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.
Marianne Mercer
Graduate Student
I am interested in fertility and germ cell development. I am currently characterizing novel gene CG14545 in Drosophila melanogaster to determine its role in female germ cells.
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 understanding the intricate interplay among the regulatory signaling pathways during germline development through dissecting the genes and corresponding mechanisms that control these developmental processes. I am currently working on the identification and characterization of multiple key regulators involved in maintenance of genomic organization and DNA damage repair responses during germ line differentiation.
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.
Manogna Jarajapu
Technician
I joined Buszczak Lab in Summer 2024 as a Research Technician. I am a recent college graduate from Baylor, where I studied Biology and Sociology and researched the effect of toxicants on proteins associated with the Alzheimer's pathway. In the Buszczak Lab, I am currently working with our grad student Garrett, who is studying the ribosome biogenesis by using a SNAP tagged ribosomal protein. Outside the lab, I love to play tennis and spend time with family and friends.
Meera Gangasani
Technician
I joined Buszczak Lab in Fall 2024 as a Research Technician II. I am a recent college graduate from Duke, where I studied Biology and Creative Writing and researched polyploidization in the Drosophila larval salivary gland in Fox Lab. In Buszczak Lab, I am currently working with our grad student Marianne, who is studying the role of CG14545 in the regulation of sex lethal. As a self-declared nerd, I am fascinated by the CRISPR gene editing tool and how we can use it to generate new fly lines for our projects. For my future goals, I plan to apply to MD and MD-PhD programs this upcoming cycle and aspire to be a physician and research scientist. Outside the lab, I love writing, climbing, and spending time with family and friends.
