Meet the incoming class of 2010!

Lara Backman
Scripps College 2010, Molecular Biology
From: Bedford, MA (near Lexington and Concord)
Research background: protein folding in E. coli, genetic responses to estrogen in zebrafish development, the integrin VCAM-1 in immunity, HDACs in Tetrahymena
Research interests: developmental biology
Fun facts: once taught archery to kids—sounds dangerous!, wanted to be a knight or a marine biologist when she grew up, plays the cello


Jacob Bale
UW 2009, Biochemistry
From: Spokane
Research background: nitrogen fixing bacteria (and possible first nitrogen fixing Eukaryote!), phenotypic robustness in plants
Research interests: renewable energy, metabolic engineering, synthetic biology
Fun facts: spent a summer building hovercrafts in his garage, worked for the UW Office of Annual Giving as a student caller, considering kayaking to school



Angela Barr
MIT 2008, Biology
From: Burnsville, MN (suburb of the Twin Cities)
Research background: Developmental timing in C. elegans, zebrafish nervous system development
Research interests: cancer and translational research
Fun facts: worked at a Michael’s Arts and Crafts store (and discovered that crafters can be kind of crazy!), childhood dream jobs included paleontology and operating a hot air balloon


Christopher Bennett
McGill University 2010, Biochemistry
From: Carlsbad, CA (part of San Diego County)
Research background: control of pre-mRNA splicing and the mTOR pathway
Research interests: unsure
Fun facts: has always wanted to be a scientist or a zoologist, likes to snowboard, wants to visit the Amazonian rainforest





Jen Cech
Dartmouth College 2008, Biological Sciences
From: Boulder, CO, went to high school in Maryland
Research background: screening chemicals that affect pigment production in zebrafish and may affect melanomas, mapping a gene important in blood stem cells
Research interests: no idea!
Fun facts: has visited the Galapagos, wanted to be a lawyer when she grew up, loves outdoor activities





Ryan Davis
Hope College 2009, Biology
From: the Detroit area and Holland (western Michigan)
Research background: medicinal chemistry and small molecules, cell biology and signal transduction
Research interests: cancer biology
Fun facts: owned vending machines in high school (and spent lots of time counting change), studied ecology in Australia after college

Emily Fawcett
Saint Mary’s College of Maryland 2010, Biology
From: Hagerstown, MD (about an hour west of DC)
Research background: membrane trafficking in yeast, transient protein expression in tobacco, effects of organic farming on bacterial biodiversity in soil
Research interests: biochemistry, microbiology, yeast
Fun facts: major Yankees fan (see profile picture), expert muffin baker, says that everyone at MCB recruitment seemed happier than anywhere else



Mike Fiske
Lake Forest College 2010, Biology
From: Northbrook, IL
Research background: Parkinson’s disease research using yeast as a model organism
Research interests: loves neurosciences, but is interested in branching out
Fun facts: was a writing tutor in college, is a “huge music nerd” and loves going to concerts, wanted to be a tornado chaser when he grew up





Claire Gonzalez
Indiana University 2005, Biology and French
From: Hammond, IN (near Chicago)
Research background: Huntingtin-Interacting Protein 1 in Clathrin-mediated endocytosis and Huntington’s disease, spindle assembly checkpoint in yeast meiosis
Research interests: cell cycle, Cystic Fibrosis, genomics
Fun facts: worked as a founding teacher at an elementary school for disadvantaged youth, wanted to be a detective as a kid, getting to Seattle by a road trip though lots of awesome national parks (Badlands, Glacier, Yellowstone)


Erica Hildebrand
Connecticut College 2010, Biological Sciences
From: Montpelier, VT
Research background: regulation of Notch signaling in Drosophilia, ammonia oxidizing archaeal communities in a salt marsh, deep sea hydrothermal vent microbial communities
Research interests: cellular regulation, from how transcription is controlled to epigenetics, cell signaling, and cell cycle regulation
Fun facts: went on a road trip to Ayer’s Rock in Australia, wanted to be a professional book reviewer, lived in a lean-to in the woods for a month


Andrew Mathewson
Whitman College 2009, Biology
From: Tigard, OR
Research background: chloroplast development and embryogenesis in Arabidopsis, agricultural research company developing new varieties of vegetables
Research interests: open to anything
Fun facts: spending the summer backpacking around the western US, weirdest job: “I had to help watermelon plants have sex with themselves”, spent a semester studying in New Zealand


Erica Sanchez
UC Davis 2009, Biological Sciences (Molecular and Cellular Bio)
From: Hollister, CA (a small farming community in northern CA)
Research background: chromatin modification and gene expression, folate/B12 pathway in early development
Research interests: virology and host-pathogen interactions
Fun facts: likes biking and wants to start brewing beer (perfect hobbies for Seattle!), was a Resident Advisor for student housing in college



Alyssa Sheih
UW 2010, Bioengineering
From: Yangon, Myanmar, moved to Seattle when she was eight
Research background: designing drug and gene delivery systems
Research interests: immunology and cellular-based therapies
Fun facts: first job was at McDonald’s, wanted to be a doctor as a kid


Chelsea Spragg
Emory University 2009, Biology
From: northern Georgia
Research background: ecological immunology: infecting aphids with fungi as a potential method of pest control, tracking the movement of the intermediate filament vimentin in cells
Research interests: immunotherapy and cancer vaccines
Fun facts: has been doing research at the University of Edinburgh since college, wanted to be an artist when she grew up, loves animals (except cows and chickens)




Katie Thomas
University of New Mexico 2009, Biochemistry and Japanese
From: Albuquerque, NM
Research background: screening a chemical library of synthetic resveratrol analogs for anti-inflammatory activity
Research interests: signal transduction pathways
Fun facts: has wanted to live in Seattle since she was 14, worked as a meat pie vendor at a Scottish festival , wanted to be an author when she grew up


Chad Toledo
University of Minnesota 2009, Genetics, Cell Biology and Development
From: Los Angeles and Minneapolis
Research background: role of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-32 in HIV/SIV infection, DNA vaccines for HIV
Research interests: immunology, virology and apoptosis in relation to cancer
Fun facts: major sports fan (goes to Dodgers games in every city he visits, wanted to play for the Dodgers when he grew up), interested in the MBA and Molecular Medicine options in the MCB program