Find Academic Supervisors

Jacek MajewskiView profile

Associate Professor

• Genomics
• Bioinformatics
• Human Genetics
• +5 more

Jacek Majewski is an Associate Professor at the Department of Human Genetics , Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences , McGill University , and an affiliated researcher at the IR-MUHC . He holds the Canada Research Chair in Statistical Genetics and specializes in genomics and bioinformatics to address problems in Mendelian disease , cancer , and epigenetics . Education : PhD in Evolutionary Biology (1999, Wesleyan), MSc in Electrical Engineering (1991, Stanford), BSc in Physics (1990, Stanford) His research focuses on genomic data analysis of high-throughput sequencing techniques (whole genome/exome sequencing, RNA-Seq, ChIP-Seq) and their application to pediatric brain tumors , oncohistone mutations , 3D epigenomics , and alternative splicing . Collaborations span McGill University , Sick Kids , Rockefeller University , and Genome Canada initiatives. Key article trends include epigenetic dysregulation in cancer , chromatin structure , spliceosome mutations , and 3D genome analysis . Scientific awards include the Canada Research Chair in Statistical Genetics . His lab trains PhD and Master’s students in interdisciplinary genomic and bioinformatic methods , with alumni contributing to cancer epigenetics and clinical genomics . The lab also engages in international collaborations for pediatric glioblastoma and head and neck cancer research.

• Statistics
• Genomics
• Bioinformatics
• +7 more

Chad A. Shaw, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Molecular & Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine and a Joint Professor in the Department of Statistics at Rice University . He serves as Director of the D2K Laboratory at Rice University and is affiliated with the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute , Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine (STaR) Center , and Graduate Program in Quantitative & Computational Biosciences at Baylor College of Medicine. Education : BS in Mathematics, Duke University (1995) PhD in Statistics, Rice University (2001) Research Interests : Dr. Shaw specializes in statistical genomics , bioinformatics , and systems biology , with expertise in next-generation sequencing , copy-number analysis , multi-omic data integration , and gene expression profiling . His work on structural variation and repetitive elements has advanced understanding of genetic recurrence risk related to parent of origin, somatic mosaicism, and paternal age. Publications : His ~200 peer-reviewed articles focus on genomic disorders , variant analysis , and computational tools , with recent studies on spliceosome targeting in cancer , LINE element recombination , and eQTL mapping . The 2020 article Bayesian modelling of high-throughput sequencing assays with malacoda highlights his work in computational variant detection. Teaching & Leadership : Dr. Shaw trains Ph.D. students in high-dimensional statistics , Mendelian disease modifiers , and variant prioritization . He chairs the qualifying exam committee for the Quantitative and Computational Biosciences program and collaborates extensively with institutions like Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute and Human Genome Sequencing Center .

Alessandro SenesView profile

Professor

• Computational Biology
• Artificial Intelligence
• Membrane & Cellular Biophysics
• +6 more

Alessandro Senes is a Professor at the Department of Biochemistry of the University of Wisconsin-Madison , where he joined in 2008 and was promoted to full professor in 2020. His research focuses on membrane protein structure and function , particularly the bacterial divisome and transmembrane interaction motifs like GAS-right . He is also the director of the Biophysics PhD program and the Molecular Biophysics NIH Training Grant . His laboratory employs a multi-disciplinary approach combining X-ray crystallography , genetic reporter assays , computational modeling , and in vivo analysis to study the structural organization of membrane proteins. He has developed the open-source MSL (Molecular Software Library) for advanced macromolecular modeling and the CATM method to predict GAS-right motif structures. His recent publications highlight computational advances in transmembrane dimer prediction, structural analysis of divisome proteins, and thermodynamic studies of hydrogen bonding. Key collaborators include experts in biophysics, molecular biology, and computational chemistry. Teaching roles include Biochem 551: Biochemical Methods and graduate seminars like Membrane Protein Structure and Function (Biochem 924) . His lab includes graduate students Joshua Choi , Samridhi Garg , and Tamalika Kar , plus undergraduates Emma Cushman and Alexander Vorobiov .

Mirek DundrView profile

Associate Professor

• Nuclear Organization
• Genome Architecture
• RNA Processing
• +5 more

Mirek Dundr, PhD, serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy at Rosalind Franklin University's Chicago Medical School. He is actively affiliated with the Center for Cancer Cell Biology, Immunology, and Infection Research, where his laboratory investigates fundamental mechanisms of nuclear organization. Dr. Dundr's research centers on membraneless biomolecular condensates formed through liquid-liquid phase separation, with particular focus on Cajal bodies in cancer cells. His groundbreaking work demonstrates that these structures physically interact with multiple chromosomes to form specialized gene clusters absent in healthy cells, directly linking 3D genome architecture to cancer pathology. Using advanced spectral imaging and genomic techniques, his lab revealed how chromosome 1 reorganizes into rosette structures around Cajal bodies, and how depletion of these bodies disrupts RNA processing and gene activity. This research establishes nuclear compartmentalization as a critical factor in cancer cell function. His publication record shows consistent high-impact output in journals including Nature Communications , Trends in Biochemical Sciences , and Cells , with recent work emphasizing phase separation principles in nuclear organization. Dr. Dundr's research program integrates molecular biology, advanced microscopy, and genomic approaches to address fundamental questions about nuclear architecture. Prospective students in Dr. Dundr's lab gain expertise in cutting-edge techniques for studying nuclear dynamics, including deep imaging analysis, 4C-seq mapping, and molecular perturbation assays. The lab emphasizes interdisciplinary training at the intersection of cell biology and biophysics, with opportunities for collaboration through the university's Center for Cancer Cell Biology. His research program continues to explore how phase-separated nuclear compartments regulate gene expression and contribute to disease mechanisms.

• Structural Biology
• Cryo-Electron Microscopy
• Molecular Biology
• +3 more

Dr. Alexis Caspar Faesen is an academic advisor specializing in structural biology and molecular mechanisms, with a research focus on cryo-electron microscopy applications for studying macromolecular complexes. The advisor has supervised multiple doctoral candidates at what appears to be a German academic institution, as evidenced by the eDiss repository interface containing German language elements. Research interests center around structural analysis of biological macromolecules, particularly in the areas of RNA splicing mechanisms, protein folding and quality control, and chromatin structure. The work employs advanced imaging techniques like cryo-EM to investigate spliceosome assembly, protein-nascent chain dynamics, and histone modifications at molecular resolution. Current research trends show a consistent focus on developing and applying structural biology methodologies to understand fundamental cellular processes. Dr. Faesen has advised eight doctoral students between 2018-2022, with thesis topics spanning cryo-EM methodology development, spliceosome structure and function, protein quality control mechanisms, and chromatin biology. The supervision record indicates active involvement in training the next generation of structural biologists and molecular biologists, with students investigating both methodological advancements and fundamental biological questions using structural approaches.

• RNA-Protein Complexes
• Gene Expression
• Noncoding RNAs
• +7 more

Joan Steitz is the Sterling Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale School of Medicine, where she has made groundbreaking contributions to RNA biology. She leads the Steitz Lab, which is affiliated with multiple Yale research centers including the Yale Cancer Center, Yale Stem Cell Center, and the Center for RNA Science and Medicine. Yale School of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry (Primary) Yale Cancer Center Yale Stem Cell Center Yale Combined Program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS) Center for RNA Science and Medicine Dr. Steitz earned her BS from Antioch College (1963) and PhD from Harvard University (1967), followed by postdoctoral work at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England. She joined Yale as an assistant professor and progressed to become a Sterling Professor, one of Yale's highest academic honors. Her research focuses on RNA-protein complexes, particularly small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) that play critical roles in pre-mRNA splicing. The lab investigates how these complexes recognize intron signals and assemble into functional spliceosomes. Recent work has explored stress-induced transcriptional readthrough, RNA stability mechanisms involving poly(A) tails, and the functions of viral noncoding RNAs from herpesviruses. Analysis of Dr. Steitz's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on RNA structure-function relationships, viral-host interactions, and the molecular mechanisms of RNA processing. Her work spans structural biology, virology, and molecular genetics, with applications to understanding human diseases including cancer. Warren Alpert Prize (2021) Wolf Prize in Medicine (2021) Watson Prize (2021) Medal Prize Lecture (2021) Honorary Doctor of Science (2021) Dr. Steitz actively mentors students and postdocs, with numerous trainees appearing as co-authors on her publications. Her lab maintains strong collaborations across Yale and with international researchers, as evidenced by her extensive publication record. She has also been a prominent advocate for gender diversity in STEM fields, co-authoring influential papers on improving representation of women in science. The Steitz Lab maintains active research programs in RNA structure, splicing mechanisms, viral noncoding RNAs, and stress responses, with ongoing projects examining how RNA-protein interactions govern gene expression in both normal and disease states.