Dr. Shahaf Peleg is the Head of the Energy Metabolism and Epigenetics Working Group at the Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN). His research focuses on aging biology, epigenetic mechanisms, and metabolic interventions. Key areas include histone acetylation regulation, mitochondrial function, and dietary effects on longevity. He uses models like Drosophila, C. elegans, and mice (e.g., Titan mouse) to study aging pathways. Leading interdisciplinary projects on energy metabolism and epigenetic interactions. Developing optogenetic tools for mitochondrial research. Expertise in lipidomics and circadian metabolism. Recent work emphasizes dietary interventions in obesity-related aging and optogenetic rejuvenation of cellular energetics. Active in collaborative networks like ARDD Emerging Science workshops. Publications span metabolic pathway analysis, alcohol's epigenetic impacts, and longevity biomarkers. His team's Titan mouse model is a key tool for testing frailty attenuation strategies.
Peter Schultz, PhD, is the President and CEO of Scripps Research, holding the L.S. “Sam” Skaggs Presidential Chair in the Department of Chemistry. He has been a faculty member since 1999, previously at UC Berkeley. His research spans synthetic biology, genetic code expansion, and drug discovery, with a focus on engineering organisms and molecules for biological and medical applications. Education: Ph.D. in Chemistry, California Institute of Technology (1984) B.S. in Chemistry, California Institute of Technology (1979) Research Interests: Expanding genetic codes to incorporate noncanonical amino acids in organisms Engineering endosymbiotic systems to study mitochondrial evolution Developing small molecules for cancer, stem cell therapies, and neglected diseases Designing antibodies and CAR-T cells for targeted therapies Article Trends: Recent work emphasizes small molecule therapies for cancer and fibrosis, synthetic biology applications in endosymbiosis, and genetic code expansion for protein engineering. Key themes include drug repurposing, targeted drug delivery, and molecular mechanisms of biological systems. Awards: Wolf Prize in Chemistry (1994) National Academy of Sciences Member (1993) Paul Ehrlich-and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize (2002) National Academy of Inventors Fellow (2015) Advising & Grants: Supervises ~15 graduate students and postdocs annually. Secured funding from NSF, NIH, and industry partnerships. Over 85 former students hold academic positions globally. Labs/Teams: Heads the Schultz Lab at the Chi-Huey Wong Laboratories, focusing on biologically inspired synthesis and translational research.
Chongli Yuan is the Charles Davidson Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University. She joined Purdue in 2009 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at ETH Zurich (2007–2009), following her PhD in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University (2007) and a B.S. from East China University of Science and Technology (2002). Her research focuses on epigenetic mechanisms, environmental chemical exposure impacts, cancer drug resistance, and point-of-care diagnostic tools. Key awards include the Edna O. and William C. Hooey Prize (2006) and Dow Scholarship (2001). Research Interests: Developing single-cell tools to track epigenetic changes in disease and normal development Investigating epigenetic memory from environmental chemical exposure (e.g., lead, pesticides) Uncovering epigenetic contributions to cancer drug resistance Creating low-cost, point-of-care devices for disease detection using smartphone-integrated technologies Lab & Team: Current students: Agnes Mendonca, Nathan Nurse, Oscar Sanchez Medina, and others Alumni include industry professionals (e.g., Sanofi, Intel) and academic researchers Facilities: The lab hosts advanced equipment like high-content microscopes, quantitative PCR systems, and nano-drop spectrometers.
Chun Wang is a Professor in the Department of Measurement & Statistics at the University of Washington's College of Education. His research focuses on advancing quantitative methods in educational and psychological measurement, with expertise in item response theory (IRT), computerized adaptive testing (CAT), and cognitive diagnostic modeling. He holds affiliate faculty status at the Center for Statistics and the Social Sciences. Education: B.S. in Psychology, Peking University (China) M.S. and Ph.D. in Quantitative Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Research Interests: Development and validation of multidimensional/mixture IRT models Computerized adaptive testing optimization Cognitive diagnostic modeling for classroom applications Health measurement and bias detection in assessments Recent Trends in Articles: His work bridges statistical innovation with practical applications, emphasizing fairness and efficiency in assessments. Notable areas include: - Healthcare : Predictive models for discharge disposition and functional outcomes - Education Technology : Adaptive learning systems and diagnostic feedback mechanisms - Methodology : Bias detection (DIF), Bayesian estimation techniques, and computational efficiency Scientific Awards : Includes the Anne Anastasi Award (2020), McKnight Presidential Fellowship (2017), and multiple best reviewer recognitions from leading psychometrics journals. Advising & Grants: Supervised students including Xiao J., Zhu R., and Lu J.* in high-impact projects. Co-led a $10M NIH grant (AmplifyGAIN Center) to advance Gen AI in STEM education. Published extensively in Psychometrika , Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics , and other top outlets. Labs/Teams: Directs the Pmetrics Lab ( https://sites.uw.edu/pmetrics/ ), collaborating on cutting-edge measurement tools for education and healthcare.
Dr. Gary K. Owens is a Professor in the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics at the University of Virginia , with a secondary appointment in the Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology. He serves as Director of the Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center and leads groundbreaking research on vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) dynamics in atherosclerosis. His work challenges conventional paradigms about SMC roles in plaque stability and thromboembolic events. Primary Affiliation: University of Virginia Key Titles: Robert M. Beirne Professor of Cardiovascular Research, Professor, Director of CVRC Research Themes include: Cardiovascular Biology Atherosclerosis Pathogenesis Smooth Muscle Cell Plasticity Epigenetic Regulation Inflammatory Signaling Tumor Metastasis Mechanisms Publication Trends (2015–2024) reveal expertise in Nature Medicine and Circulation studies, focusing on SMC gene regulation (Klf4/Oct4), plaque stability, and cross-talk between vascular cells and tumors. His work demonstrates that SMCs account for >80% of advanced lesion cells and that Klf4 inhibition reduces metastasis by >70%. Lab Leadership includes mentoring PhD students Anita Salamon and Victoria Milosek , alongside senior scientists and postdocs. Collaborations span with Dr. Gwen Randolph (Washington University) and Dr. Rosey Kaplan (NIH) on IL1β signaling and metastasis.
Professor Tomoyuki Tanaka holds the Chair of Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Dundee within the School of Life Sciences . He serves as the Academic Lead of Dundee Imaging Facility (since 2018) and Deputy Head of the Division for Molecular Cell & Developmental Biology (since 2022). His research focuses on chromosome segregation mechanisms in mitosis and their implications in genetic diseases and cancer . Member of European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO, 2008–) Fellow of Royal Society of Edinburgh (2009–) Wellcome Trust Investigator (2020–) His lab investigates two key processes in early mitosis: chromosome reorganization (resolution and compaction of sister chromatids) and kinetochore-spindle interactions . These mechanisms are critical for preventing errors linked to aneuploidy, congenital disorders, and cancers . Using budding yeast as a model organism, his group combines genetic, proteomic, and imaging techniques to uncover conserved biological principles. Recent publications highlight discoveries in condensin exclusion during prophase , Aurora B kinase spatial regulation , and error correction mechanisms for accurate chromosome inheritance. The lab also contributes to in vitro reconstitution of chromosomal processes, including a 2021 breakthrough on chromosome positioning networks . 2020: Wellcome Investigator Award 2013: ERC Advanced Grant 2007: Hooke Medal (British Society for Cell Biology) 2000: EMBO Young Investigator He supervises PhD students and contributes to Level 3 undergraduate teaching (BS31006 Gene Regulation) and Honours research projects . His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals for health and well-being through genetic disease research.
Dr. Steven Jacobsen is a Professor in the Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology Department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he leads the Jacobsen Lab. His work focuses on epigenetic inheritance and gene regulation in Arabidopsis thaliana and mammalian stem cells, utilizing genetic screens, genomics, epigenomics, and biochemical approaches. The lab also pioneers CRISPR-mediated genome editing techniques. University: University of California, Los Angeles Department: Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology Research Interests: Jacobsen's research spans multiple interconnected domains in epigenetics, including DNA methylation patterning, histone modification interplay, and transposable element silencing. His team investigates how chromatin structure influences gene expression and epigenetic inheritance, with applications from plant development to human health. Key areas include: CRISPR-based epigenetic modifications RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) mechanisms Chromatin compaction via MORC proteins Histone variant functions in methylation Transposon control in plant genomes Comparative epigenomics across species Advising Legacy: Over two decades, Dr. Jacobsen has mentored 21 former lab members who now hold academic and industry positions globally, including professors at Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Georgia, and Southern University of Science & Technology. His lab's publications reveal a consistent focus on DNA methylation dynamics, chromatin remodeling, and small RNA pathways, with recent work emphasizing CRISPR innovations and structural insights into epigenetic regulators.
Panagiotis Politis serves as a Visiting Professor at the European University Cyprus (EUC) School of Medicine and Frankfurt, while maintaining his primary role as Principal Investigator at the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (BRFAA) since 2015. His academic journey includes a PhD in Biochemistry from Oxford (2000) focusing on chromatin regulation in yeast, preceded by a NASA Planetary Biology Internship at the Salk Institute (1998) and BSc in Biology from Patras (1996). His research qualifications include: PhD in Biochemistry, University of Oxford (2000) BSc in Biology, University of Patras (1996) Dr. Politis's research program centers on neurodegenerative mechanisms , particularly Parkinson's disease pathophysiology, where he investigates long non-coding RNAs, nuclear receptor signaling, and neural stem cell dynamics. His work integrates molecular, cellular, and systems neuroscience approaches to dissect epigenetic regulation in neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration, with significant contributions to understanding transcription factor networks (Prox1, NR5A2) in neuronal fate decisions and disease progression. Current projects explore auto-antibody pathophysiology and RNA splicing mechanisms in brain development. Analysis of his 2004-2019 publications reveals a consistent trajectory from chromatin biology toward neurological disease mechanisms, with increasing focus on human iPSC models, non-coding RNA networks, and translational applications in neurodegeneration and neuro-oncology. Key thematic clusters include transcriptional regulation in neural development (2010-2017), Parkinson's disease modeling (2017-2019), and cancer-related neural mechanisms (2013-2018). His scientific distinctions include: Fulbright Research Scholar Fellowship (2008) NASA Planetary Biology Fellowship (1998) Multiple Oxford-based awards including Florey EPA studentship Young Scientist Travel Award from International Society of Biochemistry Dr. Politis has secured €2M+ in research funding as Principal Investigator for 10+ projects from Greek Secretariat of Research (Excellence/SYNERGASIA schemes), Fondation Sante, and EU COST actions. His grants investigate Parkinson's mechanisms, neural development, and renal fibrosis, with recent focus on anti-GAD65 auto-antibodies (2017-present) and RNA splicing in brain development (2017-present). He actively mentors junior researchers through BRFAA's training programs and has organized major conferences including FENS symposia and Hellenic Neuroscience Society meetings. His research is conducted through the BRFAA Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, which employs advanced techniques in iPSC modeling, molecular genetics, and neuropathology to investigate neurodegenerative mechanisms and therapeutic targets.
Oliver Ullrich is a Professor and Chair of Anatomy / Gravitational Biology and Cell Biomechanics at the University of Zurich. He also holds professorships in Space Biotechnology at Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Space Medicine at EAH Jena, and an Adjunct Professor position at Beijing Institute of Technology. As an Academician of the International Academy of Astronautics , he leads the Swiss Parabolic Flight Program and directs the UZH Innovation Cluster “Space and Aviation” (UZH Space Hub). His research spans gravitational biology , space medicine , and cell biomechanics , focusing on cellular responses to altered gravity environments. His work explores Molecular changes in immune cells under microgravity/hypergravity Epigenetic adaptations to gravitational forces Medical challenges in space exploration Sustainable planetary resource utilization Innovations in spaceflight experiment platforms Recent publications highlight trends in space immunology , organoid analysis under gravity stress , and non-governmental parabolic flight infrastructure . Awards include the Albrecht-Ludwig-Berblinger Award of Aerospace Medicine . He serves on advisory boards for aerospace agencies and companies, and as a member of the executive board of the German Society for Aerospace Medicine : Albrecht-Ludwig-Berblinger Award of Aerospace Medicine As an active investigator in European, German, and U.S. space life sciences programs , he has led 19+ parabolic flight missions and contributed to ISS experiments.
Dr. Yuuki Obata is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Immunology and Neuroscience at UT Southwestern Medical Center, USA. He holds an Investigator role at the O'Donnell Brain Institute. Previously, he served as a postdoctoral fellow at the Francis Crick Institute (2016-2021) and the University of Tokyo (2015-2016). His research focuses on how environmental signals (microbiota, diet, circadian rhythms) shape intestinal neural circuits and immune networks. He employs advanced techniques including imaging, viral tracing, gnotobiotic systems, and multi-omics approaches. Education: PhD in Immunology from Chiba University (RIKEN Joint Graduate School Program), Japan. Postdoctoral training included JSPS Superlative Postdoctoral Fellowships (Japan) and EMBO/HFSP fellowships (UK). Research interests span microbiota-immune interactions, enteric nervous system development, gut-brain axis communication, and epigenetic regulation of immune responses. His lab investigates mechanisms linking microbial metabolites to host physiology, particularly in metabolic and neural contexts. Key findings include microbiota's role in IgA responses, T cell differentiation, and neuronal programming. Collaborations emphasize inter-organ communication and translational applications in immunology and neuroscience. Laboratory: The Obata Lab at UT Southwestern employs interdisciplinary methods to address how environmental factors reprogram gut neural and immune systems. Future work includes exploring microbiota-based therapies and neuroimmune interactions in disease models.
Wenshe Liu is the Harry E. Bovay, Jr. Endowed Chair in Chemistry and Professor at Texas A&M University, affiliated with the Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics and the Institute of Biosciences & Technology. His research integrates chemical biology, organic chemistry, and molecular biology to develop novel therapeutics targeting cancer and viral pathogens like SARS-CoV-2. Key techniques include genetic code expansion (via pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase systems), phage display with noncanonical peptides, and epigenetic histone modification studies. Education: B.S. (Peking University, 2000), Ph.D. (UC Davis, 2005), Postdoc (Scripps Research Institute, 2007). Awards include the Presidential Impact Fellow, Gradipore Chair in Chemistry, and ACS Chemical Biology Most Prolific Author (2017). Research focuses on: (1) SARS-CoV-2 drug discovery targeting Spike protein, 3CLpro, and PLpro; (2) genetic code expansion for ncAA incorporation (over 80 ncAAs developed); (3) epigenetic histone modification studies using site-specific acylation/methylation; (4) phage-displayed cyclic peptide libraries for drug discovery. Current projects include PROTAC development for epigenetic regulators and chemo-genetic switches for CAR T-cell therapy safety. Publications highlight high-impact work in Nature , Journal of the American Chemical Society , and Nature Communications , with over 150 articles. The lab operates across Texas A&M campuses in College Station and Houston, emphasizing translational research in immunotherapy and antiviral strategies.
James Curley is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, part of the College of Liberal Arts. He is Co-Director of the Behavioral and Social Data Science Major and Principal Investigator of the Social Dynamics Lab. His research focuses on the neurobiological basis of social behavior, social hierarchies, and long-term physiological changes linked to social status. He earned his B.A. from the University of Oxford and a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge, followed by postdoctoral work at Cambridge before joining Columbia University in 2012. At UT Austin since 2017, he has received awards including the Affordable Education Champion (2021), Dr. Wendy Domjan Excellence in Teaching Award (2021), and President’s Associates Teaching Excellence Award (2022). His teaching includes courses on statistics, R programming, and social behavior analysis. Curley’s lab investigates social dynamics through interdisciplinary approaches, combining behavioral studies with genomic, transcriptomic, and neuroendocrine analyses. He emphasizes open educational resources, co-authoring an open-access textbook for statistics and developing interactive learning tools. His work spans animal and human social systems, exploring how early life experiences shape behavior and how social hierarchy impacts neural and physiological processes. He has published extensively on topics like social dominance, gene expression, and the application of network models to understand social interactions. Teaching highlights include PSY 317L (statistics for behavioral sciences), PSY 120R (R programming), and UGS 302 (Being Social). His commitment to affordable education and innovative pedagogy has been recognized nationally. Research collaborations include studies on primate microbiota, stress vulnerability in depression models, and transgenerational epigenetic effects. He maintains affiliations with platforms like GitHub and Google Scholar, reflecting his embrace of open science principles.
Kathleen Mulvaney is an Assistant Professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech and in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. Her laboratory is located at the Children's National Research & Innovation Campus in Washington, D.C., where she leads research efforts focused on cancer biology and therapeutic development. Dr. Mulvaney's educational background includes: Ph.D. in Cell Biology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill B.S. in Biology from the University of Rochester Dr. Mulvaney's research program centers on understanding and disrupting protein-protein interactions and protein modifications in cancer, with particular focus on pancreatic cancer and pediatric and adult brain cancers. Her laboratory investigates tumor dependencies - the specific enzymes and pathways that cancers rely on for survival - with the goal of translating these findings into meaningful clinical improvements for patient care. A significant portion of her recent work has focused on PRMT5, an enzyme found in approximately 15% of human cancers, exploring how to target this enzyme for therapeutic benefit. Her research employs CRISPR gene editing, molecular biology techniques, and biochemical approaches to identify vulnerabilities in cancer cells. Her laboratory has made significant contributions to understanding the molecular basis of substrate recruitment to the PRMT5 methylosome and has discovered first-in-class inhibitors of the PRMT5-substrate adaptor interaction. Recent work published in Cancer Research demonstrates a promising combination therapy approach for hard-to-treat cancers that lack specific tumor suppressor genes. These cancers, which include certain lung, brain, and pancreatic tumors, become dependent on PRMT5 for survival, making it a potential therapeutic target. Dr. Mulvaney has received numerous scientific awards and honors, including: National Institutes of Health F32 Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (2018-2021) National Institutes of Health LRP Award (2019-2021) Sigma Xi Research Society Graduate Student Travel Award (2015) National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention (2011, 2012) Dr. Mulvaney actively mentors graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in her laboratory at the Children's National Research & Innovation Campus. Her research is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, including an R35 grant to examine cancer-related enzymes. She collaborates extensively with researchers across Virginia Tech and Children's National Hospital to advance cancer research and therapeutic development, participating in the Virginia Tech Cancer Research Alliance which brings together scientists and physicians to develop innovative approaches to cancer treatment. The Mulvaney Lab is part of the Cancer Research Center - D.C. at the Children's National Research & Innovation Campus, where they work alongside other researchers in the Children's Cancer and Immunobiology Center. This collaborative environment allows for interdisciplinary approaches to understanding cancer biology and developing novel therapeutic strategies, with particular emphasis on translating basic science discoveries into clinical applications for hard-to-treat cancers.
Barbara Mellone is a Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology / Genetics and Genomics at the University of Connecticut. She leads the Mellone Lab, which focuses on understanding how genetic information is accurately passed from one cell generation to the next through the study of centromeres. Her research interests include: Centromere biology and function Chromosome segregation mechanisms Genetic and epigenetic regulation of centromeres Evolution of centromeres across species Using Drosophila melanogaster as a model system for chromosome studies Connections between chromosome segregation errors and human diseases like cancer Professor Mellone's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on centromere structure and function, particularly examining CENP-A chromatin, centromere assembly factors like CAL1, and the evolutionary aspects of centromere biology. Her work combines genetic, molecular, and evolutionary approaches to unravel the fundamental mechanisms of chromosome inheritance. Her laboratory has made significant contributions to understanding how centromeres are built, maintained, and evolve, with implications for human diseases associated with chromosome segregation errors.
Arunika Das is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine , where she leads the Das Lab. Her research focuses on the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms governing chromosome inheritance during meiosis and early development, with a particular emphasis on centromere biology and aneuploidy. Education: PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology (Rutgers University, 2016), MS in Biochemistry (University of Calcutta, 2009), BS in Chemistry (St. Xavier’s University, 2007) Research Highlights: Investigates centromere inheritance through reproductive and embryonic challenges Studies aneuploidy mechanisms in early embryos Uses mouse, fly, and horse models for comparative genome stability analysis Active in Cornell Center for Reproductive Sciences and Center for Vertebrate Genomics Scientific Awards: Society for the Study of Reproduction - Emerging Investigator Award (2024-2025) S. Walter Englander Postdoctoral Research Award (2022) Keith R. Porter Award Honorable Mention (2022) Marine Biological Laboratory Fellowship (2017) Teaching: Leads curriculum development for a reproductive medicine MS program and teaches in Cornell’s Veterinary School. Mentors graduate, undergraduate, and capstone projects.
