Program Committee
Shihoko Kojima
Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
Co-Director, MCB Graduate Program
The Kojima lab deciphers genetic codes of biological rhythms to understand how the molecular machinery controls circadian biochemistry, physiology and ultimately behavior. This research integrates neuroscience, molecular/cellular biology, genomics, bioinformatics and computational biology.
Nisha Duggal
Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology
Co-Director, MCB Graduate Program
Nisha Duggal’s research is focused on the co-evolution of emerging mosquito-borne viruses and their hosts. The lab studies Zika virus sexual transmission in humans and West Nile virus pathogenesis in birds using molecular virology and phylogenetics tools in order to identify mechanisms of viral emergence and disease.
Aaron Gross
Associate Professor, Department of Entomology
The goal of my research program is to identify new physiological targets that can be used to develop insecticides that control arthropods that impact human and animal health along with agriculture, to investigate the reasons why pesticides lose their efficacy in the field (molecular mechanisms of resistance), but also to understand the dynamic interaction that occurs between arthropod pests and their hosts for the development of novel intervention strategies.
Joshua Drake
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise
The Drake lab investigates mitochondrial quality control in the context of aging, primarily in post-mitotic tissues (e.g. skeletal muscle). Specifically, the lab is interested in how damaged or dysfunctional mitochondria are targeted for degradation (i.e mitophagy), the negative impacts of aging on these processes, and strategies to manipulate them to promote healthy aging.
José Vargas-Muñiz
Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
The Vargas-Muñiz Lab aims to understand the cell biology of fungi and its impact on fungal pathogenesis and host-pathogen interaction. In particular, we are interested in how different fungi use and regulate their septin cytoskeleton to regulate their morphology, adapt to anti-cell wall stress, and modulate their interaction with host cells. Lastly, we study marine-derived fungi to uncover new unconventional cell division cycles adn how they regulate morphogenesis in response to environmental stress.
James Romero-Masters
Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology
The Romero-Masters lab is specifically interested in understanding the mechanisms by which tumor viruses promote tumorigenesis and pathogenesis utilizing bioinformatic, molecular biology, cell culture, and physiologic relevant in vivo mouse models. Current lab goals are focused on understanding the mechanisms by which the papillomavirus E6 and E7 oncogenes contribute to viral pathogenesis and carcinogenesis. Through this work, identification of druggable cellular processes that HPV requires for pathogenesis can be identified which can targeted to therapeutically treat HPV infections.
Lina Ni
Assistant Professor, School of Neuroscience
Temperature affects nearly all aspects of animal physiology and thermoregulation is essential to maintain appropriate physiological function. Our lab uses fruit fly thermosensory system to understand the molecular mechanisms, cellular substrates and neuronal circuitry of thermoregulation.