We aim to discover molecular mechanisms of gene regulation. The lab studies how the transcription machinery assembles at promoters and the pivotal role that enhancers play in accelerating this assembly.
Lab Manager
Anne Gardner joined the Pugh lab in 2021 as Lab Manager. She is excited to be back at Cornell where she completed her undergraduate in Biology. She earned her PhD in Immunology at Duke University on immunoglobulin intracellular transport during B cell differentiation and did a postdoctoral fellowship at National Jewish Immunology focusing on MAP kinase signal transduction pathways.
Lab Technician
Josh received his BS in Biology with the Neuroscience option from Penn State, shortly thereafter joining the Pugh Lab in December of 2022. As a technician, he has been exploring the use of mammalian tissue as a substrate for ChIP-exo.
Lab Technician
Matthew received his bachelor’s degree in Viticulture and Enology from Cornell University. He is interested in the yeast and bacteria that are responsible for producing beer and wine. Since the production of beer and wine is stressful to yeast, Matthew has been studying where transcription factors are bound to DNA in yeast as a response to different stress factors using ChIP-exo.
Post Doctoral Scholar
Ruihao completed his Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 2017. Following this, he pursued his PhD in Quantitative and Systems Biology at the University of California, Merced, graduating in 2023. Shortly after, he joined Pugh’s lab as a postdoctoral fellow. He is committed to constructing mathematical models and developing computational tools to elucidate the intricate networking between transcription factors and genes.
Graduate Student (MSTP-Penn State)
Jordan is a MD/PhD student at Penn State University / Penn State College of Medicine. He is focused on the optimization of ChIP-exo for mammalian cells and tissues in hopes of identifying differential transcription factor binding sites across many tissues and diseases. His work should be instrumental to the inclusion of epigenomics in the field of precision medicine and pathology.
Graduate Student (BMCB)
Haining Chen is a doctoral candidate in the Graduate Field of Biochemistry, Molecular, and Cell Biology (BMCB) Graduate Program at Cornell University. She received her Bachelor's degree in microbiology from Shandong University. In 2019, Haining joined the Pugh lab, and her current research focuses on unraveling the intricate molecular architectures of proteins implicated in transcription initiation and studying how transcription factors regulate gene expression in a cell-type-specific manner.
Graduate Student (CB)
Olivia received her bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Computational Biology from Colby College and then went on to work for The Saccharomyces Genome Database for two years before starting her PhD in Cornell’s Computational Biology program. As a member of the Pugh lab, she works on tool development for the data generated from sequencing based assays.
Graduate Student (CB)
Justin Cha is a PhD student in the Computational Biology Program. He received his bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology before working as an Associate Computational Biologist in the Getz Lab at the Broad Institute. For the Pugh lab, he works on software development and high-throughput computing (HTC) for the analysis of sequencing data.
Graduate Student (PBSB)
Fred got his BS in Biomedical Sciences from the University of São Paulo and Master’s in Pharmacology from the Federal University of São Paulo. He worked as a Research Fellow at the University of Iowa for two years before joining Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences PhD program in Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology. In the Pugh Lab, he works on the technical development of single cell ChIP-exo.
Graduate Student (GGD)
Rebecca received a BS in Biology from Cornell University, and has been working in science communication and conservation biology since graduation. As a graduate student in the Pugh Lab, she is interested in gene regulatory networks in yeast.
Graduate Student (GGD)
Jiayi Hu is a PhD student in the Genetics, Genomics, and Development Program at Cornell University. She received her bachelor's degree in Integrated Science at Peking University in China. She joined Pugh lab in 2024, focusing on understanding the dynamics of epigenomic architecture by chromatin reconstitution.
Graduate Student (CB)
Benjamin Beer | '28 |
Alima Dean | '27 |
Tanya Gupta | '26 |
Hanqing Li | '25 |
Olivia Li | '26 |
Pedro Vera Perez | '25 |
Alex Veldran | '26 |
Grace Wang | '27 |
Dean Zhang | '25 |
Courtney | LeSon | Undergraduate | 2022-2024+ | |
Mihir | Ranjan | Undergraduate | 2022-2024+ | |
Paula Marie | Brown | Undergraduate | 2022-2023 | |
Rebecca | Kalik | Undergraduate | 2023-2023 | |
Steven | Wang | Staff, Lab Technician | 2022-2023 | |
Ben | Terhaar | Undergraduate | 2022-2023 | |
William | Tsai | High School Student | 2022-2022 | |
Dominic | Matras | Undergraduate | 2022-2022 | |
Alisa | Lee | Grad Student | GGD | 2020-2022 |
Ali | Nematbakhsh | Staff, Computer Scientist | 2019-2022 | |
Ann | Basting | Staff, Lab Technician | 2019-2020 | |
Daniela | James | Lab Manager | 2018-2020 | |
Randy | Blanda | Staff, Lab Technician | 2018-2020 | |
Danielle | James (Asquino) | Staff, Lab Technician | 2018-2020 | |
Joshua | Mairose | Staff, Lab Technician | 2018-2020 | |
Sarah | Dweikat | Staff, Lab Technician | 2018-2019 | |
Hui | Mao | Staff, Lab Technician | 2018-2019 | |
Julia | Cipparulo | Undergraduate | 2018-2019 | |
Kyle | Nilson | Postdoctoral fellow | 2017-2022 | |
Prashant | Kuntala | Staff, Computer Scientist | 2017-2019 | |
Olivia | Scruton_Muly | Undergraduate | 2017-2019 | |
Sarita | Greer | Staff, Admin. Asst. | 2017-2018 | |
Abeer | Almutairy | Staff, Computer Scientist | 2017-2018 | |
Dave | Rocco | Staff, Lab Technician | 2017-2018 | |
Kyle | McIlroy | Undergraduate | 2017-2018 | |
Jordan | John | Undergraduate | 2016-2019 | |
Kylie | Bocklund | Lab Manager | 2016-2018 | |
Katelyn | Mistrella | Staff, Lab Technician | 2016-2018 | |
Guanjue | Xiang | Grad Student | 2016-2017 | |
Emily | Perkinson | Staff, Lab Technician | 2016-2017 | |
Agustey | Mongia | Undergraduate | 2016-2016 | |
Linda | Nguyen | Undergraduate | 2016-2016 | |
Nitika | Badjatia | Postdoctoral fellow | 2015-2020 | |
Danying | Shao | Staff, Computer Scientist | 2015-2017 | |
Matthew | Driban | Undergraduate | 2015-2017 | |
Leo | Antelo | Staff, Lab Technician | 2015-2016 | |
Geoffrey | Billy | Undergraduate | 2015-2016 | |
Ingrid | Ritchie | Undergraduate | 2015-2016 | |
Gretta | Armstrong | Staff, IT Project Manager | 2014-2021 | |
Chitvan | Mittal | Postdoctoral fellow | 2014-2020 | |
Nina | Farrell | Lab Manager | 2014-2017 | |
Han | Zhang | Grad Student | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 2014-2015 |
Kelly | Pandolpho | Staff, Lab Technician | 2014-2015 | |
Jacob | Smith | Undergraduate | 2014-2015 | |
John | McGraw | Staff, Lab Technician | 2014-2014 | |
Vinesh | Vinayachandran | Postdoctoral fellow; Assistant Professor | 2013-2018 | |
Alain | Battaile | Postdoctoral fellow | 2013-2017 | |
William | Lai | Assistant Professor | 2012-2024+ | |
Matthew | Rossi | Postdoctoral fellow; Assistant Professor | 2012-2020 | |
Rohit | Reja | Grad Student | IBIOS: Genomics and Bioinformatics | 2012-2016 |
Bongsoo | Park | Staff, Computer Scientist | 2012-2015 | |
Ola | Sodeinde | Assistant Professor | 2012-2014 | |
Justin | Allshouse | Lab Manager | 2012-2014 | |
Ryan | Donaghy | Staff, Lab Technician | 2012-2013 | |
Brian | Perry | Staff, Lab Technician | 2012-2013 | |
Katie | Peterson | Staff, Lab Technician | 2012-2013 | |
Yunfei | Li | Staff, Lab Technician | 2011-2015 | |
Kang-(Sol) | Han | Lab Manager | 2011-2014 | |
Mike | Cousar | Staff, Lab Technician | 2011-2012 | |
Fashli | Aziz | Undergraduate | 2011-2011 | |
Kuangyu | Yen | Postdoctoral fellow | 2010-2016 | |
Celine | Han | Grad Student | IBIOS: Genomics and Bioinformatics | 2010-2014 |
Zhenhai | Zhang | Grad Student | IBIOS: Genomics and Bioinformatics | 2010-2014 |
Anna | Chan | Staff, Lab Technician | 2010-2013 | |
John (JP) | Dowling | Staff, Lab Technician | 2010-2011 | |
Coral | Martinez-Correa | Staff, Lab Technician | 2010-2011 | |
Charles | Meade | Staff, Lab Technician | 2010-2011 | |
Dave | Cantor | Undergraduate | 2010-2011 | |
Megha | Wal | Grad Student | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 2009-2014 |
Gue-Su | Chang | Grad Student; Postdoctoral fellow | IBIOS: Genomics and Bioinformatics | 2009-2014 |
Goffman | Dave | Staff, Lab Technician | 2009-2010 | |
David | Goffman | Staff, Lab Technician | 2009-2010 | |
Brady | Mackenzie | Staff, Lab Technician | 2009-2010 | |
Ankit | Patel | Undergraduate | 2009-2009 | |
Sujana | Ghosh | Grad Student | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 2008-2013 |
Bryan | Venters | Grad Student; Postdoctoral fellow | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 2008-2013 |
Kiran | Batta | Postdoctoral fellow | 2008-2011 | |
Matt | Schaner | Staff, Lab Technician | 2008-2011 | |
Elissa | Ward | Staff, Lab Technician | 2008-2010 | |
Vanessa | Boccaccio | Staff, Lab Technician | 2008-2009 | |
Michael | Devine | Staff, Lab Technician | 2008-2009 | |
Ho-Sung | Rhee | Grad Student | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 2007-2012 |
Liye | Zhang | Grad Student | IBIOS: Cell & Developmental Biology | 2007-2012 |
Melissa | Long | Grad Student | IBIOS: Cell & Developmental Biology | 2007-2010 |
Shin | Wachi | Postdoctoral fellow | 2007-2010 | |
Andrew | Sinnamon | Undergraduate | 2007-2009 | |
Cizjhong | Jiang | Postdoctoral fellow | 2007-2008 | |
Barb | Andersen | Staff, Lab Technician | 2007-2008 | |
Priyanka | Jain | Staff, Lab Technician | 2007-2008 | |
Peony | Jena | Staff, Lab Technician | 2007-2008 | |
Bora | Kim | Undergraduate | 2007-2008 | |
Noah | Rolleri | Undergraduate | 2007-2008 | |
Christine | Walsh (Hemeryck) | Lab Manager | 2006-2012 | |
Ramaharitha | Pusarla | Postdoctoral fellow | 2006-2009 | |
Eric | Samorodnistky | Grad Student | IBIOS: Genomics and Bioinformatics | 2005-2010 |
Thomas | Koerber | Grad Student | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 2005-2008 |
Travis | Mavrich | Staff, Lab Technician | 2004-2008 | |
Stephen | Martin-Tumasz | Undergraduate | 2004-2007 | |
Mauer | Biscotti | Undergraduate | 2004-2006 | |
Catherine | Stefaniuk | Undergraduate | 2004-2006 | |
Brandon | Chicalese | Staff, Lab Technician | 2004-2005 | |
Kivanc | Birsoy | Undergraduate | 2004-2004 | |
Melissa | Cunningham (Durant) | Grad Student | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 2002-2006 |
Sara | Zanton | Lab Manager | 2002-2006 | |
Paul | Gramlich | Undergraduate | 2002-2004 | |
Sol | Shockman | Undergraduate | 2002-2004 | |
Sandy | Toh | Undergraduate | 2002-2004 | |
Laura | Clarke | Undergraduate | 2002-2003 | |
Kathryn | Huisinga | Grad Student | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 2001-2006 |
Jordan | Irvin | Grad Student | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 2001-2005 |
Andrew | Basehoar | Grad Student | Statistics | 2000-2004 |
Larry | Benjamin | Grad Student | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 2000-2004 |
Diane | Alexander | Undergraduate | 2000-2003 | |
Drew | Lowry | Undergraduate | 2000-2002 | |
Summer | Sikes | Staff, Lab Technician | 2000-2001 | |
Smita | Mitra | Grad Student | IBIOS: Genomics and Bioinformatics | 1999-2004 |
John | Robinson | Lab Manager | 1999-2002 | |
Kevin | Halbe | Undergraduate | 1999-2000 | |
Chris | Wolf | Undergraduate | 1999-2000 | |
Rebecca | Maag (Holby) | Undergraduate | 1998-2000 | |
Robert (Bob) | Carter | Postdoctoral Fellow | 1998-1999 | |
Shiva | Kazerounian | Undergraduate | 1997-1997 | |
Carmelata (Lata) | Chitikila | Grad Student | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 1996-2001 |
Haiping | Kou | Grad Student | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 1996-2001 |
Lumelle | Schneiweis (Schmiedekamp) | Undergraduate | 1996-1999 | |
Sandeep | Burma | Postdoctoral Fellow | 1996-1998 | |
Aaron | Dixon | Undergraduate | 1995-1997 | |
Matthew | Portnoy | Undergraduate | 1995-1997 | |
jason | Burak | Undergraduate | 1995-1996 | |
Robert | Coleman | Grad Student | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 1994-1999 |
David | Kaczorowski | Undergraduate | 1994-1997 | |
Leigh | Panek (Briley) | Grad Student | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 1994-1996 |
Bruce | Booth | Undergraduate | 1994-1996 | |
Christopher | Fanale | Undergraduate | 1994-1996 | |
Paul | Kwitkin | Undergraduate | 1994-1996 | |
Robert | Netter | Undergraduate | 1994-1996 | |
Heather | Wiegand | Undergraduate | 1994-1996 | |
John | Chicca | Grad Student | Molecular & Cell Biology | 1993-1998 |
Amy | Jackson-Fisher | Grad Student | Molecular & Cell Biology | 1993-1998 |
Christian | Weideman | Undergraduate | 1993-1997 | |
Jeffrey | Gerard | Undergraduate | 1993-1995 | |
John | MacAllister | Undergraduate | 1993-1995 | |
Tim | Fisher | Lab Manager | 1992-1998 | |
Andrew | Taggart | Grad Student | Microbiology | 1992-1996 |