Lab Members
Archana Dhasarathy
Principal Investigator
Dr. Dhasarathy received her Ph.D. in the laboratory of Dr. Michael Kladde at Texas A&M University, TX. She did postdoctoral work with Dr. Paul Wade at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in the Research Triangle Park, NC. Her interests are chromatin structure and transcriptional regulation, as it applies to the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT).
Current Lab Members
Kaitlyn Gura
Graduate Student
Kaitlyn graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Biology from NDSU and grew up in Bismarck North Dakota. She is also Company Commander with the North Dakota Army National Guard. Through the military she has provided translation services in Peru and supported Air Defense Artillery for the White House in Washington, DC. Kaitlyn is supported by the prestigious National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP) for 2024. Her Ph.D. project involves a collaborative venture with Dr. Catherine Brissette’s laboratory. Specifically, Kaitlyn will investigate epigenetic mechanisms that enable cells to memorize prior exposure and respond robustly when they re-encounter the stimulus in the future. When not hard at work, she enjoys napping, lifting, and skiing (in that order), and of course spending time with her fiancé and their two cats, Beans and Noodles.
Jenna Grindeland
Graduate Student
Jenna grew up in Southern California and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology at California State University, San Bernardino. Jenna loves microscopy and is working on understanding epigenetics of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition focusing on 3D organoids. She is working with Dr. Alshami’s group to develop and test novel hydrogels to determine how EMT characteristics are altered in response to mechanical stress. In her free time she enjoys mountain biking, hiking, and camping with her spouse Andy and their dog Tansy.
Mollie Hostetter
Lab Technician
A native of Bismarck, ND, Mollie graduated from UND with a BS in Biology. She is the go-to person in the lab for almost everything! Her project deals with understanding the epigenetics of bladder cancer, which is a collaboration with Dr. Emily Biggane’s laboratory at United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck. When not in the lab, Mollie likes to spend time with her fiancé and their two dogs, Merlin and Kali.
Former Postdoctoral Fellows:
Atrayee Ray – (2018- 2022). Current position: Postdoctoral Fellow Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
Janani Kumar – (2016-2017). Current position: Research Associate, MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Humaira Qureshi- (2014-2015). Current position: Associate Professor, Integrated Science and Mathematics, Habib University, Pakistan
Former Lab Technicians:
Shawn Krueger (2014-2015)
Jarret Merschman (2021-2022)
Former Graduate Students:
Atrayee Bhattacharya – PhD 2019. Current position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Kufe Lab, Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Smruthi Rudraraju – PhD 2021. Current position: Technology Specialist, Lando & Anastasi
Former Undergraduates:
Jacksen Perrin
Jarret Merschman
Carson Herbert
Kole Hermanson
Brian Buckner
Emily Klatt
Brooke Kubat
Michelle Patregnani
Liz Peterson
Shawn Krueger
Ian Swanson
Lindsay Trachsel
Summer REMS (medical) students:
Henry Elsenpeter (2023)
Maureen Ikedinobi (2021)
Michael Solc and Sa Kong (2020)
Nick Colwell (2017)
Nicole Stewart (2016)
Jill Wieser (2015)
Summer undergraduate students:
Kaleigh Coker
Tuesday Melton
Clemence Bechelli