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Meet the Lab

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Pyle Lab in the Science Hill courtyard. Photo by Charles Camarda, 2024.

We are a diverse team of researchers at all career stages who are passionate about the fundamental principles and therapeutic potential of RNA-based mechanisms. Every member of our research team contributes unique insight into our research and is essential in building a thriving lab community. Read about our amazing team members below!

We often work with other labs on projects that require interdisciplinary expertise, and we have formed collaborations with various labs at Yale, around the US, and even around the world.

 

If you are interested in joining the team, please get in touch.

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Postdoctoral Fellow

Gina Buchel

Joined 2023

Education: Biochemistry (BS, Rutgers University), Biochemistry, Structural & Molecular Biology (PhD, Thomas Jefferson University)
Research: Studying RIG-I like receptors


Favorite molecule: Caffeine
Scientist hero: Rosalind Franklin
Outside of lab, I enjoy: Cooking and baking

Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

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Research Specialist

Olga Fedorova

Joined 1998

Education: Bioorganic chemistry (Ph.D., Moscow State University, Russia)
Research: Small-molecule-RNA recognition: discovery of group II intron splicing inhibitors. Development of alternative methods of synthesis of di- and triphosphorylated oligonucleotides and their non-hydrolyzable analogs


Favorite molecule: icosahedral buckminsterfullerene (C60)
Scientist hero: Dr. Jonas Salk
Class that most inspired me: undergrad organic chemistry
Outside of the lab, I enjoy: reading, cooking, baking, chess

Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

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Research Technician II

Sarah Fergione

Joined 2018

Education: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (B.S., Missouri Western State University), Biotechnology (Sc.M., Brown University)
Research: solid-phase synthesis of RNA, DNA, and LNA


Favorite molecule: Acetylcholine
Class that most inspired me: Nanoengineering and Nanomedicine
Outside of lab, I enjoy: figure skating, genealogical research, spending time with my family

Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

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Graduate Student

Rong Guo

Joined 2020

Education: Chemistry (Grinnell College)
Research: Develop high-throughput screening assays to explore the small molecule modulators of RIG-I like receptors


Favorite molecule: Black Hole Quencher
Scientist hero: Carolyn Bertozzi
Class that most inspired me: Undergraduate bioinorganic 
Favorite restaurant in New Haven: Hachiroku
Outside of lab, I enjoy: Skiing and exploring restaurants 

Department of Chemistry

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Graduate Student

Tanja Hann

Joined 2021

Education: Biochemistry (BSc, University College London)
Research: Discovering regulatory RNA structure in viral genomes

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Favorite molecule: ATP synthase
Class that most inspired me: The Principles of Cellular Control
Outside of lab, I enjoy: food, weightlifting, reading

Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry

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Research Staff

William Howell

Joined 2024

Education: Biomedical Engineering (B.S., University of Florida)
Research: Determine the structures of RNAs in Viruses of Concern to understand the role of RNA in their pathogenicity and host response.

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Favorite molecule: Biotin
Favorite restaurant in New Haven: Chacara Pisco Bar - Peruvian Cuisine
Outside of lab, I enjoy: Painting model soldiers, playing boardgames, sailing

Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

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Postdoctoral Fellow

Jimin Hwang

Joined 2024

Education: Chemical Engineering (BS, Hanyang University), Chemical and Biological Engineering (MEng, Korea University), Chemistry and Chemical Biology (PhD, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology)
Research: Small molecule drug discovery for antifungal agent by targeting RNA (Group I self-splicing intron)

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Favorite molecule: β-D-Fructofuranosyl α-D-glucopyranosid

Favorite place in New Haven: The Whale Tea

Outside of lab, I enjoy: Hiking, watching sports games

Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

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Graduate Student

Michelle Luo

Joined 2021

Education: Chemistry (B.S., UC Davis)
Research: Structure and function of viral RNAs 


Favorite molecule: hexamethyl pararosaniline chloride (crystal violet)
Class that most inspired me: Undergrad organic chemistry
Outside of lab, I enjoy: caring for houseplants, exploring classic films and musicals

Department of Chemistry

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Research Technician

Kenneisha Norford

Joined 2023

Education: Biology (BS, Fairfield University)
Research: Investigating RNA polymer specificity required for RIG-I and MDA-5 Activation


Class that most inspired me: Undergraduate Genetics
Favorite restaurant in New Haven: Via 
Outside of lab, I enjoy: Reading, fashion

Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

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Graduate Student

Zion Perry

Joined 2021

Education: Biological Engineering (BS, MIT)
Research: Structure and function of disease-relevant long non-coding RNAs; computational methods for RNA structure analysis

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Favorite molecule: Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)

Class that most inspired me: Undergrad Biochemistry
Outside of lab, I enjoy: Nature walks, playing the flute

Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry

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Research Associate

Olga Potapova

Joined 2014

Education: Masters, Saint Petersburg State Chemical Pharmaceutical University (Russia)

Research: Poly(I:C) as a RIG-I and MDA5 activator

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Outside of lab, I enjoy: Friends and grandkids

Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

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Graduate Student

Leena Sen

Joined 2024

Education: Biology and Earth & Atmospheric Sciences (BS, Cornell University)
Research: I am interested in characterizing innate immune receptors in vivo via biochemical and biophysical approaches.

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Favorite molecule: STING

Class that most inspired me: Paleobiology, Dr. Warren Allmon

Outside of lab, I enjoy: Painting, walking, grocery shopping

Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry

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Postdoctoral Associate

Luke Sisto

Joined 2024

Education: Chemistry (Ph.D., UCLA)
Research: Development of RNA targeting antifungal agents and investigation of their mechanism.

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Favorite molecule: α-Amanitin

Scientist hero: Percy Lavon Julian

Favorite restaurant in New Haven: Louis’ Lunch

Outside of lab, I enjoy: Hiking, movies, getting yelled at by my cat

Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

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Graduate Student

Lucille Tsao

Joined 2022

Education: Chemistry (BA, Wellesley College)
Research: Characterizing the structure and function of viral RNAs, specifically for Flaviviruses


Favorite molecule: benzene
Favorite restaurant in New Haven: Hachiroku
Outside of lab, I enjoy: Excursions to the Yale Art Gallery, cooking/baking

Department of Chemistry

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Graduate Student

Han Wan

Joined 2019

Education: Biology (BS, Zhejiang University)
Research:  Characterizing the full-length secondary structure of long positive-strand RNA viruses, mining functional RNA elements, and understanding their mechanisms.

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Favorite molecule: H2O
Favorite place in New Haven: Edgerton Park
Outside of lab, I enjoy: Climbing

Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

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Graduate Student

Ruben Warkentin

Joined 2024

Education: Biochemistry (BS, Queen's University), Biology (MSc, Concordia University Montreal)
Research: Synthesis of circRNA using permuted Group I introns for biotechnological and therapeutic applications.

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Favorite molecule: DARPins

Favorite restaurant in New Haven: Lalibela 

Outside of lab, I enjoy: Foosball, taking care of my plants, DnD

Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

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Postdoctoral Fellow

Ling Xu

Joined 2018

Education: Ph.D.
Research: Structural study of RNA splicing and retrotransposition, and structural study of RLRs in immune system.

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Favorite molecule: U
Scientist hero: Yunyu Shi (A great scientist dedicated to nurturing the next generation of scientists)
Outside of lab, I enjoy: Cooking, hiking, hanging out with family and friends.

Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

Thank you to Charles Camarda and Ryuji Suzuki for photographing our lab members!

Lab Alumni

Pyle Lab Alumni have gone on to many wonderful and diverse endeavors. Alumni, please get in touch if you would like to add an updated profile link!

Dana Abramovitz

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Yasunori Aizawa​

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Rudolf Beran

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Marc Boudvillain

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Kevin Chin

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Vi Chu​

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Kevin Chung

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Alexandre DeLencastre

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Thayne Dickey

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Steve Ding

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Carlos Duarte

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Megan Fitzgerald

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Isabel Chillon Gazquez

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Benjamin Götte

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Justin Green

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Li-Tao Guo

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Elisabeth Humphris-Narayanan

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Nicholas Huston

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Eckhard Jankowsky​

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