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  Mark Emerson, Ph.D

  Principal Investigator

  Ph.D. Neurobiology, Harvard University, 2005

  B.A. Neuroscience, Oberlin College, 1997

  Mark obtained his Ph.D. in Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School under the mentorship of Dr. David Van Vactor. He trained as a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Connie Cepko in the Harvard Medical School Department of Genetics and joined The City College of New York's Biology Department as an assistant professor in the Fall of 2012. Mark's interest is in understanding the basic molecular mechanisms underlying the development of the eye and to contribute to the generation of new therapies for human retinal disease. Outside of lab, Mark most enjoys any activity that involves his family.

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  Mark Emerson, Ph.D

  Principal Investigator

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  Miruna Ghinia Tegla, Ph.D

  Postdoctoral Researcher

  Ph.D, Biology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 2013
  M.S. Molecular Biotechnology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 2010

  B.S. Biology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 2008

  Miruna graduated from the Doctoral School of Biology of the Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj Napoca, Romania after completing research studies at the National Eye Institute, at the NIH in Bethesda, MD, as well as at the Institute of Neuroscience of the National Research Council, in Pisa, Italy. Her doctoral thesis is entitled "Molecular tools to study the development and organization of the retinal neuronal networks". Her research interests are related to the retinal development - cell types specification and circuit assembly using experimental model, such as the chicken and the mouse.

  She is originally from Petrosani, a small town in Transylvania. She loves traveling and always uses conferences as a good reason to meet people around the world with similar interests.

  See Miruna's published articles
  See Miruna's ORCID

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  Miruna Ghinia Tegla, Ph.D

  Postdoctoral Researcher

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  Brendon Patierno

  Doctoral Student

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  Brendon Patierno

  Doctoral Student

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  Elizabeth Miller

  Doctoral Student

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  Elizabeth Miller

  Doctoral Student

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  Thabelo Lekoetje

  Doctoral Student

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  Thabelo Lekoetje

  Doctoral Student

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  Angelina Grebe

  Doctoral Student

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  Angelina Grebe

  Doctoral Student

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  Brandon Webley

  Research Assistant

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  Brandon Webley

  Research Assistant

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  Denice Moran

  Research Assistant

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  Denice Moran

  Research Assistant

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  Erick Subillaga

  Masters Student

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  Erick Subillaga

  Masters Student

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  Chetan Rangachar

  Masters Student

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  Chetan Rangachar

  Masters Student

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  Mykel Barrett

  Undergraduate Student

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  Mykel Barrett

  Undergraduate Student

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  Ekene Onwubiko

  Undergraduate Student

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  Ekene Onwubiko

  Undergraduate Student

Former Lab Members & Alumni

• Diego Buenaventura
  

  Diego Buenaventura

  Doctoral Student

  B.A. Psycology, Universidad Espiritu Santo, 2010
  M.S. Neuroscience, College of Staten Island, 2012
  

  Ph.D. Neuroscience, CUNY Graduate Center, 2018

  Diego Buenaventura was a Neuroscience/Biology Doctoral Student in Dr. Emerson’s lab since August 2013. His work involves the characterization of restricted progenitor lineages important in the production of photoreceptors through functional assays and high-throughput sequencing methods. His research interests are in molecular approaches to neuroscience and in dealing with large amounts of sequencing data.

  Diego is originally from Guayaquil, Ecuador. He enjoys cooking something new every week, doodling on any surface around him, and reading (or listening) to scifi or fantasy literature.

  See Diego's published articles

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  Doctoral Student

• Estie Schick
  

  Estie Schick

  Doctoral Student

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  Doctoral Student

• Sean McCaffery

  Doctoral Student

• Sruti Patoori
  

  Sruti Patoori

  Doctoral Student

  B.A. Genetics, Rutgers University - New Brunswick, 2013

  Sruti Patoori graduated from Rutgers University – New Brunswick in 2013 with a B.A in Genetics and conducted her undergraduate research in population genetics. She is interested in evolutionary developmental biology and transcriptional regulation. Her work focuses on identifying and describing transcriptional enhancers involved in the development of cone photoreceptors. She is also studying the role of enhancers in the evolution of the vertebrate retina, using the ground squirrel and mouse as models. She enjoys baking, eating, short stories, and taking blurry photographs of the Jersey Devil.

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  Doctoral Student

• Xueqing Chen
  

  Xueqing Chen

  Doctoral Student

  Xueqing Chen graduated from University of London in 2015 with a Master in Biology and obtained B.A. in Molecular Biology at Fudan University. She is interested in genetics, development and her research focuses on the role of Notch signaling pathway in retinal cell type determination and proliferation. She is from China and likes experiencing different cultures. She loves traveling, reading, and movies, a big fan of Harry Potter.

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  Doctoral Student

• Benjamin Souferi

  Masters Student (BS/MS)

• Diana Yeijin Kim

  Masters Student

• Javed Chitaman

  Masters Student

• Abdullah Syed
  

  Abdullah Syed

  Undergraduate Student

  Abdullah Syed is part of the City College Honors program studying biochemistry. He joined Dr. Emerson’s lab in June 2016, working with different enhancers to transiently express OneCut1, a transcription factor that plays a role in photoreceptor development. After graduation, he plans on attending medical school. He is also the secretary of Alpha Epsilon Delta club, a pre-professional health club. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking cuisines from different cultures.

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  Undergraduate Student

• Adrianne Corseri
  

  Adrianne Corseri

  Undergraduate Student

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  Undergraduate Student

• Anjali Bryan

  Undergraduate Student

• Ariana Gopal
  

  Ariana Gopal

  Undergraduate Student

  Ariana Gopal is a member of the Class of 2019 in the Macaulay Honors Program at CCNY, majoring in Biology and minoring in Anthropology. She is also on the pre-medical track and plans to apply to medical school and M.D./Ph.D programs after graduation. Ariana worked at the Emerson Lab since Fall of 2016 under the mentorship of Graduate student Sruti Patoori. Her project is geared toward determining potential enhancers for the Onecut1 gene, an early marker for cone and horizontal cell genesis. She received funding from CCNY's Opportunities in Research and Creative Arts (ORCA) program for this project and was awarded the Sharon D. Cosloy Scholarship for her work. Outside of the lab, Ariana is on the e-board for CCNY's Women in Science group and serves as a mentor to several biology students in CCNY's Honors program.

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  Undergraduate Student

• Brian Wang
  

  Brian Wang

  Undergraduate Student

  B.Eng. Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, 2016.

  Brian Wang graduated from CCNY with a B. Eng in Biomedical Engineering and has worked in Dr. Emerson’s Lab since February 2013. His interests include medical devices, neuroscience, data analysis, and web design. Brian is a New York City native who enjoys photography in his spare time and has finally found the best halal food in New York City. After graduating, he will be moving to Kansas City to start a job working in the healthcare technology industry.

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  Undergraduate Student/Halal Connoisseur

• Cassandra Thakurdin
  

  Cassandra Thakurdin

  Undergraduate Student

  B.S. Biology, The City College of New York, 2018

  Cassandra is a senior at The City College of New York majoring in Biology and minoring in History. She is on the pre-medical track and will be applying to medical school upon graduation. She has been a member of the Emerson’s Lab since June of 2016; she started in the lab through the NSF Program for that year. Following that, in the Summer of 2017 she was awarded a stipend from the STEM-CDI program to continue doing research in the lab. Her project involves using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to understand the role of Otx2; a transcription factor responsible for proper photoreceptor development. Outside of the lab, Cassandra enjoys cooking, baking, hiking, and painting. 

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  Undergraduate Student

• Chantelle Levy

  Undergraduate Student

• Chisom Madu

  Undergraduate Student

• Dillon Rogando

  Undergraduate Student

• Erin Keblish
  

  Erin Keblish

  Undergraduate Student

  Erin studied Biomedical Engineering at CCNY. She is interested in the intersection of biology and engineering.

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  Undergraduate Student

• Hafiz Tariq

  Undergraduate Student

• Janely Coindet

  Undergraduate Student

• Jean-Paul Talero

  Undergraduate Student

• Kazi Hossain
  

  Kazi Hossain

  Undergraduate Student

  B.S. Biology, The City College of New York, 2018

  Kazi Hossain is a sophomore in his undergraduate studies; he is majoring in Biology and has been conducting research in Dr. Emerson’s lab since June of 2015. He is interested in studying Immunology, Neurobiology and is currently working on identifying new retinal enhancers.

  Outside of the lab Kazi is an Ellen Knowles Harcourt Scholar, and hates taking photographs that involve him tilting his head down.

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  Undergraduate Student/Tarantula Whisperer

• Kevin Gonzalez
  

  Kevin Gonzalez

  Undergraduate Student

  B.S. Biology, The City College of New York, 2018

  Kevin Gonzalez is a Biology major and a graduate of the CCNY Class of 2018. Kevin joined the Emerson Lab in the Summer of 2015, where he studies the transcriptional events underlying the differentiation of multipotent retinal progenitor cells into subtypes of retinal interneurons called horizontal cells. During his time at City, he has participated in several prestigious research programs, including the Summer Honors Undergraduate Research Program at Harvard Medical School, and has been the recipient of numerous awards for his work, such as the Chleck Family Undergraduate Scholarship for Excellence in Science, the Sharon D. Cosloy Undergraduate Scholarship in Biology, and the Jonas E. Salk Award. Kevin has also presented his research at multiple conferences across the nation, including the New England Science Symposium at The Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School and the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students. Beginning this Fall 2018, Kevin will join Columbia University's Doctoral Program in Neurobiology and Behavior.

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  Undergraduate Student/Mr. Overtime

• Malai O’Keefe
  

  Malai O’Keefe

  Undergraduate Student

  Malai O’Keefe is a member of the Class of 2021 in the City College Honors Program pursuing a BS in Psychology. She worked at the Emerson Lab since July 2018 through the NSF program. Malai serves as a mentor to incoming psychology and biology students through the CCNY Honors Mentoring Program. Outside of lab, she is passionate about volunteering with non-profit organizations throughout NYC, especially one which aims to tackle the literacy challenge many middle schoolers face in America. In her spare time, she enjoys watching classic and current films, biking, drinking tea and trying new cuisines.

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  Undergraduate Student

• Marilyn Matthews

  Undergraduate Student

• Michelle Kwon

  Undergraduate Student

• Pooja Dutta
  

  Pooja Dutta

  Undergraduate Student

  B.S. Biology, The City College of New York, 2018

  Pooja Dutta is a senior of Macaulay Honors College at CCNY and a CUNY BA student pursuing concentrations in Biomedical Science and Medical Anthropology. She is an aspiring physician and hopes to pursue a combined MD/MPH degree. She began working at the Emerson lab during the fall of 2015 under the NSF program and has been working under the mentorship of Xueqing Chen since then. Her project involves understanding the functions of Ptf1a and the Notch Signaling pathway, to elucidate generation of horizontal cell fates. Outside of the lab, Pooja enjoys being involved with service work geared towards the elderly community and also leads a Bollywood fusion dance team, Macaulay Deewane. Her interests also include cooking different cuisines, photography, and pottery.

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  Undergraduate Student

• Sacha Sulaiman
  

  Sacha Sulaiman

  Undergraduate Student

  Sacha Sulaiman is a member of the Class of 2021 in the City College Honors Program. She is on the Pre-med track, with a major in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. She entered the lab in August 2018 as a part of the NSF program, under the mentorship of Sruti Patoori. Outside the lab, she is passionate about giving back to her community and volunteers at Mount Sinai Hospital in the Cardiology department. She further serves as a mentor for students wanting to pursue biology and chemistry majors in the Honors Program. In her spare time, Sacha enjoys dancing and is currently a dancer on City Chaahat, CCNY's Bollywood fusion dance team. She also enjoys traveling, painting, reading, and a good movie.

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  Undergraduate Student

• Shirley Chan
  

  Shirley Chan

  Undergraduate Student

  Shirley Chan is a Biology major, minoring in Physics at the City College of New York, Class of 2020. She is passionate about research and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience. She is currently working in two research laboratories. She entered the Emerson lab in Fall 2017 through the NSF program and continued to work in the lab through The City College Fellowship; her project involves understanding the role of Deltex 4 in Notch signaling in multipotent retinal progenitor cells. In addition, she works at the Institute of Ultrafast Spectroscopy and Lasers (IUSL) focusing on biomedical imaging of the intestinal submucosa; her project was presented at SPIE Photonic West 2018, 2019 and ISBI 2018. She also participated in CCNY's Summer Photonics program as a mentor. Aside from research she is the assistant event coordinator of CCNY WinS and member of the Division of Science Student Council. She has many interest outside the lab which includes cooking/baking, photography/videography, figure skating, biking, fashion, and arts and craft.

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  Undergraduate Student

• Sneha Gopal
  

  Sneha Gopal

  Undergraduate Student

  B.Eng. Chemical Engineering, The City College of New York, 2016

  Sneha Gopal graduated from CCNY in May 2016 with a B. Eng in Chemical Engineering and will be working towards a Ph.D at Rennselaer Polytechnic University. She worked in Dr. Emerson’s Lab in February 2013 until her graduation and loves reading, drawing and learning to program during her free time.

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  Undergraduate Student/VP of Rockets

• Suprita Datta

  Undergraduate Student

• Twinkle Jacob
  

  Twinkle Jacob

  Undergraduate Student

  B.S. Biology, The City College of New York, 2018

  Twinkle Jacob is part of the Class of 2018 at City College of New York, majoring in biology. She joined the Emerson's lab Fall 2015, through the NSF program. Under the mentorship of Diego Buenaventura and Estie Schick, she worked on understanding how Ptf1a and other genes are regulated during the development of horizontal cells. Exposure to the work at lab has garnered her an interest in the different aspects of vision science. Outside of the lab, she is on the e-board of Project Sunshine, had interned at Sidney Hillman/Phillips Family Practice and served as a teaching assistant to middle school students.

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  Undergraduate Student

• Zsofia Torok

  Undergraduate Student

• Katherine Regalado

  Post Baccalaureate Student

• Nathalie Jean-Charles

  Research Assistant

• Joseph Idoko

  Research Assistant

• Isabel Tadmiri
  

  Isabel Tadmiri

  High School Student

  Isabel Tadmiri was a high school student in the Emerson lab. She is a junior at the Brearley School, located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Isabel is interested in pursuing biology and neuroscience in the future, and is interested in nervous system disorders, specifically, Autism Spectrum Disorder.

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  High School Student

• Katie Heit

  High School Student

• Sahil Hosalli

  High School Student