Ken Nguyen
Rotation Student
k.y.nguyen[at]wustl.edu
Ken is a first-year student in the Neuroscience program. Ken graduated from Rice University with a B.A. in Neuroscience and did his undergrad and postbac research at Baylor College of Medicine. He is interested in studying the molecular, genetic, and circuit level changes that underlie complex disease pathologies and how they can be contextualized in the aging human brain. If he’s not in lab, he can usually be found on his bike, at the nearest museum/library, or in his kitchen working on a new recipe.
David O’Leary
Rotation Student
davido[at]wustl.edu
David is a first year student in the Cancer Biology program. He is a native of St. Louis and graduated with a BS in Biology from Truman State University where he researched cyclophilin proteins in sensory neurons of Drosophila melanogaster in the lab of Dr. Brett Berke. Moving back to St. Louis, David joined the lab of Dr. Abby Green as a research assistant where he investigated mechanisms of DNA damage and repair and synthetic lethal interactions. Outside of lab, David enjoys reading, cooking, playing tennis, and training for triathlons.
Seth Wallerstein
Rotation Student
s.e.wallerstein[at]wustl.edu
Seth is a student in the Molecular Cell Biology program. Seth received his B.S. in Biochemistry and Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development from the University of Minnesota, where he investigated mechanisms of DNA double-strand break repair. His research passion is to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms cells deploy to maintain the integrity of their genome in response to endogenous and exogenous stressors. Outside of the lab, Seth enjoys singing, climbing, and attending live sporting events.
Oliver Krentzman
Rotation Student
krentzman[at]wustl.edu
Oliver is a student in the neuroscience program. Oliver graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a B.A. in Cognitive Science. Oliver is interested in taking a cellular and molecular approach to identify mechanisms of psychedelic drug action in the nervous system. Oliver is also interested in longevity-promoting behavioral interventions and supplements. When not in the lab, Oliver enjoys working out, long-distance running, and listening to audiobooks.
Yongjoon Shin
Rotation Student
s.yongjoon[at]wustl.edu
Yongjoon is a student in the Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology program. His research passion is to investigate molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases as well as aging in general. In his free time, Yongjoon enjoys watching sports, movies and TV shows.
Xilin Hou
Rotation Student
h.xilin[at]wustl.edu
Xilin is a first year student in the Molecular Cell Biology program. Xilin received her B.S. in Bioscience from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in June 2023. After a brief experience studying novel histone modifications in Drosophila melanogaster, she worked on centromeric chromatin regulation at the Institute of Biophysics, CAS. She is broadly interested in epigenetics and chromatin regulation in the context of development, neuroscience and human diseases. Outside of lab Xilin enjoys taking walks in parks, listening to music, and eating/cooking spicy food.
Noor Bibi
Rotation Student
b.noor[at]wustl.edu
My name is Noor Bibi. I went to Luther College for my undergrad, I studied Neuroscience. I did an internship at Mayo clinic Rochester studying REM behavior disorder, afterwards I took a gap year and worked as a research assistant exploring circuit neuroscience at Ohio State University. I am interested in understanding sleep mechanisms and function. I want to study sleep on a neuronal population and molecular level to better understand what is happening at different stages of sleep and how we can strategize sleep to use as a therapeutic tool. In free time I like to cook, play tennis, badminton and hangout with friends.
Sylvia Tang
Rotation Student
s.d.tang[at]wustl.edu
Sylvia is a first year MSTP student at WUSM, and she obtained her B.A. in Biochemistry and Biophysics and M.S. in Chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania where she studied epigenetic regulation in leukemia. She is interested in understanding how epigenetic mechanisms in the brain influence cancer formation.
Outside of science, she likes to dance and choreograph, run outside, play the piano, and try new recipes!
Larissa Rays Wahba
Rotation Student
lrayswahba[at]wustl.edu
Larissa (she/her) got her Bachelors in Neuroscience at WashU while working in Dr. Erik Herzog’s lab, where she studied how circadian behaviours adapt to changing seasonal photoperiods. In the Pollina Lab, she is interested in exploring how sleep and sleep deprivation are communicated across the brain-gut axis, as well as learning about transcriptomics and epigenetic profiling of the ENS in the context of sleep deprivation. In her free time she enjoys long-distance running, baking, and reading.
Jeeseung Kim
Rotation Student
jeeseung[at]wustl.edu
Jeeseung is a Ph.D. student in the Developmental Biology program. After earning her master’s degree in Bioengineering from Sejong University in South Korea, she joined Dr. Yoona Kang’s lab at WashU, where she studied the hematopoietic system, focusing on the lineage potential of multipotent progenitors. Her research interests broadly center on the brain, including how stem cells contribute to neuronal regeneration and how environmental factors influence neurodevelopment and behavior. Outside the lab, she enjoys reading books across various genres, baking desserts, exploring hiking trails, and running with friends.
Samantha Maradiaga
OGR Summer Student
samanthamaradiaga[at]icloud.com
Samantha is in her third year of undergraduate school. She is studying to get her Bachelors degree in Biochemistry. She is interested in attending graduate school and further studying molecular genetics. During her free time she enjoys to crocheting, hiking, and trying new foods.
Jungeun Ji
Rotation Student
j.jungeun[at]wustl.edu
Jungeun is a 1st year student in the Molecular Genetics & Genomics program. Jungeun received her B.S. and M.S. in Biology & Biomedical Sciences at Korea University, where she studied the transcriptional pattern of learning and memory in various brain regions at a single-cell and spatial resolution. Currently, she is interested in the molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying the function of the brain, specifically in the learning and developmental context. Outside the lab, she enjoys reading, running, taking long walks, and curling up in bed to watch Netflix.
Zahra Bardaghi
Research Assistant
zahrabardaghi[at]wustl.edu
Zahra received her bachelor’s degree from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. She is focused on understanding the long-term effects of neuroinflammation on behavior and memory in mice and the role of chromatin in these processes. When she’s not working in the lab, Zahra enjoys painting, aerial exercises, reading books, and camping.
In the Pollina Lab, we are honored to have the privilege to train the next generation of scientists and are committed foremost to the success of our members. We are thinkers, dreamers, doers, talkers, and friends. We believe the best science emerges from diverse viewpoints and training paths. We are committed to generating an environment where each person’s passion and individual character synergize to strengthen our team. Our core values are curiosity, generosity, resilience, integrity, and humor, and we celebrate the process of scientific discovery as much as the discoveries themselves. We are eager to recruit individuals to help shape this culture of inclusion and support.
Come join us! We are looking for talented post-docs, students, and bioinformaticians. Please send your cv and three reference letters to pollina[at]wustl.edu.