People

Current Lab Group

L to R: Micaela Primer (’24), Shaharia Khan (’24), Aanzan Sachdeva (’25), Shira Freilich (’25), Kayleigh Mason (’24), Banpreet Bawa (’23), Prof. Donhauser

Former thesis students

Ella Kolk (’22) Biochemistry thesis: Intermolecular interactions and structure of R5L tau
Current Position: Research technician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute

Zachary Henig (’21). Biochemistry thesis: The effect of phosphorylation on tau-tau intermolecular interactions 
Current position: MD student at NYU

Anna Sesonske (’21). Chemistry thesis: The relative acidities of weak organic acids: Solvent and solute effects on pKa
Current position: Analytical Chemist at Eurofins PSS Insourcing Solutions

Lukas Harries (’19). Biochemistry thesis: Phosphorylation’s impact on tau 
Current position: Data Analyst at GRAIL, MS student in Analytics at Georgia Tech

Cassidy Nealon, MEd (’19). Chemistry thesis: Relative pKas of water and various alcohols
Current position: Chemistry teacher in Oakland Unified School District

Zofia Siwicka (’18). Chemistry thesis: Investigating intermolecular forces in pseudophosphorylated tau
Current position: PhD student at Northwestern University

Claudia Carcamo (’17). Biochemistry thesis: Using surface patterning to interrogate tau structure in various ionic strength conditions
Current position: PhD student at Johns Hopkins University

Amizhdini Eswaramoorthy (’17). Biochemistry thesis: Probing specific interactions in the tau protein projection domain

Dr. Alexandra Gittens (’17). Biochemistry thesis: Examining the function of the carboxyl-terminal domain with respect to tau structure and assemblage
PhD from Johns Hopkins University

Morrie Lam (’16). Biochemistry thesis: Determining the role of the carboxyl-terminal domain in tau protein function
Current position: PhD student at Harvard University

Drury McAlarney (’16). Chemistry thesis: Optimizing parameters for uCP of proteins
Current position: MD student at Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Dr. Christopher Rosenberg (’15). Biochemistry thesis: Purification of a pseudohyperphosphorylated tau mutant for analysis by SDS-PAGE and atomic force microscopy
MD from Stony Brook University
Current position: MD in Portland, OR

Dr. Samuel Verbanic (’15). Biochemistry thesis: Expression and purification of the tau projection domain
PhD from University of California Santa Barbara
Current position: Scientist I at 4D Molecular Therapeutics

Amer Hossain (’14). Biochemistry thesis: Construction of pseudohyperphosphorylated tau mutants for analysis by atomic force microscopy
Current position: PhD student at The Rockefeller University

Pedro Sepulveda (’14). Biochemistry thesis: Purification and characterization of novel constructs of the microtubule associated protein tau
Current position: JD student at City University of New York

Dr. Sarah Cheng (’13). Biochemistry thesis: Examining the structural and mechanical effects of microtubules doubly-stabilized with guanylyl 5′-a,b-methylene diphosphonate (GMPCPP) and paclitaxel
MD from University of California San Francisco
Current position: MD in San Francisco, CA

Dr. Jared Saunders (’13). Biochemistry thesis: Functional analysis of the projection domain of the microtubule associated protein tau
PhD from Princeton University
Current position: Associate Medical Publications Manager at Excerpta Medica Inc.

Dr. Visham Appadoo (’12). Chemistry thesis: Optimizing surface functionalization of mica and silicon with smooth silane films
PhD from University of Wisconsin-Madison
Current position: Chemist at PPG Industries

Dr. Dennis D’Urso (’11). Biochemistry thesis:  Modification and functional study of tau’s projection domain
MD from Thomas Jefferson University
Current position: MD in Elizabeth, NJ

Nyanza Rothman (’11).  Chemistry thesis:  In vitro structural study of microtubules using quantitative fluorescence microscopy
Current position: R&D Specialist at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

Dr. Scott Pascal (’10). Biochemistry Thesis: The effect of tau protein and polymerization conditions on the radial elasticity of microtubules
MD from University of Massachusetts Medical School
Current position: MD in Miami, FL

Dr. Muhammad Haq (’09). Biochemistry Thesis: Purification and characterization of microtubule associated protein tau
MD from NYU School of Medicine
Current position: MD in Jersey City, NJ

Dr. Elysa Kliman (’08). Chemistry Thesis: Characterization of tubulin zinc sheets using UV-vis and AFM
DDS from University of Southern California
Current position: Dentist in Toronto, ON

Dr. Sean Boley (’08). URSI 2006. Chemistry Thesis: Determination of elastic modulus of rubber modified epoxy using atomic force microscopy
MD from Penn State College of Medicine
Current position: MD in St. Paul, MN

Dr. Philipose Mulugeta (’07). Biochemistry Thesis: Atomic force microscopy studies of the elastic properties of glutaraldehyde and paclitaxel stabilized microtubules
MD from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Current position: MD in Rockville, MD

Dr. Kathleen Munson (’06). Biochemistry Thesis: AFM studies of local structural properties of microtubules using paclitaxel and GMPCPP
PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
Current position: Staff Scientist at Pacific Northwest National Lab

Saad Akbar (’05). Chemistry Thesis: Probing the surface of microtubules using atomic force microscopy

Former students: If you see your name on this page and you’d like me to make any changes, please let me know!

Some older lab photos: