Meet the Lab
Pyle Lab in the Science Hill courtyard. Photo by Ryuji Suzuki, 2023.
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.
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
Graduate Student
Kevin Chung
Joined 2019
Education: Biochemistry (BS, UCLA)
Research: Mechanisms and structures of group II intron RNPs
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Favorite molecule: Caffeine
Class that most inspired me: undergrad o-chem
Favorite place in New Haven: East Rock Park
Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry
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
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
Postdoctoral Fellow
Benjamin Götte
Joined 2020
Education: Virology (Ph.D., Karolinska Institute, Sweden)
Research: Using fluorescent RNA aptamers to visualize the dynamics of viral RNA in live cells.
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Class that most inspired me: Virology lecture series by Norbert Tautz
Favorite place in New Haven: West Rock Park
Outside of lab, I enjoy: hiking, biking, climbing
Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
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
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
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
Undergraduate Student
Dimitri Ivanov
Joined 2023
Education: Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (BS, Yale)
Research: My project investigates how Group II self-splicing introns can be utilized to efficiently create protein-expressing circular RNA.
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Favorite restaurant in New Haven: Choupette Creperie and Cafe
If I could visit anywhere, I would go to: Port Antonio, Jamaica
Outside of lab, I enjoy: Beach Volleyball, traveling, squash
Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Visiting Graduate Student
Kasimir Kienbeck
Joined 2024
Education: Molecular Biotechnology (BSc, FH Campus Wien, Austria), Molecular Microbiology and Immunobiology (MSc, University of Vienna, Austria)
Research: Structure of small ribozymes that cleave tRNA trailers via cryo-EM
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Favorite molecule: Adenosine Triphosphate
Scientist hero: Stephen Hawking
Teacher who most inspired me: Middle school chemistry teacher
If I could visit anywhere, I would go to: The Moon
Outside of lab, I enjoy: Good food, playing guitar, and going to the gym
Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
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
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
Graduate Student
Zion Perry
Joined 2021
Education: Bioengineering (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, playing the flute, journaling
Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry
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
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
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
Postdoctoral Fellow
Margaret Vos
Joined 2023
Education: Biochemistry (B.S., Juniata College), Biochemistry (M.S., University of Arizona), Molecular Biology and Biophysics (PhD, University of Connecticut, Health Center)
Research: Investigating the structure and function of proteins that control the innate immune response system.
Favorite molecule: ATP
Scientist heros: Marie Curie and Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin
Outside of lab, I enjoy: Sleeping, hiking, and reading
Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
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
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
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 Ryuji Suzuki for photographing many of 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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Kevin Chin
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Vi Chu
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Carlos Duarte
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Justin Green
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Elisabeth Humphris-Narayanan
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Nicholas Huston
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