Principal Investigator

Professor

Department of Internal Medicine and Biomedical Engineering

Section Co-Director

Molecular Oncology

CHRISTOPHER A. MAHER, PHD

christophermaher@wustl.edu

My primary research interests focus on translating genome-based discoveries into the clinic. This can be exemplified by the development of novel software tools that have enabled the discovery of novel recurrent RNA chimeras and non-coding alterations in solid tumors using high-throughput sequencing. Further, the lab is dedicated to the discovery and characterization of novel non-coding RNAs, elucidating their functionality, and assessing their clinical applicability. I received my PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and completed my postdoctoral research at the University of Michigan.

Faculty and Staff

nmmaher@wustl.edu

NICOLE M. WHITE, PHD

Assistant Professor

Department of Internal Medicine

The goal of my research is to understand how long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) contribute to the progression of lung cancer. Specifically, to understand the biology, we prioritized evolutionarily conserved lncRNAs according to sequence homology and synteny from humans to zebrafish. We hypothesized that the 450-million-year evolutionary distance between these species provided stringent criteria to identify the most essential lncRNAs. One of the few lncRNAs meeting this criterion is onco-lncRNA-17, which we have shown is co-regulated with FOXA2 expression, its neighboring protein-coding gene. FOXA2 is a winged-helix transcription factor that plays an important role in the formation of the endoderm and is critical in tissues such as lung, liver, and pancreas. Deregulation of FOXA2 is implicated in diseases such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma. Ongoing studies are aimed at understanding how onco-lncRNA-17 is regulating FOXA2. I received my PhD in Pharmacology from Case Western Reserve University.

erozycki@wustl.edu

EMILY B. ROZYCKI, BS

Research Lab Supervisor

I am the research lab supervisor in charge of the general daily lab operations. I am also involved in all of the research projects in the lab. I am currently starting our translational projects to look at lncRNAs in blood, urine, and stool as potential biomarkers. Over the years we have carefully characterized these lncRNAs to determine their expression pattern in solid tumors. I am working with our collaborators to collect human samples, and I am responsible for processing them to prepare for sequencing. I received my Bachelor of Science in Microbiology, Cellular and Molecular Biology, and Biotechnology from Southeast Missouri State University.

awilliam@wustl.edu

Staff Scientist

AMY LY, BA

I will be leveraging my extensive experience in research and development to bring new technologies to the Maher lab. My goal is to optimize new methods and streamline lab procedures, thereby allowing me to contribute to several different projects. My current projects include high throughput assays to identify under-represented classes of noncoding RNAs and dissect their epigenetic functions. Additionally, I am focused on translating biomarkers recently discovered in the Maher lab as non-invasive assays for improving patient care. I received my BA from Cornell College.

devana@wustl.edu

Research Assistant

DE'VANA CRUTCHER, BS

I graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences, emphasis in Medical Sciences, with minors in Forensic Science and Chemistry. I am a Research Technician II working with Dr. Maher and Dr. White. I am assisting on projects studying possible diagnostic biomarkers in both gastrointestinal and breast cancer. Currently, our research is being further studied in early stages of a clinical trial. I also help maintain the lab.

netra@wustl.edu

Bioinformatics Research Analyst

NETRA NAVADKAR, MTECH

I received my M-Tech degree from IIIT Hyderabad, India and received a Dean's list award for academic excellence. I have four years of experience as a Sr. Bioinformatics Engineer in the NGS domain. I've led a team of 3 and have been exposed to varieties of NGS data analysis which include RNA-seq, WGS, WES, TCR, and Single-cell (10X) with a combination of genomes. Additionally, I gained experience in analyzing clinical samples (somatic, germ-line, and liquid biopsy), and I also worked on creating an analysis pipeline using the Make framework, Python, and Perl. I've joined the Maher lab as a Bioinformatics Research Analyst; I will be working on the cancer data to understand bone metastasis in breast cancer and develop a non-invasive assay using 5hmC in colon cancer patients. I love to play video games for leisure.

lil1@wustl.edu

Bioinformatics Research Analyst

LI LIN, MPH

I'm interested in advancing science by applying bioinformatics analysis. My skill set encompasses both wet lab and dry lab techniques. Prior to joining the Maher lab, I conducted wet lab research into the mechanisms of diabetes pathogenesis, and also worked with multi-omics datasets to identify potential biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease at Indiana Biosciences Research Institute. My educational background includes a Master's degree in Public Health with a focus on infectious diseases and microbiology from the University of Pittsburgh. I also hold a Bachelor's degree in Nursing from Wuhan University in China. During my free time, I enjoy playing with my cat, baking, and playing badminton and table tennis.

ljungt@wustl.edu

Bioinformatics Research Analyst

Taeyeong Jung, MA

I received a Master’s degree in Bioinformatics from Seoul National University, where I focused on Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) and machine learning within the Biostatistics Laboratory. With experience as a Bioinformatics and AI Engineer at a startup and biotech company in South Korea, I have developed in silico systems for PCR oligo design, contributed to rare disease diagnostics, and built deep learning models. Currently, I am a Bioinformatics Research Analyst at the Maher Lab, focusing on single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis. I am passionate about program development and advancing deep learning technologies. In my free time, I enjoy yoga and running.

Postdoctoral Scholars

yesol@wustl.edu

YESOL KIM, PHD

Instructor

My research interest is to identify and understand non-coding RNA related to cancer progression. I obtained my PhD in molecular biology at Sookmyung Women’s University in Seoul, Korea. My previous research focused on epigenetic molecular mechanisms in breast cancer through genome-wide screening. Specifically, I studied dysregulated miRNAs and methylated genes that led to tumor progression and resistance to anti-cancer drugs in triple-negative breast cancer. In addition, I investigated novel long non-coding RNAs for early detection of relapse in triple-negative breast cancer. Currently, I am interested in finding novel non-coding RNAs to understand cancer progression mechanisms using various next generation sequencing data analyses.

hebbar@wustl.edu

SHILPA HEBBAR, PHD

Postdoctoral Research Associate

As an RNA biologist, I’m interested in exploring the roles of less studied non-coding RNAs in development and in diseases. I received my PhD from Kansas State University, where I studied regulatory mechanisms underlying miRNA mediated developmental processes in Caenorhabditis elegans. In the Maher lab, I’m working on identifying novel mechanisms through which lncRNAs drive colorectal cancer progression and developing means to therapeutically target them. In addition to unravelling RNAs, I’m interested in exploring creative ways to disseminate science to a broad range of audiences. My hobbies also include making to-do lists and testing new ways to procrastinate effectively.

gothoum at wustl.edu

GHOFRAN OTHOUM, PHD

Postdoctoral Research Associate

My overall research interest is to utilize computational and mathematical methods towards the study of biological systems. My PhD is in Biological Engineering from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Previously, I have focused on reconstructing and modeling microbial systems, leveraging whole-genome sequencing data and metabolomics. In my current postdoctoral research, I am applying similar systems biology methods to multi-omics datasets of various cancer types. Specifically, I am interested in interrogating the effects of variants in non-coding regions, such as somatic copy-number alterations and mutations, on the expression of cancer genes. Mostly, I am focusing on variants leading to rearrangement of cis-regulatory elements by integrating copy-number variation data, gene expression data and supporting datasets with focus on chromatin interactions.

yesol at wustl.edu

YESOL KIM, PHD

Instructor

My research interest is to identify and understand non-coding RNA related to cancer progression. I obtained my PhD in molecular biology at Sookmyung Women’s University in Seoul, Korea. My previous research focused on epigenetic molecular mechanisms in breast cancer through genome-wide screening. Specifically, I studied dysregulated miRNAs and methylated genes that led to tumor progression and resistance to anti-cancer drugs in triple-negative breast cancer. In addition, I investigated novel long non-coding RNAs for early detection of relapse in triple-negative breast cancer. Currently, I am interested in finding novel non-coding RNAs to understand cancer progression mechanisms using various next generation sequencing data analyses.

hebbar at wustl.edu

SHILPA HEBBAR, PHD

Postdoctoral Research Associate

As an RNA biologist, I’m interested in exploring the roles of less studied non-coding RNAs in development and in diseases. I received my PhD from Kansas State University, where I studied regulatory mechanisms underlying miRNA mediated developmental processes in Caenorhabditis elegans. In the Maher lab, I’m working on identifying novel mechanisms through which lncRNAs drive colorectal cancer progression and developing means to therapeutically target them. In addition to unravelling RNAs, I’m interested in exploring creative ways to disseminate science to a broad range of audiences. My hobbies also include making to-do lists and testing new ways to procrastinate effectively.

Graduate Students

gjeffers@wustl.edu

PhD Student

Molecular Genetics and Genomics

Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences

GEJAE JEFFERS, BS

I graduated with a Bachelors of Science from University of the Virgin Islands where I studied Computer Science with a focus on Biology and Mathematics. Following a post baccalaureate research experience in the Maher lab, I joined the Molecular Genetics and Genomics program at Washington University to pursue a doctorate.

h.mai@wustl.edu

PhD Student

Cancer Biology

Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences

HUNG MAI, PHARMD

My overall research interest is studying genetic aberrants in cancers and translating these understandings into novel clinical strategies. I received my PharmD from the University of Debrecen, Hungary and Master of Biotechnology from the University of Pennsylvania. My previous works focused on understanding the tumor suppressor roles of p53 in different contexts of lung tumors. I was also involved in a few bioinformatics projects to elucidate the transcriptome profiles in brain and kidney. Currently, I’m interested in investigating the roles of circular RNAs in the formation and progression of colorectal cancers. I’m planning to combine molecular and computational approaches to answer my research question. I enjoy cooking in my free time, and I can cook good Vietnamese foods.

Alumni

Instructor

HA X. DANG

Now: Principle Scientist, Bristol Myers Squibb

Postdocs

JACE WEBSTER

Now: Full Specialist at UCSF

SIDI ZHAO

Now: Systems Biology Postdoctoral Fellow at MD Anderson Cancer Center

JESSICA SILVA-FISHER

Now: Assistant Professor of Medicine at WashU

ABDALLAH ETELEEB

Now: Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at WashU

ANDREW NICKLESS

Now: Principal Scientist at C2N Diagnostics

JIN ZHANG

Now: Assistant Professor in Radiation Oncology, Division of Cancer Biology, Washington University School of Medicine

CHRISTOPHER CABANSKI

Now: Senior Director at Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy

Graduate Students

GETIAN HU

Now: PhD Candidate at Clemson University

PATRICK DESOUZA

Now: MD/PhD Candidate at WashU

DEBANJAN SAHA

Now: MD/PhD Candidate at WashU

Postbacs

HENRY VOLKMANN

Now: Graduate Student in Biomedical Engineering at Vanderbilt University

CYNTHIA TANG

Now: MD/PhD Candidate at UNC Chapel Hill

SANDRA MCFADDEN

Now: Chemist, MilliporeSigma

Undergrads

CAROL PENG

Now: Undergraduate Student at WashU majoring in Biology

ETHAN LI

Now: Undergraduate Student at WashU majoring in Engineering

BROOKE FELSHEIM

Now: PhD Candidate, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

BEN DUGGAN

Now: Fourth-Year Medical Student at Indiana University School of Medicine

CORRINE RAUCK

Now: Dermatology Fellow, Penn Medicine-University of Pennsylvania Health System

DANIELLA CICKA

Now: MD/PhD, Internal Medicine Residency Program at WashU

TENG (BRETT) GAO

Now: Postdoctoral Fellow at Boston Children's Hospital & Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard