People
Principal Investigator
Gregor Neuert
Associate Professor, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Associate Professor, Pharmacology
I have a diverse interdisciplinary background, having obtained an M.Eng. in Technical Physics from Technical University Ilmenau, Montana State University, and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory with a focus on surface science and solid-state physics. After graduation, I shifted my research focus to biophysics and earned a Ph.D. in Physics under the guidance of Dr. Hermann Gaub at Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich, Germany. As a DFG Postdoctoral Fellow in the departments of physics and biology at MIT, I studied the underlying mechanisms of signal transduction and gene regulation with Dr. Alexander van Oudenaarden. I started my independent lab at Vanderbilt University with the support of an NIH Directors New Innovator Award and was later appointed as a Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences Dean’s Faculty Fellow in 2021. My primary scientific interest lies in utilizing quantitative methods to unravel the molecular mechanisms of signal transduction and gene regulation. When not working, I enjoy engaging in various hobbies such as cooking, baking, hiking, camping, and appreciating the arts.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Catherine Leasure
ASPIRE Postdoctoral Fellow, BRET - Vanderbilt School of Medicine
Catherine received her B.S. in Genetics with a minor in Horticulture from Texas A&M University in 2017. After a year in the IGP program at Vanderbilt, she joined the Skaar laboratory where she studied heme homeostasis in Staphylococcus aureus and host stress sensing in Bacillus anthracis. She earned her Ph.D. in 2023 and is currently the ASPIRE to Innovate Postdoctoral fellow at Vanderbilt University. In this role, she is working to commercialize a cutting-edge technology that was developed at Vanderbilt.
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.
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.
There is no people with Undergraduate Students tag
Alumni
Savindu Buluwana
Undergraduate Student , Molecular and Cellular Biology
I am currently an undergraduate student majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology at Vanderbilt University. My research focuses on understanding the effect of the rate of stimuli exposure on cell death. In my free time, I enjoy hanging out with friends, playing video games, and playing chess.
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.
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.
Guoliang Li
Post-doctoral Fellow, Current Position: Assistant Professor, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
Alexander Lin
Undergraduate Student, Computer Science
I am currently an undergraduate student majoring in computer science at Vanderbilt University. My research focuses on developing modeling approaches for signal transduction pathways.
Dustin Cory Rogers
Research Assistant I, Current Position: Research Associate I, Pierian Biosciences, Franklin, TN
