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
Ronit is an undergraduate pursuing dual degrees in English and Computer Science (computational biology) along with a coterminal degree in Biology. Prior to joining the Martinez Lab, Ronit worked in labs at the University of Washington, NOAA, and the Hopkins Marine Station. Ronit’s current work focuses on developing computational pipelines for calling pseudouridine sites in a variety of biological contexts.
Fun
Ronit loves night bike rides, Gothic fiction, and consuming chocolate by the pound.
Science
Christina is a postbac in the Sarafan ChEM-H/IMA Postbaccalaureate Program that focuses on target discovery. Before joining the Martinez Lab, she studied Biology and minored in Chemistry and Statistical Modeling of Complex Systems at Northesteastern Illinois University. Currently, Christina is studying modulators of pseudouridine synthases on targeted RNAs.
Fun
Besides being obsessed with dogs, Christina enjoys finding the best Boba/ice cream places, listening to music, and laughing with friends.
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.
