People
Principal Investigator
Shirin Bahmanyar, PhD
Shirin (she/her/hers) fell in love with cell biology as an undergraduate at UC Berkeley working in Jeremy Thorner’s lab. She followed her passion for research as a graduate student in W. James Nelson’s lab at Stanford University and then as a post-doctoral researcher in Karen Oegema’s lab at UC San Diego/Ludwig Center for Cancer Research. In the Oegema lab, Shirin established a role for regulation of de novo lipid synthesis in control of nuclear envelope and ER dynamics. Her lab at Yale continues to study ER and nuclear envelope organization and dynamics. In addition to research, she is committed to mentoring, teaching, and outreach. Outside of lab Shirin enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, and jogging.
Post-Doctoral Associates
Shoken Lee, PhD
Shoken is originally from Japan, and obtained his PhD in pharmaceutical sciences from the University of Tokyo in 2016. In his PhD he worked with Dr. Hiroyuki Arai and Dr. Tomohiko Taguchi to study the roles of phospholipid flippases in intra-cellular vesicle transport. He then joined Tokyo office of a consulting company BCG where he was involved in strategy-planning projects for health care, food, and electronics companies. After the 3-year experience in a world that was totally different from science, he returned to an academic career and joined the Bahmanyar lab as a postdoc in 2019, where he is very excited to study the identity and roles of nuclear membrane lipids, which he believes is one of the less-explored “frontier” fields in modern cell biology. In his free time, he likes to jog and enjoy the nice view around East Rock in New Haven. He is also into learning Mandarin since his wife is Chinese (but a bilingual).
Sarah Barger, PhD
Marc Goudge, PhD
Marc grew up in Toronto, Canada and went to college at the University of Toronto. Marc then completed his PhD at Cornell University working for Dr. Matthew Paszek, where he studied the biophysical consequences of Mucin-1 expression in cancer. An engineer by training, Marc was drawn towards the world of modern cell biology and its seeing is believing based approach, which represented an ideal field for creative problem solving. In the lab, Marc is interested in using imaging-based approaches to explore the dynamics of the molecular constituents of the nuclear membrane. Outside of the lab, Marc enjoys exploring the New Haven area with his wife and dog, doing all the New York Times puzzles, and catching up with friends over board games.
Graduate students
Victória Puccini
Victória (she/her/hers) is a PhD student from São Paulo, Brazil. She originally studied Veterinary Medicine in her country but moved to the U.S. to finish her undergraduate degree and received a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from Northeastern Illinois University, in Chicago. Outside of lab, Vic enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, and attempting to learn Dutch.
Frances Moore
Frances is a Ph.D. student from Washingtonville, New York. Prior to coming to Yale, she received her B.S in Biology with a specialization in developmental genetics from Stony Brook University. Upon graduating, she was awarded an NIH Diversity Supplement which allowed her to pursue Post-Baccalaureate Research in the Dave Matus Lab. During her two years in the Matus lab, she studied cell cycle regulation in C. elegans. Once at Yale, she became enthralled by the dynamic process of nuclear envelope break down and reformation. Outside of lab Frances is a Women in STEM mentor and enjoys volunteering with the Yale Biological Diversity Initiative Committee.
Sofia Sepúlveda-Jacobson
Sofia Sepúlveda Jacobson (they/her) is a Ph.D. student. Originally from Arizona, they earned a bachelor’s degree in Molecular Cellular Biology with a minor in Biochemistry from the University of Arizona. They are fascinated by the formation and regulation of the nuclear envelope, and its role in cellular regulation. They are deeply committed to teaching and mentoring students of all learning styles, and creating an inclusive and safe environment. Sofia’s interests outside of work include road trips, art, and spoiling her two cats (Bonbon and Bijoux).
Alumni
Jake Carrasquíllo Rodriquez, PhD Graduate student 2018-2023; Current position: Quality Control Specialist, Amgen
Han Yang Post-graduate researcher 2021-2023; Current position: PhD student Yale University
Onyedikachi (Oby) Uche Undergraduate and post-graduate researcher 2020-2023; Current position: Medical student, Mount Sinai Medical School
Michael Mauro, PhD Graduate student 2016-2022; Current position: Post-doctoral Associate, Julie Canman lab, Columbia University
Holly Merta, PhD Graduate student 2016-2021; Current position: Post-doctoral Associate, Mike Henne lab, UT Southwestern
Gunta Celma Post-graduate researcher 2019-2021; Currently in the UK
Tevis Vitale Undergraduate and post-graduate researcher 2018-2021; Current position: PhD student at Harvard University
Lauren Penfield, PhD Graduate student 2015-2020; Current position: Post-doctoral Associate, Denise Montell lab, UC Santa Barbara
Razvan Azamfirei, MS,MD MS student 2017-2019; Current position: Resident, anesthesiology, University of Pennsylvania
Marshall Deline, PhD Research Scientist, Technical University Munich
Curtis Broberg Undergraduate and post-graduate researcher 2015-2018: Currently medical student, WashU School of Medicine
Spencer Munroe Undergraduate researcher 2016; Yale College 2018
Brian Wysolmerski Post-graduate reseracher 2014, 2016; Currently PhD student at UC San Francisco
Michael Martinez Post-graduate researcher 2014-2015; Currently MD/PhD student at Stony Brook University School of Medicine
Sophie Miller Undergraduate researcher 2014-2015; Medical School, Medical College of Wisconsin