Istvan Albert is a Research Professor of Bioinformatics at Pennsylvania State University , affiliated with the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology . He leads the Bioinformatics Consulting Center and teaches BMMB 852: Applied Bioinformatics . Research Interests: Specializing in bioinformatics, large-scale biological data analysis, microarray and sequence analysis, scientific programming, algorithm development, and database-driven web development. His work spans gene ontology visualization , RNA-Seq analysis , and coronavirus research . Software Development: Created GeneScape for gene function visualization and bio for bioinformatics workflows. Maintains the Biostar Handbook series and the Biostars Q&A Forum , a leading bioinformatics resource.
Sean J. Morrison is the founding Director of the Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI) and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. He holds the Mary McDermott Cook Chair in Pediatric Genetics and the Kathryne and Gene Bishop Distinguished Chair in Pediatric Research. Dr. Morrison earned his B.Sc. in Biology and Chemistry from Dalhousie University (1991), a Ph.D. in Immunology from Stanford University (1996), and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Neurobiology at Caltech (1999). Education: B.Sc. - Dalhousie University (Biology & Chemistry, 1991) Ph.D. - Stanford University (Immunology, 1996) Postdoctoral Fellowship - Caltech (Neurobiology, 1999) Research Interests: Dr. Morrison’s laboratory investigates the mechanisms that maintain adult tissues and how cancer cells exploit these processes to form tumors. His team compares stem cell and cancer cell replication mechanisms to develop novel regenerative medicine and anticancer therapies. Key areas include: Stem cell self-renewal and aging Metabolic regulation of hematopoietic stem cells Leptin Receptor+ stromal cell function Cancer progression and metastasis Proteostasis and niche biology Mechanotransduction in stem cell niches Publications reveal trends in stem cell metabolism, tumor heterogeneity, and niche dynamics across Science , Nature , and Cell . His work on retrotransposons in stem cell activation (2024) and β-adrenergic receptor inhibition in hematopoietic regeneration (2024) highlights emerging therapeutic targets. Awards & Recognitions: Dr. Morrison is an elected member of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine (2018), National Academy of Sciences (2020), and EMBO (2023). He received the Presidential Early Career Award (2003), MERIT Award from NIA (2009), and UT Southwestern’s Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring Award (2020). Mentorship & Leadership: Dozens of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from his lab have secured academic leadership roles or industry positions. He served as President of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (2015–2016) and actively engages in public policy debates about stem cell research, including Michigan’s constitutional protections for regenerative medicine.
Joshua J. Coon is a Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with appointments in the Department of Biomolecular Chemistry and the Department of Chemistry. He leads the Coon Group, focusing on advancing mass spectrometry technologies for proteomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics. His research addresses fundamental questions in cell biology, including stem cell differentiation, epigenetic regulation, and cancer biomarker discovery. Affiliations : Director of the NIGMS National Center for Quantitative Biology of Complex Systems. Research Emphasis : Instrumentation development, data analysis software, ion chemistry, and biological applications of proteomics. Laboratory : Located in the Genome Center of Wisconsin with a dozen hybrid mass spectrometers, including Orbitrap systems. Collaborations : Long-term partnership with Thermo Fisher Scientific and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) for technology commercialization. Training : Mentored 27 Ph.D. students since 2009, emphasizing interdisciplinary research and professional development.
Michael J. Ragusa is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, Dartmouth College , specializing in molecular mechanisms of selective autophagy . His research integrates structural biology , biochemical reconstitution , and cell biology to understand how cells degrade toxic components like damaged organelles. Education: B.S. in Chemistry from Siena College, Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Brown University His work focuses on autophagy , particularly the role of Atg proteins in membrane tethering and cargo selection. His lab has published extensively on mitophagy , ALFY , and Atg11 , linking defects in these pathways to cancer , neurodegeneration , and infectious diseases . Recent studies highlight mechanisms of vesicle clustering and dimerization-dependent membrane interactions . Dr. Ragusa teaches courses such as CHEM 5: General Chemistry , CHEM 42: Biological Chemistry II , and CHEM 95.05: Protein Crystallography . His lab employs techniques like X-ray crystallography , NMR spectroscopy , and membrane reconstitution to dissect protein-lipid interactions.
Peter Chien is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His research focuses on regulated protein degradation and quality control in bacteria, with a particular emphasis on mechanisms governing proteolysis during the bacterial cell cycle. PhD, University of California, San Francisco Postdoctoral Training, Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Chien Lab employs interdisciplinary approaches including biochemistry, structural biology, and cell biology to study proteolytic mechanisms in Caulobacter crescentus. Their work explores how AAA+ proteases like ClpXP and Lon recognize substrates with precision and how this impacts cellular regulatory networks. Recent research trends from the lab include investigations into Lon protease modulation , DNA damage responses , protein homeostasis under stress , and genetic regulators of proteostasis . Studies often integrate structural analysis with functional assays to uncover molecular principles of protease specificity. The lab is affiliated with multiple graduate programs, including the Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) program, Chemistry-Biology Interface Program, Biotechnology Training Program, and the Institute for Applied Life Sciences at UMass Amherst.
Owen Skinner is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Northeastern University, affiliated with the Barnett Institute of Chemical and Biological Analysis. He leads the Skinner Lab, which specializes in high-resolution mass spectrometry to study protein-metabolite interactions in health and disease. Skinner earned his Ph.D. from Northwestern University and conducted postdoctoral research at Massachusetts General Hospital. His research focuses on thiol redox regulation, vitamin cofactor metabolism, and oxidative phosphorylation dynamics. Education: Ph.D. in Chemistry (Northwestern University), Postdoctoral Fellowship in Analytical Chemistry (Massachusetts General Hospital). Research interests include proteomics, metabolomics, mitochondrial dysfunction, and metabolic signaling. The lab actively recruits graduate students, undergraduates, and postdoctoral researchers across Northeastern's scientific community. Affiliations: Barnett Institute, College of Science Lab Members: PhD students Yifan Liu, Michael Xiao, Angela Rojas-Merchan; Undergraduates Helena Rittenhouse, Ridha Shah; High School collaborator Helen Loango Techniques: Native mass spectrometry, proteomics, metabolomics, redox biology Publications span mitochondrial metabolism, metabolic biomarkers in septic shock, and enzyme engineering. The lab emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration and supports students through Northeastern's experiential learning programs.
Dr. Richard Y. Zhao is a tenured Professor in the Department of Pathology and Microbiology-Immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. His research combines molecular biology, fission yeast genetics, mammalian biology, and virology to study virus-host interactions, particularly for HIV and Zika virus. He previously held academic positions at Northwestern University and Columbia University and has contributed to over 120 peer-reviewed articles. B.S., China Oceanography University (1981) M.S., Oregon State University (1995) Ph.D., Oregon State University (1991) Postdoctoral Training, Columbia University (1991-1992) Dr. Zhao's research focuses on: Virus-host interactions and pathogenicity High-throughput drug screening for antivirals Role of viral proteins in neuroinflammation and cancer Translational genomics in precision medicine His recent publications highlight SARS-CoV-2 ORF3a, Zika envelope proteins, and HIV protease inhibitors, emphasizing host-pathogen mechanisms across species. He has served on NIH panels and editorial boards for journals like Cell Research and Retrovirology . Scientific awards include: Fellow, American Academy of Microbiology (2019) Bernard L Mirkin Endowed Chair (2001-2004) Honorary Director, Shandong Gallo Institute (2009) Distinguished Service from SCBA (2015) Outstanding Service from CBA-USA (2016) Dr. Zhao also contributes to clinical diagnostics and personalized medicine through molecular testing and pharmacogenetics programs.
Pierre Maechler is a Professor at the University of Geneva's Faculty of Medicine in the Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism. His research focuses on mitochondrial metabolism in pancreatic beta cells and its critical role in diabetes pathogenesis, with particular emphasis on glutamate dehydrogenase function and regulation. His laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms of insulin secretion and beta-cell failure in Type 2 diabetes. Maechler's research interests span mitochondrial metabolism, energy homeostasis, and the molecular pathways linking nutrient sensing to insulin secretion. His work has established crucial connections between glutamate metabolism, beta-cell function, and diabetes development. He investigates how metabolic stressors like glucotoxicity and lipotoxicity impair beta-cell function through mitochondrial dysfunction. His research has expanded to include the role of glutamate dehydrogenase in multiple organs including brain, liver, and muscle, revealing systemic metabolic implications. Analysis of Maechler's publication record shows a sustained focus on beta-cell metabolism with evolving scope. Early work established fundamental mechanisms of glutamate signaling in insulin secretion, while recent publications demonstrate expansion into multi-organ metabolic regulation. His research has identified novel biomarkers for beta-cell mass, explored therapeutic targets for diabetes, and revealed unexpected roles for glutamate dehydrogenase in diverse physiological processes from muscle regeneration to brain function. The consistent thread through his work is understanding how mitochondrial metabolism governs cellular and systemic energy homeostasis. Professor Maechler has mentored numerous PhD students and postdoctoral fellows who have gone on to publish significant work in diabetes research. His laboratory collaborates extensively with clinical researchers to translate basic findings into potential therapeutic approaches for diabetes. Funding for his work likely comes from Swiss National Science Foundation and other European research agencies, supporting investigations into metabolic diseases. Maechler leads the Mitochondria and Energy Metabolism research group at the University of Geneva. His team employs a multidisciplinary approach combining molecular biology, metabolomics, and physiology to investigate metabolic regulation in health and disease. The laboratory maintains strong connections with clinical diabetes researchers, facilitating translational applications of their findings. Current work focuses on identifying novel therapeutic targets for preserving beta-cell function in diabetes.
Xinxin Song, M.D., Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. She holds a medical degree from Peking University Health Science Center and a Ph.D. from Peking Union Medical College. After post-doctoral training at the University of Pittsburgh, she became a Research Assistant Professor at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine before joining UT Southwestern in 2020. Her lab focuses on understanding mechanisms of cell death (apoptosis, ferroptosis, pH-dependent death, immunogenic cell death) and their interplay with drug resistance, tumor microenvironment, and cancer immunogenicity. Education: M.D., Health Science Center, Peking University Ph.D., Peking Union Medical College Post-doctoral Training, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Research Interests: Mechanisms of programmed cell death (apoptosis, ferroptosis) Drug resistance in cancer Tumor microenvironment dynamics Immunogenic cell death pathways Labs/Teams: Established her independent lab in the Department of Surgery at UT Southwestern in 2023
Brian Ingalls is a Professor in the Department of Applied Mathematics and cross-appointed to Biology at the University of Waterloo. His research applies mathematical and control-theoretic approaches to biological systems, including genetic regulatory networks, microbial communities, and cellular metabolism. Institutional Affiliation: Faculty of Mathematics, University of Waterloo Contact: bingalls@uwaterloo.ca His work focuses on systems biology and synthetic biology , particularly sensitivity analysis of biochemical networks, optimal experimental design, and mathematical modeling of cellular processes. Research funding comes from NSERC and CIHR . Notable contributions include the textbook Mathematical Modeling in Systems Biology (MIT Press, 2013) and the Ingalls Quantitative Cell Biology Lab , which investigates intracellular and intercellular network dynamics through computational and experimental methods. Key Collaborations: iGEM Waterloo, Chemical Engineering, and international synthetic biology networks Advising: Mentored 15+ graduate students and postdocs across applied math, biology, and engineering fields
Audrey Fikes is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Chemistry at North Carolina State University (NC State), affiliated with the Integrative Sciences Initiative (ISI). She focuses on inorganic and bioinorganic chemistry, particularly iron homeostasis mechanisms and metalloprotein interactions. Her research also explores osmium-based clusters, coordination polymers, and chemical probe development for cellular studies. Her affiliations include the College of Sciences and the ISI, with an office in Dabney Hall 840. While no awards or grants are explicitly listed, her work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to chemical tool design and materials synthesis. She is part of NC State's Department of Chemistry faculty, contributing to undergraduate and graduate education in chemistry. Research interests span synthetic inorganic chemistry, redox-active systems, and applications in biochemistry. Her publications highlight advancements in ligand behavior analysis, cluster reactivity, and microwave-assisted synthesis techniques.
Jing Fan is an Associate Professor of Medical Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a metabolism investigator at the Morgridge Institute for Research. She serves as a faculty trainer in multiple graduate programs, including Cellular and Molecular Biology (CMB) and the Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IPiB). Education: PhD, 2014, Princeton University Her research focuses on metabolic reprogramming in immune and cancer cells, particularly macrophages and neutrophils during immune responses and tumor microenvironment interactions. She employs metabolomics, lipidomics, and fluxomics integrated with biochemical and genetic techniques. The 15 most recent publications highlight her lab's work on metabolic flexibility in neutrophils and macrophages nutrient utilization during immune activation epigenetic regulation by metabolic pathways metabolic interactions in tumor microenvironments systems-level metabolic flux analysis translational applications for immunotherapy . She leads the Fan Lab, which includes current team members such as graduate students Carlos Mellado Fritz, Nick Arp, and Jorgo Lika, alongside postdoctoral fellows James Votava and Julia Nunes. Alumni include PhD graduates Emily Britt (Thermo Fisher Scientific) and Gretchen Seim (Genentech), as well as MD/PhD graduate Laura Steenberge (University of Pittsburgh Residency).
Daniela Strenkert is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, affiliated with the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Plant Biology Department, Molecular Plant Sciences Program, BioMolecular Science Gateway, and Cell & Molecular Biology Program. Her research focuses on systems biology approaches to understand gene regulation in photosynthetic organisms. Ph.D., University of Kaiserslautern, Germany Her lab investigates photosynthetic performance through multi-omics analysis of chromatin structure, transcriptomes, proteomes, and metabolomes in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii . Key areas include environmental acclimation, histone modification mapping (GreENCODE project), and regulatory RNA characterization. Recent publications emphasize computational modeling of photosynthetic protein interactions, metal homeostasis under stress, and chloroplast protein import mechanisms. Articles span 2025-2010, with 15 most recent from 2025-2022. Her work integrates genome-wide datasets to decode algal regulatory programs under climate change-relevant stressors. She teaches BS 161: Cells and Molecules and maintains a lab at 106 Plant Biology Lab. Contact: strenke2@msu.edu .
Zhiwei Ye is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Immunology at the College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina. His research focuses on redox biology, cancer mechanisms, and drug metabolism with a particular emphasis on mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, and therapeutic resistance. He holds a PhD in Pharmaceutical Science from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium, 2009) and prior degrees from Zhejiang University (China). PhD in Pharmaceutical Science, 2009 – Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium Master in Pharmaceutical Science, 2005 – Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium Master in Medicine, 2003 – Zhejiang University, China B.S. in Pharmacy, 2000 – Zhejiang University, China Dr. Ye’s research explores how redox regulation impacts cancer progression, drug resistance, and metabolic disorders. His work integrates enzymology (e.g., GSTP, PDI), mitochondrial dynamics, and zebrafish models to study mechanisms like S-glutathionylation, VDAC targeting, and drug-transporter interactions. Recent studies highlight novel therapeutic strategies for hepatocellular carcinoma, melanoma, and myeloma through modulation of redox pathways. Publications emphasize translational research bridging basic biology and clinical applications, including drug development (e.g., Telintra) and understanding treatment resistance in malignancies. His work also addresses metabolic disease mechanisms, such as hepatic steatosis and drug-induced renal toxicity. No scientific awards explicitly mentioned in provided texts. Active in grant-funded research areas like cancer biology and redox signaling. Collaborates on projects involving drug-transporter profiling in hepatocytes and cellular stress responses.
Per Bruheim is a Professor at the Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). He leads the Bruheim research group, focusing on Deep Phenotyping of prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems using advanced metabolomics, fluxomics, and lipidomics techniques. He is the scientific leader of the NV faculty Mass Spectrometry lab and has developed targeted/non-targeted MS methods applied to diverse biological systems. Teaching roles include leading the 2-year and 5-year Biotechnology programs (MSBIOTECH and MBIOT5). He teaches courses such as TBT4140 Biochemical Engineering, TBT4110 Microbiology, and TKP4170 Process Design. Current research projects include targeting antibiotic resistance via bacterial stress responses (Trond Mohn Foundation), chemically defined cell culture media development, and peptide drug inhibition of translesion synthesis mechanisms. Research interests center on metabolomics and systems biology approaches to study microbial physiology and antibiotic resistance, with applications in bioprocessing and sustainable protein production. His lab employs mass spectrometry for precise metabolic profiling and collaborates internationally on projects involving lipidomics and flux analysis. Advising and grants involve mentoring over a dozen master’s theses on topics like microbial fermentation optimization, single-cell protein production, and recombinant protein expression. He actively pursues funding for projects addressing AMR mechanisms and bioprocess innovation. The Bruheim group also collaborates with industry on sustainable raw material utilization for microbial cultures. Labs/Teams: Leads the Mass Spectrometry facility at NTNU and directs the Bruheim research group within the Institute of Biotechnology (IBT). Collaborates with national/international partners in microbiology, metabolomics, and bioprocessing.
