Current members
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Vanessa Pizutelli, DO/PhD Student
Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience Research Interests: Investigating Ribosomal RNA as a potential biomarker for ischemia/reperfusion injury in mammalian cells Bio: I obtained my bachelor's in science from Cornell University, College of Human Ecology, with a major in Human Biology, Health, and Society, and subsequently pursued a master’s in biomedical science with a concentration in stem cell biology from Rutgers University, Graduate School of Biomedical Science. Following my master’s degree, I gained experience as a technician and research associate at the Center for Immunology and Inflammation at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, focusing on innate and adaptive immune responses to viral infections in mammalian tissue. Currently, in the fourth year of the DO/PhD program at Rowan-Virtua School of Translational Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, my career goal is to integrate clinical practice in pediatric medicine with scientific research as a physician-scientist. Project Summary: My project revolves around investigating ribosomal RNA (rRNA) as a potential biomarker for ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) in mammalian cells. IRI, a condition in which reperfusion of tissue after an ischemic event leads to further damage, is prevalent in pathologies such as ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, acute kidney disease, organ transplantation, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although biomarkers exist for many of these conditions, their reliability is often questionable. Exploring changes in rRNAs during IRI may offer valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms contributing to this pathology, as well as help establish their utility as a diagnostic tool for ischemic events. Kaitlyn Insana, PhD student Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience Bio: I earned my B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Rowan University, where I spent a year working in an epigenetics lab. In 2023-2024, I completed the first year of my M.S. degree at Rowan University and then transferred to the PhD program. During the academic year 2023-2024, I worked at the Shcherbik-Pestov's lab and will continue my PhD research under Dr. Shcherbik's guidance. Project Summary: Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism, Shcherbik's lab previously identified a distinctive pattern of cleavages in ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), including one in the expansion segment 7 (ES7) of the large ribosomal subunit 60S. Interestingly, it was discovered that the ES7-25S rRNA hydrolysis is achieved through a chemical mechanism involving the accommodation of iron ions (Fe2+) within rRNA structures, followed by a site-specific Fenton reaction triggered by hydrogen peroxide. While significant progress has been made in the lab on the ES7 region of yeast ribosomes, other rRNA sites sensitive to site-specific Fenton chemistry remain unknown. I aim to use Next Generation Sequencing to map these additional cleavage sites, a promising new avenue in the fields of ribosome, RNA, and metal biology. Furthermore, I am interested in studying the interaction of polyphosphates and metal ions within the cell and the role these interactions play in cell metabolism. Polyphosphates are crucial inorganic phosphate storage "units" that can act as natural metal chelators. We are working on a yeast model to further investigate this interaction, extend our research to mammalian cells and tissues, and explore the implications for metabolic disorders and diseases. |
A L U M N I
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Leena Srivastava, PhD
Former postdoctoral fellow Current occupation: Senior Research Advisor, Eli Lilly, San Diego, CA, USA |
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Farrah Mansour, MSc
Former Technical Associate Current occupation: Bioprocess Account Manager at Repligen Corporation, Tampa, FL, USA |
Nick Kovalev, PhD
Former postdoctoral fellow Current occupation: University of Kentucky |
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Dan Smethurst, PhD
Former postdoctoral fellow Current occupation: Medical Writer at OPEN Health, Oxford, England, UK |
Arnab Ghosh, PhD
Former postdoctoral fellow Current occupation: Research Scientist II Intergral Molecular, Philadelphia, PA, USA |
Brandon Trainor, PhD
Former PhD student Current occupation: Senior Scientist, Quality Control Analytical Sciences and Technologies, Adaptimmune Philadelphia, PA, USA |
Russell Sapio, PhD
Former PhD student Current occupation: Scientist I PTC Therapeutics, Philadelphia, PA, USA |
Joan Castells-Ballester, PhD,
Former postdoctoral fellow Current occupation: Postdoctoral Researcher, New England Biolabs Ipswich, MA, USA |
Allison Higgins, BS,
Former undergraduate student Current occupation: Ingredients Analyst at ClearForMe, Philadelphia, PA, USA |
