Current Lab Members
Leah Eller
Lab Manager
Leah joined the Buszczak Lab as Lab Manager in the Fall of 2023. A graduate of Baylor University, she has experience in a variety of research areas including medicinal/organic chemistry, toxicology, molecular biology, and Drosophila genetics. Leah strives to foster a collaborative learning environment while optimizing lab productivity to meet the demands of biomedical research. Outside of the lab, Leah enjoys doing arts/crafts/DIY projects and taking long naps on the weekend.
Garrett Kimble
Graduate Student
I am interested in regulation of ribosome dynamics, particularly factors impacting ribosome half-life and how dysregulation can impact disease and development. I am leveraging the power a novel ribosome labeling system, developed in the lab by a graduate student in the lab, Chunyang Ni, that uses a SNAP tagged ribosomal protein to track ribosome biogenesis and degradation. This allows me to perform genetic and chemical screens to identify genes that impact ribosome half-life and compounds that inhibit ribosome biogenesis respectively.
Yudong Wei
Postdoctoral Fellow
I am interested in how ribosomes and mRNA translation influences reproductive aging. I aim to characterize age-dependent changes in ribosome levels. I am also generating ribosomal protein-tagged mice to reveal the dynamics of ribosomal biogenesis and turnover during embryonic development.
Anirban Dasgupta
Postdoctoral Fellow
I am interested in studying the germ cell specific pathways that govern genomic maintenance and fertility. I am currently working on identification and characterization of several genes that regulate transcription, RNA transport and processing at the repetitive regions of the genome in the germ cells and play critical roles in transposon silencing and maintenance of genomic stability.
Da Chen
Postdoctoral Fellow
I am interested in the regulation of ribosome biogenesis and am currently focused on identifying genes and pathways that impact this process through CRISPR and chemical library screening. Ribosomes, crucial organelles responsible for protein synthesis, play a vital role in maintaining cellular activities. Their concentration and activity are tightly regulated across different stages of cell differentiation and varying conditions. Recently, I have also been investigating how ribosome regulation is affected by various stresses, such as nutrient deprivation and hibernation.
Sonam Rani
Postdoctoral Fellow
I joined the Buszczak lab as a Postdoctoral Fellow in Spring 2025. My research focuses on how disruptions in ribosome biogenesis influence neural lineage commitment and neurodevelopment, using CRISPR-based optical pooled screening and brain organoid models to investigate mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders. Outside the lab, I enjoy traveling, playing tennis, and terrace gardening.
Alvin Kalathungal
Graduate Student
I joined the Buszczak Lab in Spring 2026. I am interested in leveraging the SNAP-tagged ribosomal labeling system to identify new therapeutic targets that inhibit ribosome biogenesis in liver cancer. Outside of the lab, I enjoy watching movies and anime, and come fall, stressing over my Texas Longhorns football team.
