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Genxuan "Cameron" Lian

Undergraduate Research Scholar, 2022-2024

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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Next Position: Broad Institute/Harvard University

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Aldana Vistarop, PhD

Position/Role: Postdoctoral Associate, 2023-10 - 2025

Ph.D. 2019 in Parmacy and Biochemistry,

University of Buenos Aires, Argentina

2024- Kirby Postdoctoral Fellowship

Finalist, Mass General KF-CCR Rising Star Award

 

Next Position: Spatial Proteomic Facility, Fox Chase Cancer Center

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Soon-keat Ooi, PhD

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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Musinu Zakari, PhD

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

Next Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Fox Chase Cancer Center

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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.

Arushi Vignesh

High School Volunteer, 2024-2025

Conestoga High School

1st Place, Chester County Science Fair 2025

Next Position: undergrad, University of Florida

333 Cottman Avenue 

FCCC-West Building 246-247
Philadelphia, PA 19111-2497

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