Congratulations to the 2024 Leading Edge Fellows!
2024 Leading Edge Fellows
Farah Abdul-Rahman
Gut-borne dissemination of opportunistic pathogens
Postdoc, Memorial Sloan Kettering
Maureen Akinyi
Mechanisms of spliceosome and RBP interactions that regulate splicing fidelity.
Postdoc, Baylor College of Medicine
Gertrude Arthur
Mechanisms of Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Liver Disease (MASLD)-Induced Kidney Injury
Postdoc, University of Mississippi Medical Center
Udochi Felicia Azubuike
Immune cells in the tumor microenvironment
Postdoc, National Cancer Institute, NIH
Amanda Buch
Developing/deploying machine learning of brain/behavior/omics; precision neuropsychiatry
Postdoc, Weill Cornell
Almudena Chaves Perez
Metabolic reprogramming to tailor cell lineage specification in regeneration and cancer
Postdoc, Memorial Sloan Kettering
Erin Flaherty
The role of the protocadherin gene cluster in neurodevelopment and
implications for neurodevelopmental disorders
Postdoc, Columbia University
Juliana Hofstätter Azambuja
Molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying brain tumor progression
Postdoc, University of Pittsburgh
Heeun Jang
Neural circuit mechanisms for dehydration risk in aging mice
Postdoc, Buck Institute
Courtney Johnson
Watching the brain boot with new adaptive 4D microscopy methods
Postdoc, Janelia Research Campus
Riss Kell
Sea urchins as marine animal models of cancer resistance
Postdoc, Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute
Skylar King
The role of surfactant protein A in cardiovascular disease
Postdoc, University of Missouri School of Medicine
Maiko Kitaoka
Genome quality control in post-meiotic sperm development
Postdoc, Whitehead Institute
Bishara Marzook
Epithelial cell biology of Cryptosporidium infection
Francis Crick Institute
Taylor Medwig-Kinney
Developmental control of cell biological mechanisms
Postdoc, UNC Chapel Hill
Vicky Moya
Scalable methods for mapping cell type-specific connectivity in the brain
Postdoc, Boston University
Cristina Nuevo Tapioles
Mitochondrial biology in RAS-driven cancers and RASopathies
Postdoc, NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Lauren Penfield
Cell interactions during collective migration and phagocytosis
Postdoc, UC Santa Barbara
Danielle Porter
The neuronal mechanisms that control reproductive function and metabolism
Postdoc, University of Michigan
Varsha Rajshekar
4D nuclear organization of the nucleolus and heterochromatin
Postdoc, UC Berkeley
Katherine Savell
Molecular and cellular substrates of experience and memory encoding in the brain
Postdoc, NIDA, NIH
Laura Seeholzer
Role of sensory epithelial cells in airway physiology
Postdoc, UC San Francisco
Amanda Shaver
Genetic causes of resistance to anthelmintic compounds
Postdoc, Johns Hopkins
Ashley Smart
Identifying the neural mechanism of interval timing
Postdoc, Stanford University
Reika Tei
A generalizable design strategy for antigen-gated, engineered receptors and enzymes
Postdoc, Stanford University
Shuyu Wang
Behavioral and neural mechanisms of social attachment in prairie voles
Postdoc, UC San Francisco
Lindsey Young
Expanding the Toolkit for Structural Cell Biology by Cryo-Electron Tomography
Postdoc, UC San Diego
2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 Fellows
Postdocs
Christine Vazquez
Central nervous system immune evasion strategies of emerging viruses
Postdoc, University of Pennsylvania
Akanksha Thawani
Transposon structural biology and genome engineering
Postdoc, UC Berkeley
Simón(e) Sun
Neuronal epigenetic regulation by estrogen receptor beta
Postdoc, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Marielena Sosa
Neural circuits of spatial learning and reward memory
Postdoc, Stanford University
Natalia Shylo
Evolution of developmental mechanisms in reptiles and mammals.
Postdoc, Stowers Institute for Medical Research
Melissa Roth
Regulation and dynamics of photosynthesis and metabolism
Postdoc, UC Berkeley
Aleah Roberts
Molecular mechanisms of non-canonical B Cell Receptor endocytosis
Postdoc, NIH
Ashlan Reid
Electrical and molecular maturation of sensory cortex
Postdoc, New York Medical College/CSHL
Deepa Ramamurthy
Neural circuits for attentional selection in sensory cortex
Postdoc, UC Berkeley
Mónica Quiñones-Frías
Structural dynamics of neuronal endoplasmic reticulum and its contacts
Postdoc, Brandeis University
Joan Pulupa
Imaging Genome Organization and Transcriptional Regulation in Olfactory Neurons
Postdoc, Columbia University
Connie Phong
Mechanisms underlying robustness of developmental regulatory systems against environmental perturbations
Postdoc, Stanford University
Sarah Naomi Olsen
Mechanisms of transcriptional regulation by chromatin complexes
Postdoc, Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Xinping Li
Neural mechanisms underlying behavioral flexibility
Postdoc, Princeton University
Caitlin Kowalski
Resident fungi as gatekeepers of skin health
Postdoc, University of Oregon
Stacey Kigar
Neuroimmunology of stress-induced behavioral changes
Postdoc, University of Cambridge
Miranda Hunter
Spatial regulation of melanoma invasion
Postdoc, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Victoria Hung
Ribosome heterogeneity in gene regulation and cell fate
Postdoc, Stanford University
Farah Haque
Microtubule-based regulatory mechanisms underlying signaling
Postdoc, Massachusetts General Hospital
Emily Hager
Coordination of cell behavior in complex environments
Postdoc, Boston University
Eartha Mae Guthman
Plasticity of hormone-sensitive neural circuits
Postdoc, Princeton University
Jessica Gray
Single cell insights into evolution and development
Postdoc, Harvard Medical School
Pragya Goel
Signaling structure for dopamine coding in the striatum
Postdoc, University of Minnesota
Raquel Fueyo
Function and regulation of endogenous retroviruses in early human embryogenesis
Postdoc, Stanford University
Christina Fitzsimmons
RNA epitranscriptomics in health and disease
Postdoc, Harvard University
Lisa Eshun-Wilson
Mitochondrial quality control by diverse proteases
Postdoc, Scripps Institute
Julie Elie
The neuroethology of vocal communication in bats and songbirds
Postdoc, UC Berkeley
Devon Duron Ehnes
iPSC-derived organoids to study development and disease
Postdoc, University of Washington
Laura Desban
Role of microbiota in olfactory-driven social behaviors
Postdoc, University of Oregon
Catherine Denning-Jannace
Targeting metallohomeostasis for antifungal drug development
Postdoc, Duke University
Andrea d'Aquino
Sustained delivery of GLP-1 receptor agonists for the treatment of diabetes
Postdoc, Stanford
Kristyn Carter
Translational biomarkers in Diabetic skin ulcers
Postdoc, Brigham and Women's Hospital
Maria Cecilia Canesso
Cell-cell interactions driving gut inflammation and tolerance
Postdoc, Rockefeller University
Cecilia Blengini
Chromosome segregation during female meiosis in mammals
Postdoc
Rutgers University
Maigen Bethea
Gastrointestinal mechanoreceptors in the regulation of food intake
Postdoc, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Noëlle Antao
Developing 3D models to characterise a human microsporidian parasite
Postdoc, NYU
Krista Angileri
Transposon control as a checkpoint during regeneration
Postdoc, Cornell University
Biotech, consulting, foundations
He Tian
Directed evolution of biosensors for imaging neural activity
Associate Director, BioNTech
Dorian Rosen
Modulating cellular stress responses to improve outcomes in neurological disorders
Independent consultant
Shermel Sherman
Estrogen-Responsive Brain-Jaw Circuit in Temporomandibular Disorders
Scientist, BrainXell
Sarah Pfau
The molecular and cellular bases of blood-brain barrier heterogeneity
Senior Scientist, Biogen
Jennifer Kan
Designing and engineering de novo protein functions
Managing partner, Climate Capital Frontier
Sisi Chen
Probing the multicellular mechanisms of drug response in heterogeneous immune cell populations
Senior Director of Platform Technology, Apertura Gene Therapy
Liz Boydston
Specialized organelles for host-parasite interactions
Product Manager
Ginkgo Bioworks
Heike Blockus
Linking synaptic specificity to neuronal circuit function
Senior Scientist
Verge Genomics
Sanchari Bhattacharyya
Genotype-phenotype relationship in bacterial systems
Senior Scientist, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research
Faculty
Rachel Zwick
Epithelial tissue patterning and regeneration
Incoming Assistant Professor, NYU
Xiaoxue (Snow) Zhou
Signal transmission in the yeast mitotic exit network
Assistant Professor, NYU
Katherine Xue
Ecology and evolution in the human gut microbiome
Incoming Assistant Professor, UC Irvine
Shira Weingarten-Gabbay
Viral non-canonical ORFs as a hidden source for T cell epitopes
Incoming Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School
Genoa Warner
Female reproductive toxicology and endocrine disruption
Assistant Professor,
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Lexy von Diezmann
Regulation of DNA repair outcomes in meiosis
Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota
Anna Vlasits
Circuit function and neurodiversity in the mammalian retina
Assistant Professor, University of Illinois, Chicago
Claudia Vásquez
Physics of epithelial lumen stability
Assistant Professor, University of Washington
Meike van der Heijden
Neural signals during dynamic cerebellar development
Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech
Supraja Varadarajan
Role of postsynaptic target activity in visual circuit regeneration
Assistant Professor, UTSW
Christina Towers
Autophagy dependence in cancer cells
Assistant Professor
Salk Institute
Valerie Tornini
Chromatin modifiers in vertebrate development
Incoming Assistant Professor, UCLA
Tina Termini
Hematopoietic stem cell and vascular regeneration
Assistant Professor, Fred Hutch
Tigist Tamir
Defining the role of protein phosphorylation on metabolic enzymes
Assistant Professor, UNC
Cheyenne Tait
Invertebrate neurobiology and behavior
Assistant Professor, Marshall University
Chelsey Spriggs
Host-pathogen interactions during viral entry
Assistant Professor, University of Michigan
Yadira Soto-Feliciano
Transcriptional regulation by chromatin adaptor proteins
Assistant Professor, MIT
Heather Snell
Cerebellar contribution to motor and non-motor disorders
Assistant Professor, Yale School of Medicine
Monique Smith
Social communication of pain and elucidating the neural circuits of empathy
Assistant Professor, UCSD
Janet Song
Genetic basis of human brain evolution
Incoming Assistant Professor, Harvard University
Delia Shelton
Solving grand challenges in environmental and human health
Assistant Professor, U. Miami
Naima Sharaf
Structure and function of the Neisseria meningitidis ABC methionine transporter system
Assistant Professor, Stanford University
Anusha Shankar
Avian physiological ecology (energetics, heterothermy) and transcriptomics
Assistant Professor, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) Hyderabad
Mohini Sengupta
Neural circuits for motor control in the spinal cord
Assistant Professor, Saint Louis University
Rebeca San Martin
Microenvironment influence on the 3D genome of prostate cancer
Assistant professor, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Elise Savier
Contribution of the secondary visual pathway to vision
Assistant Professor, University of Michigan
Brittany Ross
Bacterial physiology during chronic and acute infection
Incoming Assistant Professor, Georgia State
Elle Roberson
Molecular genetic mechanisms of adult uterine remodeling
Assistant Professor, CU Anschutz
Lauren Rajakovich
Human gut microbial metabolism
Assistant Professor, University of Washington
Kavita Rangan
RNA editing in phenotypic plasticity and adaptation
Incoming Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins
Novalia Pishesha
Engineered nanobodies as immune modulators for autoimmunity and infectious diseases
Assistant Professor, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School
Adriane Otopalik
Mechanisms of behavioral flexibility and evolution
Group Leader, Janelia Research Campus
Nicole Perry-Hauser
The role of latrophillins in cell signaling and synapse formation
Incoming Group Leader, University of Glasgow
Lisa-Marie Nisbett
Exploring the functional relationship between outer membrane biogenesis and lipid export pathways in mycobacteria
Assistant Professor, Cornell
Ally Nguyen
Differential gene requirements for cell division and genome organization
Incoming Assistant Professor, CU Anschutz
Jasmine Nirody
Adaptive locomotion through complex environments
Assistant Professor, University of Chicago
Alexandria Miller
Structure and function of a SARS-CoV-2 accessory protein
Assistant Professor, University of Iowa
Maria Mikedis
Stem cell regulation during spermatogenesis
Assistant Professor, Cincinnati Children's
Maeve McLaughlin
Bacterial-Phage regulatory interactions
Incoming Assistant Professor, University of Michigan-Flint
Anna Maurer
Understanding host-vector interactions to build better gene therapies
Incoming Assistant Professor, University of Michigan
Molly Matty
Microbiome influences on animal behavior
Assistant Professor, University of Portland
Romila Mascarenhas
Vitamin B12 trafficking and disease
Assistant Professor, University of Oregon
Anne Martin
Identifying how synapse coordination is achieved across a neural circuit
Incoming Assistant Professor, University of Iowa
Megan Martik
Gene regulatory networks in vertebrate development and regeneration
Assistant Professor, UC Berkeleyr
Maria Maldonado
Structure and function of respiratory complexes and supercomplexes
Assistant Professor, UC Davis
Yuan Ma
Develop imaging methods to visualize biomacromolecules and metabolites
in cells
Incoming Assistant Professor, Rice University
Xiaotang Lu
Developing methods for connectomic studies
Incoming Assistant Professor, University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign
Glennis Logsdon
The sequence, structure, and evolution of human centromeres
Incoming Assistant Professor, Penn
Theresa Loveless
Synthetic cells that record their own history
Assistant Professor, Rice University
Lindsay LaFave
Chromatin state in lung adenocarcinoma
Assistant Professor, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Jennifer Kong
Mechanisms of morphogen sensitivity underlying congenital heart defects
Assistant Professor, University of Washington
Tina Kim
Optical and molecular approaches to studying cortical neural circuits
Assistant Professor,
UC Davis
Grace Kenney
Uncovering new enzyme families in natural product biosynthesis
Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh
Heidi Kletzien
Mechanisms of age-related head and neck tissue dysfunction and head and neck cancer initiation
Incoming Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota
Jessica Kelliher
Host-pathogen interactions in the cytosol
Assistant Professor, Medical College of Wisconsin
Priyanka Joshi
Mechanisms of biochemical homeostasis in aging and age-related diseases
Assistant Professor, Georgetown
Chinyere Iweka
Circadian regulation of immune cell metabolism
Incoming Assistant Professor, Case Western
Erin Hisey
Neural circuits underlying learning and forgetting
Assistant Professor, Boston University
Liz Haynes
Imaging neural development across whole-embryo and single cell scales
Incoming Assistant Professor, UW Madison
Liangliang Hao
Engineering precision diagnostics for cancer
Assistant Professor, Boston University
Zoë Hilbert
New modalities in host-microbe evolutionary conflicts
Assistant Professor, Boston College
Shan He
Biogenesis of the eukaryotic CO2 concentrating organelle, the pyrenoid
Incoming Assistant Professor, UW Madison
Kathryn Gunn
Structure and mechanism of lipid metabolizing proteins
Assistant Professor, Stony Brook University
Lydia Grmai
Inter-organ regulation of reproduction
Incoming Assistant Professor, Yale School of Medicine
Ana Gonzalez-Reiche
Molecular evolutionary dynamics of virus transmission and host-virus interactions
Assistant Professor, Mount Sinai
Aleena Garner
Neural circuits in memory-sensory interplay
Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School
Jaye Gardiner
Cancer-associated fibroblasts in pancreatic cancer
Incoming Assistant Professor, Tufts University
Leonor Garcia-Bayona
Role of mobile genes in the community interactions of the intestinal microbiota
Assistant Professor, Stanford
Tahra Eissa
Neural and cognitive mechanisms of adaptive decision-making
Incoming Assistant Professor, CU Anschutz
Clarissa Durie
Visualizing bacterial secretion systems
Assistant Professor, University of Missouri
Anne Draelos
Real-time analysis and stimulation of neuronal populations
Assistant Professor, University of Michigan
Xintong Dong
Defensins and Mrgprs in skin immunity and itch
Assistant Professor, UT Dallas
Josefina del Mármol
Structural mechanism of olfaction
Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School
Joaquina Delás
Noncoding genome regulation of developmental cell fate choice
Group Leader, University College London
Danfeng Cai
Chromatin organization and transcription regulation
Assistant Professor
Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
Jenna Christensen
Intracellular transport diversity in fungal and human cells
Assistant Professor, Northwestern University
Maureen Cetera
Cell coordination during morphogenesis
Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Simone Brixius-Anderko
Cytochrome P450 structure/function in human disease
Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh
Sarah Bowling
Lineage tracing in early mouse development
Assistant Professor, Stanford University
Ewa Bomba-Warczak
Mitochondrial fidelity in mammalian neurons
Incoming Assistant Professor, University of Pennsylania
N. Sumru Bayin
Neural stem cell diversity and age-dependent regenerative processes in the brain
Group Leader
Gurdon Institute, Cambridge University
Caroline Bartman
Developing new methods to measure in vivo tumor metabolism
Assistant Professor, University of Pennsylvania
Arianna Baggiolini
The developmental chromatin programs underlying oncogenic competence in melanoma
Group Leader, Institute of Oncology Research
Berfin Azizoğlu
Vascularization in organ development and regeneration
Assistant Professor, UNC
Kilan Ashad-Bishop
Social and structural determinants of cancer disparities
Assistant Professor, University of Miami
Sweta Agrawal
Neural circuits underlying proprioception and motor control
Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech
Sarah Ackerman
Neuron-glia dynamics in circuit development, refinement, and behavior
Assistant Professor,
Washington University School of Medicine
Alice Accorsi
Development and regeneration of complex sensory organs
Assistant Professor, UC Davis