Rajnish Bharadwaj, Ph.D

Current Position: Assistant Professor, University of Rochester

Time In Lab: 9/2010-12/2013

Research project on Drosophila model of CMT type 4J. He performed his residency in Combined Anatomic Pathology/Neuropathology Program at University of Washington, Seattle. Currently Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Rochester medical school.

Profile Website: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/people/31480772-rajnish-bharadwa

James Machamer, Ph.D

Current Position: ORISE Research Fellow, USAMRICD

Time In Lab: 11/2010-1/2016

Research project on Drosophila model of ALS type 6 caused by mutations in FUS/TLS. Awarded first place poster at 2013 Postdoc Scientific Symposium. Has presented his research at CSHL Neurobiology of Drosophila meeting, Society for Neuroscience meeting, Drosophila Research Conference, and Robert Packard Center for ALS Research meetings. Currently ORISE Fellow at USAMRICD.

Jim Machamer attended Louisiana Tech University as an undergraduate, where he studied bioengineering and biology. Jim received his PhD from the University of Alabama Birmingham where he performed his graduate work investigating the role of actin cytoskeleton regulators in synaptic plasticity in Drosophila. He enjoys running and card games and finds it only somewhat humorous that most people are surprised that he grew up in Mississippi.

Ke Zhang, Ph.D

Current Position: Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic

Time in Lab: 8/2013-9/2019

Research project on Drosophila model of C9ORF72 ALS. Awarded Milton Safenowitz Postdoctoral Fellowship for ALS research 08/01/2014 – 07/31/2016. Dr. Zhang has given platform presentations on this research performed in the Lloyd laboratory at many major meetings including Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting (11/2014), Robert Packard Center for ALS Research Annual Symposium (2/2015, 3/2016, 3/2017), Drosophila Research Conference (3/2015), and Neurobiology of Drosophila Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Conference (10/2015). He was awarded the Target ALS Springboard Fellowship in 2017. He started a new position as Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida 9/2019.

Ke seeks to understand the mechanism underlying neurodegenerative diseases. He uses genetic tools to dissect the cellular and molecular pathways that play critical roles in the pathogenesis of ALS. Ke attended the Baylor College of Medicine where he received his PhD studying the role of mitochondrial chaperones in Leigh Syndrome, an infantile neurological disorder.

Lab Website: https://www.kezhanglab.net/

Harlan Michelle, M.D.

Current Position: Neurologist, Sinai Hospital

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University, Department of Neurology

Time In Lab: 7/2015-8/2017

Neurology Resident, Neuromuscular Fellow. Research project on sporadic Inclusion Body Myositis. Presented poster entitled “Familial Inclusion Body Myositis Associated With Digenic Inheritance Of Mutations In Valosin-Containing Protein and Filamin C“ at ANA meeting 2016. She is currently a neurologist at Sinai Hospital and Adjunct Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University, Department of Neurology.

Kai Ruan, Ph.D

Current Position: Assistant Scientist, R. Grace Zhai Lab, University of Miami

Time In Lab: 3/2016-3/2020

Kai received his BS degree in life science at his hometown, Xi’an, China. Later, he went to Xiamen University to obtain his MS degree in Cancer Biology. In 2009, Kai attended the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine where he received his PhD degree studying the post-transcriptional regulation of a neuronal maintenance factor, NMNAT in Drosophila with Dr. Grace Zhai. He joined the Lloyd Lab in March 2016 and interested in dissecting the potential molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal maintenance and neuroprotection in neurodegenerative diseases. He enjoys swimming, travelling with friends, and playing video games. In 2019, Kai accepted a position as an assistant scientist at the University of Miami in R. Grace Zhai's lab.

Kathleen Cunningham, Ph.D

Current Position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, UCLA

Time In Lab: 3/2014-6/2019

Graduate Program: Cellular and Molecular Medicine

Kathleen graduated with a BA in Biology from Dartmouth College in 2013. She is interested in the role of protein homeostasis in the mechanism of hexanucleotide repeat-mediated motor neuron degeneration in ALS. When not in lab, she enjoys running, training for triathlons, mentoring high school students through Thread, and reading sci-fi and fantasy literature.

She received the F31 NRSA award to study “the role of p62/SQSTM1 in the pathogenesis of motor neuron disease”. She was awarded second place for her poster presentation at the Drosophila Research Conference in Chicago in March of 2015, and she also presented at the Gordon Conference on Cell Biology of the Neuron. She gave a platform presentation at 2017 CSHL Neurobiology of Drosophila meeting. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow in Leanne Jones laboratory at UCLA.

Brian Woolums, Ph.D

Current Position: Medical Writer, inScience Communications, Springer Healthcare

Time In Lab: 4/2014-6/2019

Graduate Program: Pharmacology

Brian grew up near Green Bay, WI and earned his bachelor's degree in Neuroscience and Biochemistry at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. He then worked as a research technician at the University of Minnesota for 2 years before enrolling as a PhD student here at Hopkins. Despite growing up in Green Bay, Brian is a rabid fan of all Minnesota teams. In his spare time he enjoys playing basketball, watching any kind of sport, and trying new kinds of beer.

He presented a poster on his research on TRPV4 at the Drosophila Research Conference in Chicago in 3/2015 and gave a talk at the Peripheral Nerve Society meeting in Quebec City, Canada in 2015. He was awarded the Scheinberg Travel Award to attend and present his research at the Peripheral Nerve Society meetings in St. Gitges, Spain (2017) and Genoa, Italy (2019).

Kyla Britson, Ph.D

Current Position: ORISE Research Fellow

Time In Lab: 3/2015-12/2020

Graduate Program: Cellular and Molecular Medicine

Kyla Britson graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development. It was her interest in cell and developmental biology that initially drew her to Johns Hopkins to work as a technician in Dr. Deborah Andrew’s laboratory studying the cellular dynamics of Drosophila salivary gland development. In 2015, she matriculated in the Cellular and Molecular Medicine graduate program, and joined the Lloyd lab shortly thereafter to pursue a thesis exploring the cellular mechanisms underlying Inclusion Body Myositis. In her free time, Kyla enjoys rock climbing, hiking, and playing violin in the Hunt Valley Symphony.

Kyla's thesis project is on pathogenesis and biomarker development for IBM. Awarded travel fellowship to attend Global Conference on Myositis in Berlin, Germany where she was awarded best overall oral presentation (out of 33 eligible speakers) and a “speed funding” 15,000 Euro award to support her research (funded by MyositisUK).

Mark Wilhem

Current Position: Medical Student, Wayne State University

Time In Lab: 10/2016-5/2018

Mark Wilhelm joined our team as a research technologist/manager in October of 2016. Beforehand, he attended the University of Michigan and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Neuroscience and German Studies. In lab, Mark mainly focuses on disruptions in nucleocytoplasmic transport in our C9-ALS model. Outside of lab, he engages with his community by volunteering with organizations such as Higher Achievement and the VoloCity Kids Foundation. He enjoys staying active by hiking and biking in nature when not watching sports or traveling with his friends. Mark is currently attending medical school in Chicago.

Lee Tacon (JHU Neuroscience, 5/10-7/12), currently software engineer at Mixmax.

Morgan Yang (JHU Neuroscience, 5/10-7/14), awarded Honors in Neuroscience for work done in my lab. He went to University of Cincinatti College of Medicine and worked in my lab summer after first year. Awarded “top poster” at medical student research symposium 11/2014. Currently Anesthesiology resident at Johns Hopkins.

Brian Lee (Neuroscience, 1/11–6/12), currently senior analyst at Grifols Diagnostic Solutions.

Amanda Le (JHU Biology, 1/11–8/13), currently Medical Student at University of Miami.

Arielle Kempinsky (JHU Neuroscience, 1/12–5/13), currently Medical Student at Stanford Medical School.

Morgan Dauer (JHU Neuroscience, 5/12–6/13), currently medical student at SUNY Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine.

Gregory Fuller (JHU Molecular and Cell Biology, 3/13–6/15), currently Ph.D. student in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology program at University of Michigan.

Ben Szatanek (JHU Molecular and Cell Biology, 5/13–1/14), currently project manager at EPIC.

Saksham Gupta (JHU Neuroscience, 5/13–6/15), awarded Provost’s Undergraduate Research Award (PURA) for summer 2014 research project entitled “An Analysis of E3 Ubiquitin Ligases in C9ORF72-related ALS” ($2500 for summer), currently medical student at Harvard Medical School.

Maggie Ireland (UMBC, 6/15-2/17), worked summer 2015 and 2016, currently research technologist at Washington University, St. Louis, MO.

Andrew Cheng (University of Maryland Bioengineering, 6/15-8/16), worked summers 2015 and 2016.

Jeffrey Eskra (JHU Neuroscience, 8/15-8/16)

Harsh Wadhwa (JHU Neuroscience, 8/15-5/18), Provost’s Undergraduate Research Award (PURA) for summer 2016 research project entitled “Effect of ATXN-2 polyglutamine expansion on Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Defects in C9ORF72-mediated ALS” ($2500 for summer).

Victoria Marino (Palomar College, 5/16-7/16), Hopkins Summer Internship Program, now undergraduate student at Harvey Mudd College.

Dan McLoughlin (College of the Holy Cross Psychology/Neuroscience, 6/16-7/17)

Bryan Larin (JHU Neuroscience, 9/16–5/19)

Sindhu Ramachandra (JHU Biophysics, 9/16–7/17)

Safraz Akma (JHU Neuroscience, 9/16-2/17)

Hunter Pyle (JHU Post-Bac Program, 9/16-4/17), currently medical student at UTSW.

Amber Follin (Berea College, 6/17-8/17), Hopkins Summer Internship Program. Currently medical student

Matthew Goynatsky (JHU Neuroscience, 5/17–8/18)), also worked summer 2015.

Andrew Xu (JHU Biomedical Engineering, 8/17–8/18)

Fermin Mendoza (JHU Neuroscience, 2/18–8/18)