Current members
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Dan Smethurst, PhD, postdoctoral fellow
email: smethurstd@rowan.edu; LinkedIn Eukaryotic cells continuously monitor and respond to endogenous and environmental stresses to maintain homeostasis. Protein synthesis is acutely sensitive to stress as the cell modulates targeted and global translational activity through the extensive networks of translational regulators. It is also emerging that the stability and function of the ribosome itself is modulated in changing conditions, impacting both the rate and the fidelity of translation. My work focusses on the direct effect of metal ions and stress on the ribosome and its ability to translate mRNA efficiently and accurately. |
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Natalie Minkovsky, PhD, Adjunct Professor
Department of Molecular & Cellular Biosciences Rowan University My main research interest is investigation of mechanisms aligning ribosome biogenesis and cell cycle in prokaryotic (Bacillus subtilis) and mammalian cells. |
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Brandon Trainor, PhD student
email: trainorb5@rowan.edu; LinkedIn; Research gate My current work in the Shcherbik lab focuses on two major aspects of translation, initiation and the ribosomal response to stress. Using cell-free translation derived from S. cerevisiae, I am firstly investigating how a short 5’ UTR from the Black Beetle virus stimulates both cap-dependent, and cap-independent translation. Secondly, I am using an adapted cell-free translation approach using purified ribosomal complexes to understand how the ribosome translates a variety of messages and “hurdles” after being exposed to potentially damaging conditions such as oxidants and cross-linkers. In my free time I love watching and playing baseball, mountain biking, and enjoying the outdoors with a nice craft brew. |
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Russ Sapio, PhD student
email: sapior37@rowan.edu My project focuses on understanding the signaling links between cellular stresses and nucleolar stress. The nucleolus is a non-membrane bound, dynamic, sub organelle of the nucleus, and is the site of rDNA, rRNA transcription and maturation, and early stage ribosome biogenesis. Perturbations in ribosome biogenesis due to cellular stress can lead to delocalization of nucleolar factors and a protective transient arrest of cells in G1 phase. I am focused on the interplay of DNA Damage Response enzymes in the nucleolar stress response. In addition, I am also studying the effects of oxidative stress on the nucleolus and examining players in the redox homeostasis of the nucleolus. |
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Allison Higgins, Undergraduate student
I am an undergraduate student at Rowan University majoring in biological sciences with minors in chemistry and computer science and a certificate in bioinformatics. My research interests include gene and protein expression, genetics, gene editing, and proteomics. As a volunteer researcher, I work with tissue culture and molecular cloning techniques. One of my projects include restriction enzyme cloning to observe critical genes involved in the 60S ribosomal subunit assembly. |
A L U M N I
Leena Srivastava, PhD
Former postdoctoral fellow Current occupation: Senior Research Scientist at Eli Lilly |
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Farrah Mansour, MSc
Former Technical Associate Current occupation: bioprocess data analytics sales, Sartorius |
Jessica Zinskie, PhD
Former postdoctoral fellow Current occupation: Solutions and Support Scientist for LI-COR |
Nick Kovalev, PhD
Former postdoctoral fellow |
Arnab Ghosh, PhD
Former postdoctoral fellow Current occupation: Sr. Research Associate; Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease, Cleveland State University |
