Congratulations to the 2023 Leading Edge Fellows!
2023 Leading Edge Fellows
Akanksha Thawani
Transposon structural biology and genome engineering
Postdoc, UC Berkeley
Marielena Sosa
Neural circuits of spatial learning and reward memory
Postdoc, Stanford University
Brittany Ross
Bacterial physiology during chronic and acute infection
Postdoc, Georgia Tech
Ashlan Reid
Temporally distinct maturation of left and right auditory cortex
Postdoc, City College of New York/CSHL
Kavita Rangan
RNA editing in phenotypic plasticity and adaptation
Postdoc, Stanford University
Joan Pulupa
Imaging Genome Organization and Transcriptional Regulation in Olfactory Neurons
Postdoc, Columbia University
Ally Nguyen
Differential gene requirements for cell division and genome organization
Postdoc, Whitehead Institute
Maeve McLaughlin
Bacterial-Phage regulatory interactions
Postdoc, Michigan State University
Anna Maurer
Understanding host-vector interactions to build better gene therapies
Postdoc, UC Berkeley
Yuan Ma
Develop imaging methods to visualize biomacromolecules and metabolites
in cells
Postdoc, UT Austin
Xinping Li
Neural mechanisms underlying behavioral flexibility
Postdoc, Princeton University
Caitlin Kowalski
Resident fungi as gatekeepers of skin health
Postdoc, University of Oregon
Heidi Kletzien
Mechanisms of age-related head and neck tissue dysfunction and head and neck cancer initiation
Postdoc, Harvard University
Raquel Fueyo
Function and regulation of endogenous retroviruses in early human embryogenesis
Postdoc, Stanford University
Devon Duron Ehnes
iPSC-derived organoids to study development and disease
Postdoc, University of Washington
Maria Cecilia Canesso
Cell-cell interactions driving gut inflammation and tolerance
Postdoc, Rockefeller University
Ewa Bomba-Warczak
Mitochondrial fidelity in mammalian neurons
Postdoc, Northwestern University
Maigen Bethea
Gastrointestinal mechanoreceptors in the regulation of food intake
Postdoc, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Kilan Ashad-Bishop
Social and structural determinants of cancer disparities
Postdoc, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
2020, 2021, 2022 Fellows
Postdocs
Katherine Xue
Ecology and evolution in the human gut microbiome
Postdoc, Stanford University
Clarissa Whitmire
Somatosensory neural coding
Postdoc, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine
Shira Weingarten-Gabbay
Viral non-canonical ORFs as a hidden source for T cell epitopes
Postdoc, Broad Institute
Christine Vazquez
Central nervous system immune evasion strategies of emerging viruses
Postdoc, University of Pennsylvania
He Tian
Directed evolution of biosensors for imaging neural activity
Postdoc, Harvard University
Tigist Tamir
Defining the role of protein phosphorylation on metabolic enzymes
Postdoc, Koch Institute, MIT
Simón(e) Sun
Neuronal epigenetic regulation by estrogen receptor beta
Postdoc, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Natalia Shylo
Evolution of developmental mechanisms in reptiles and mammals.
Postdoc, Stowers Institute for Medical Research
Mohini Sengupta
Neural circuits for motor control in the spinal cord
Postdoc, Wash U St. Louis
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
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
Novalia Pishesha
Engineered nanobodies as immune modulators for autoimmunity and infectious diseases
Postdoc, Harvard and MIT
Connie Phong
Mechanisms underlying robustness of developmental regulatory systems against environmental perturbations
Postdoc, Stanford University
Sarah Pfau
The molecular and cellular bases of blood-brain barrier heterogeneity
Postdoc, Harvard Medical School
Nicole Perry-Hauser
The role of latrophillins in cell signaling and synapse formation
Postdoc, Columbia University
Adriane Otopalik
Mechanisms of behavioral flexibility and evolution
Postdoc, Rockefeller University
Sarah Naomi Olsen
Mechanisms of transcriptional regulation by chromatin complexes
Postdoc, Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Anne Martin
Identifying how synapse coordination is achieved across a neural circuit
Postdoc, University of Oregon
Stacey Kigar
Neuroimmunology of stress-induced behavioral changes
Postdoc, University of Cambridge
Priyanka Joshi
Mechanisms of biochemical homeostasis in aging and age-related diseases
Postdoc, UC Berkeley
Chinyere Iweka
Circadian regulation of immune cell metabolism
Postdoc, Stanford University
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
Erin Hisey
Neural circuits underlying learning and forgetting
Postdoc, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Zoë Hilbert
New modalities in host-microbe evolutionary conflicts
Postdoc, University of Utah
Shan He
Biogenesis of the eukaryotic CO2 concentrating organelle, the pyrenoid
Postdoc, Princeton University
Liz Haynes
Imaging neural development across whole-embryo and single cell scales
Postdoc, Morgridge Institute
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
Ana Gonzalez-Reiche
Molecular evolutionary dynamics of virus transmission and host-virus interactions
Postdoc, Mount Sinai
Jessica Gray
Single cell insights into evolution and development
Postdoc, Harvard Medical School
Pragya Goel
Signaling structure for dopamine coding in the striatum
Postdoc, Harvard Medical School
Jaye Gardiner
Cancer-associated fibroblasts in pancreatic cancer
Postdoc, Fox Chase Cancer Center
Christina Fitzsimmons
RNA epitranscriptomics in health and disease
Postdoc, National Institutes of Health
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
Tahra Eissa
Neural and cognitive mechanisms of adaptive decision-making
Postdoc, CU Boulder
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
Joaquina Delás
Noncoding genome regulation of developmental cell fate choice
Postdoc, The Francis Crick Institute
Andrea d'Aquino
Sustained delivery of GLP-1 receptor agonists for the treatment of diabetes
Postdoc, Stanford
Sarah Bowling
Lineage tracing in early mouse development
Postdoc, Boston Children's Hospital
Cecilia Blengini
Chromosome segregation during female meiosis in mammals
Postdoc
Rutgers University
Sanchari Bhattacharyya
Genotype-phenotype relationship in bacterial systems
Postdoc, Harvard University
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 and consulting
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
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
Faculty
Chuchu Zhang
Molecular and circuit mechanisms of nausea
Incoming Assistant Professor, UCLA
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
Incoming Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota
Anna Vlasits
Circuit function and neurodiversity in the mammalian retina
Incoming 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
Incoming Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech
Supraja Varadarajan
Role of postsynaptic target activity in visual circuit regeneration
Incoming 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
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
Incoming Assistant Professor, Yale School of Medicine
Monique Smith
Social communication of pain and elucidating the neural circuits of empathy
Assistant Professor, UCSD
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
Incoming Assistant Professor, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) Hyderabad
Rachel Shahan
Single-cell insights into organ development
Incoming Assistant Professor, UCLA
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
Elle Roberson
Molecular genetic mechanisms of adult uterine remodeling
Assistant Professor, CU Anschutz
Lauren Rajakovich
Human gut microbial metabolism
Assistant Professor, University of Washington
Lisa-Marie Nisbett
Exploring the functional relationship between outer membrane biogenesis and lipid export pathways in mycobacteria
Incoming Assistant Professor, Cornell
Jasmine Nirody
Adaptive locomotion through complex environments
Assistant Professor, University of Chicago
Alexandria Miller
Structure and function of a SARS-CoV-2 accessory protein
Incoming Assistant Professor, University of Iowa
Maria Mikedis
Stem cell regulation during spermatogenesis
Assistant Professor, Cincinnati Children's
Molly Matty
Microbiome influences on animal behavior
Assistant Professor, University of Portland
Romila Mascarenhas
Vitamin B12 trafficking and disease
Incoming Assistant Professor, University of Oregon
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
Glennis Logsdon
The sequence, structure, and evolution of human centromeres
Incoming Assistant Professor, Penn
Theresa Loveless
Synthetic cells that record their own history
Incoming 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
Incoming Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh
Aga Kendrick
Regulation of microtubule-based cellular transport
Incoming Assistant Professor, Salk Institute
Jessica Kelliher
Host-pathogen interactions in the cytosol
Incoming Assistant Professor, Medical College of Wisconsin
Liangliang Hao
Engineering precision diagnostics for cancer
Assistant Professor, Boston University
Meghna Gupta
Peroxisomal fatty-acid transport and metabolism
Incoming Assistant Professor, OHSU
Aleena Garner
Neural circuits in memory-sensory interplay
Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School
Leonor Garcia-Bayona
Genetics and ecology of the intestinal Bacteroidales
Incoming Assistant Professor, Stanford
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
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
Incoming 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
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
Incoming 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
Incoming Assistant Professor, UNC
Sweta Agrawal
Neural circuits underlying proprioception and motor control
Incoming 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
Incoming Assistant Professor, UC Davis