People

Principal Investigator

Gregor Neuert

Associate Professor, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Associate Professor, Pharmacology

I am trained interdisciplinary with an M.Eng. in Technical Physics from Technical University Ilmenau (Ilmenau, Germany), Montana State University (Bozeman, MT), and at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL, Richland, WA) focusing on surface science and solid-state physics. Following graduation, I switched research fields to biophysics to obtain a Ph. D. in Physics in the lab of Dr. Hermann Gaub at Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich, Germany. After finishing my Ph.D. I switched fields again, focusing on underlying mechanisms of signal transduction and gene regulation as a DFG Postdoctoral Fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Alexander van Oudenaarden in the departments of physics and biology at MIT. I started my independent lab at Vanderbilt University, supported by an NIH Directors New Innovator Award in 2014 and as a Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences Dean’s Faculty Fellow in 2021. My passion for science is to understand the molecular mechanisms of signal transduction and gene regulation using quantitative approaches. In my free time, I like to cook and bake, go hiking and camping, and enjoy the arts.

Postdoctoral Fellows

Hossein Jashnsaz

Research Instructor, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics

I received my bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Tabriz in Iran and my master’s degree in Photonics from Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran, Iran, after relocating the US to earn a Ph.D. in Physics from Purdue University in Indianapolis. During my Ph.D., I researched on fundamental theoretical and experimental questions of biological predator-prey systems. In my postdoc, I am interested in predictive modeling and experimental validation of signal transduction in eukaryotic cells. In my free time, I like to hike and cook and play FIFA on playstation4 whenever I get a chance.

Graduate Students

Blythe Hospelhorn

Graduate Student, Human Genetics

As an undergraduate student, I majored in with a B.Sc. in Biological Sciences from the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY. Before joining the IGP program, I worked for two years full time as a postbaccalaureate fellow for the Undiagnosed Diseases Program (UDP) at the National Institutes of Health. I am currently a graduate student in the Human Genetics (HGEN) program. My research as an NIH Big Biomedical Data Science (BIDS) Training Grant Fellow focuses on the quantitative understanding of transcription regulation in eukaryotic cells. I enjoy coding frivolous programs, audio engineering, and voice acting in my free time.

Jason Hughes

Gradaute Student, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics

I graduated with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maryland in Baltimore. I am currently a graduate student in the Molecular Physiology and Biophysics program. My research as an NIH ITED Training Grant and NSF predoctoral Fellow focuses on the quantitative understanding of transcription regulation in single cells. In my free time, I enjoy playing board games, breakdancing, playing musical instruments, and going to the symphony.

Benjamin K Kesler

Graduate Student, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics

As an undergraduate student, I majored with a B.Sc. in Neuroscience and with a minor in Mathematics from the University of Arizona. I am currently a graduate student in the Molecular Physiology and Biophysics program. My research as an NIH Molecular Biophysics Training Grant Fellow focuses on the quantitative understanding of long non-coding RNA regulation in eukaryotic cells. In my free time, I like to play the trumpet, video games, and board games.

Abraheem Khouqeer

Graduate Student, Chemical and Physical Biology

I received a B.S. and double major in Chemistry and Biology from the University of Colorado in Denver. After graduating, I was a Research Associate with Eltron Research & Development and the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. I then started my graduate research at Vanderbilt University in the CPB program. My research as an NIH Molecular Biophysics Training Grant Fellow focuses on the fundamental understanding of dynamic signal transduction in mammalian cells.

: abraheem.khouqeer@vanderbilt.edu

Research Assistant

John Adams

Research Assistant I, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics

As an undergraduate student, I earned a B.S. with a major in Microbiology and a minor in Chinese language and culture from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. After graduating, I worked as a molecular biologist at Aegis Sciences Corporation involved in COVID-19 testing. I am responsible for lab management and the support of lab members. In my free time, I am an avid runner and enjoy reading philosophy and watching films of dubious quality.