Science
Nicole is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Chemical and Systems Biology and of Developmental Biology and a Stanford ChEM-H Institute Scholar. She was a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University and earned her PhD at the University of Pennsylvania. The lab is funded by a Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Investigatorship and an NIH Pathway to Independence Award. Nicole is excited about all things RNA. Current interests include RNA modifications, splicing, 3’ end processing and co-transcriptional processing.
Fun
Nicole enjoys hiking, fly fishing, camping, traveling and food.
Science
Becca is a graduate student in the Chemical and Systems Biology department. Before, joining the Martinez Lab, she studied biology at Cornell University and worked as a tech at Washington University in St Louis. Currently, Becca is studying how the pseudouridine synthase PUS7 is recruited to specific pseudouridylation sites and how the recruitment affects downstream splicing processes.
Fun
Becca is very passionate about cats, baking, and fitness.
Science
Nico is a graduate student in the Chemistry department. Before joining the Martinez Lab, he studied chemistry at the University of Notre Dame. Currently, Nico is studying the role RNA modifications play in cell proliferation and cancer and has an interest in finding new ways to chemically label diverse mRNA modifications. Nico is currently in the Molecular Pharmacology Training Program funded through NIH.
Fun
In his free time, Nico enjoys cooking, boxing, camping, and playing electric bass.
Science
Matias is a postdoc in the Department of Chemical and Systems Biology. He was a graduate student at The Ohio State University where he earned his PhD in molecular, cellular and developmental biology in the laboratory of Dr. Dawn Chandler. Currently, Matias is studying the mechanistic relationship between pseudouridylation of pre-mRNA and alternative splicing.
Fun
Matias enjoys hiking, baking, swimming and live music.
Science
Janie is a graduate student in the Biology department. She grew up in San Diego and studied molecular biology at Princeton University. Now, in the Martinez and Fire labs, she is studying RNA modifications on small RNAs involved in the symbiosis between the bioluminescent Vibrio fischeri and the bobtail squid.
Fun
Janie likes writing, reading, sculpting, running. She also likes eating squid, and is therefore curious what bobtail squids taste like.
Science
Hossein is a research scientist in the Martinez Lab. Before joining Stanford, Hossein obtained his Ph.D. in the lab of Professor Klemens Hertel at UC Irvine. Hossein completed his postdoctoral training in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus with Professor David Bentley. Hossein’s research interests include mechanisms of nuclear gene expression with a focus on pre-mRNA transcription, splicing, and nucleotide modification. In the Martinez Lab, Hossein is studying the interplay between pseudouridine and RNA structure.
Fun
Hossein enjoys running, playing soccer, traveling, listening to and playing rock music.
Science
Kailey is a student in the Stem Cell Biology PhD program. After completing a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, she studied RNA-binding proteins in stem cells through a post-baccalaureate research program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. In the Martinez Lab, she is exploring the role of RNA modifications in stem cell biology and development.
Fun
Outside of the lab, Kailey loves writing, gaming, theater, weightlifting, and cuddling her dog, Beans.
Science
Zoya is a PhD student in the department of Developmental Biology. She was born and raised in Jersey. Zoya received her AB in Molecular Biology and certificate in Global Health & Health Policy from Princeton University. There, she performed senior thesis research in the lab of Dr. Elizabeth Gavis. After graduation, she stayed on as a research specialist in Liz’s lab and became co-advised by Dr. Cameron Myhrvold. Her work focused on developing CRISPR-Cas13-based methods for studying RNP granules in the Drosophila germline. Now co-advised by Dr. Lauren Goins, Zoya is interested in uncovering potential roles for RNA modifications and RBPs more broadly in hematopoiesis, using the Drosophila larval lymph gland as a model.
Fun
When not at the bench (or the microscope), Zoya loves voraciously consuming all kinds of books, working out semi-regularly, cooking, photography, and annoying her loved ones with her always-ready quips.
