

Wei-Ting Yueh
Thesis Mentor
Jennifer Gerton, PhD
Thesis
The Role of Cohesin in Genome Maintenance in Oocytes and Early Embryonic Development
Thesis Defense Date
December 2021
First Post-Graduate Position
Postgraduate Researcher, Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO
Maternal Smc3 protects the integrity of the zygotic genome through DNA replication and mitosis
Yueh WT, Singh VP, Gerton JL. [published ahead of print December 23 2021]. Development. 2021;148.
Oocyte-specific deletion of Hdac8 in mice reveals stage-specific effects on fertility
Singh VP, Yueh WT, Gerton JL, Duncan FE. Reproduction. 2019;157:305-316.

Karla Terrazas-Falcon
Thesis Mentor
Paul Trainor, PhD
Thesis
RNA Polymerase I mediated rRNA transcription is tissue-specifically required and regulated during mammalian craniofacial development and disease
Thesis Defense Date
September 2021
First Post-Graduate Position
Life Sciences Project Manager, Skilled KC, Kauffman Foundation, Kansas City, MO
Med23 Regulates Sox9 Expression during Craniofacial Development
Dash S, Bhatt S, Falcon KT, Sandell LL, Trainor PA. J Dent Res. 2021;100:406-414.
Rare syndromes of the head and face: mandibulofacial and acrofacial dysostoses
Terrazas K, Dixon J, Trainor PA, Dixon MJ. WIREs Dev Biol. 2017;6:e263. doi: 210.1002/wdev.1263.

Yanfeng He
Thesis Mentors
Joan Conaway, PhD and Ron Conaway, PhD
Thesis
Elongin functions as a loading factor for Mediator at ATFα-regulated ER stress response genes
Thesis Defense Date
August 2021
First Post-Graduate Position
Postdoctoral Researcher, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
Elongin functions as a loading factor for Mediator at ATF6alpha-regulated ER stress response genes
He Y, Sato S, Tomomori-Sato C, Chen S, Goode ZH, Conaway JW, Conaway RC. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021;118:e2108751118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2108751118.
Double emulsions with ultrathin shell by microfluidic step-emulsification
Ge X, Rubinstein BY, He Y, Bruce FNO, Li L, Leshansky AM, Li Z. [published ahead of print March 9 2021]. Lab Chip. 2021.
Differential gene expression profiling of adult murine hematopoietic stem cells
Park IK, He Y, Lin F, Laerum OD, Tian Q, Bumgarner R, Klug CA, Li K, Kuhr C, Doyle MJ, Xie T, Schummer M, Sun Y, Goldsmith A, Clarke MF, Weissman IL, Hood L, Li L. Blood. 2002;99:488-498.

Soon-Keat Ooi
Thesis Mentors
Joan Conaway, PhD and Ron Conaway, PhD
Thesis
Multiple roles for PARP1 in ALC1-dependent nucleosome remodeling
Thesis Defense Date
May 2021
First Post-Graduate Position
Postdoctoral Researcher, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA
Multiple roles for PARP1 in ALC1-dependent nucleosome remodeling
Ooi SK, Sato S, Tomomori-Sato C, Zhang Y, Wen Z, Banks CAS, Washburn MP, Unruh JR, Florens L, Conaway RC, Conaway JW. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021;118:e2107277118. doi: 2107277110.2107271073/pnas.2107277118.
Original Data
Biochemical Assays for Analyzing Activities of ATP-dependent Chromatin Remodeling Enzymes.
Chen L, Ooi SK, Conaway JW, Conaway RC. J Vis Exp. 2014;92:e51721, doi10.3791/51721.
Original Data
Generation and Purification of Human INO80 Chromatin Remodeling Complexes and Subcomplexes.
Chen L, Ooi SK, Conaway RC, Conaway JW. J Vis Exp. 2014;92:e51720, doi10.3791/51720.
A Comprehensive Survey of the Plasmodium Life Cycle by Genomic, Transcriptomic, and Proteomic Analyses
Hall N, Karras M, Raine JD, Carlton JM, Kooij TW, Berriman M, Florens L, Janssen CS, Pain A, Christophides GK, James K, Rutherford K, Harris B, Harris D, Churcher C, Quail MA, Ormond D, Doggett J, Trueman HE, Mendoza J, Bidwell SL, Rajandream MA, Carucci DJ, Yates JR, 3rd, Kafatos FC, Janse CJ, Barrell B, Turner CM, Waters AP, Sinden RE. Science.2005;307:82-86.

Zachary Lee
Thesis Mentor
Matthew Gibson, PhD
Thesis
In vivo phosphoproteomics uncovers novel requirements for proteins in epithelial growth and division
Thesis Defense Date
December 2020
First Post-Graduate Position
Scientist, Biologics, Catalent, Kansas City, MO
Junctional tumor suppressors interact with 14-3-3 proteins to control planar spindle alignment
Nakajima YI, Lee ZT, McKinney SA, Swanson SK, Florens L, Gibson MC. J Cell Biol. 2019;218:1824-1838.
Original Data
TNIP2 is a hub protein in the NF-&(kappa)B network with both protein and RNA mediated interactions.
Banks CA, Boanca G, Lee ZT, Eubanks CG, Hattem GL, Peak A, Weems LE, Conkright JJ, Florens L, Washburn MP. Mol Cell Proteomics. 2016;15:3435-3449.
Original Data
Proteins interacting with cloning scars: a source of false positive protein-protein interactions.
Banks CAS, Boanca G, Lee ZT, Florens L, Washburn MP. Sci Rep. 2015;5:8530. doi:10.1038/srep08530
Original Data
Controlling for gene expression changes in transcription factor protein networks.
Banks CA, Lee ZT, Boanca G, Lakshminarasimhan M, Groppe BD, Wen Z, Hattem GL, Seidel CW, Florens L, Washburn MP. Mol Cell Proteomics. 2014;13:1510-1522.
Original Data

Shuonan He
Thesis Mentor
Matthew Gibson, PhD
Thesis
A cnidarian perspective on the evolution of body segmentation and segment polarity
Thesis Defense Date
May 2021
First Post-Graduate Position
Postdoctoral Researcher, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Electroporation of short hairpin RNAs for rapid and efficient gene knockdown in the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis.
Karabulut A, He S, Chen CY, McKinney SA, Gibson MC. Dev Biol. 2019;448:7-15.
Original Data
Cnidofest 2018: The future is bright for cnidarian research
He S, Grasis JA, Nicotra ML, Juliano CE, Schnitzler CE. EvoDevo. 2019;10:20. doi: 10.1186/s13227-13019-10134-13225.
Capicua controls Toll/IL-1 signaling targets independently of RTK regulation
Papagianni A, Fores M, Shao W, He S, Koenecke N, Andreu MJ, Samper N, Paroush Z, Gonzalez-Crespo S, Zeitlinger J, Jimenez G. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.2018;115:1807-1812.
Original Data
An axial Hox code controls axial patterning and tissue segmentation in Nematostella vectensis
He S, Del Viso F, Chen CY, Ikmi A, Kroesen AE, Gibson MC. Science. 2018;361:1377-1380.
Original Data
An adaptable chromosome preparation methodology for use in invertebrate research organisms
Guo L, Accorsi A, He S, Guerrero-Hernandez C, Sivagnanam S, McKinney S, Gibson M, Sanchez Alvarado A. BMC Biol. 2018;16:25. doi: 10.1186/s12915-12018-10497-12914.
Original Data

Irina Pushel
Thesis Mentor
Robb Krumlauf, PhD
Thesis
The role of Hoxa2 in specifying the axial identity of mouse cranial neural crest cells
Thesis Defense Date
March 2021
First Post-Graduate Position
Senior Bioinformatic Scientist, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO
Analysis of lamprey meis genes reveals that conserved inputs from hox, Meis and Pbx proteins control their expression in the hindbrain and neural tube
Parker HJ, De Kumar B, Pushel I, Bronner ME, Krumlauf R. Dev Biol. 2021:61-76.
Original Data
Predicting neuroblastoma using developmental signals and a logic-based model
Kasemeier-Kulesa JC, Schnell S, Woolley T, Spengler JA, Morrison JA, McKinney MC, Pushel I, Wolfe LA, Kulesa PM. Biophys Chem.2018;238:30-38.
Original Data
Coupling the roles of Hox genes to regulatory networks patterning cranial neural crest
Parker HJ, Pushel I, Krumlauf R.. Dev Biol. 2018;444 Suppl 1:S67-S78.

Darrick Hansen
Thesis Mentor
Linheng Li, PhD
Thesis
Characterization of the Stem Cell Niche and Reserve Stem Cells in the Intestinal Epithelium
Thesis Defense Date
December 2020
First Post-Graduate Position
Postgraduate Researcher, Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO
Soffers JH, Hansen D, Sinagoga KL, Li B, Martin MG, Wells J, Grompe M, Li L. Gastroenterology.2016;151:e6-9.

Cheng-Yi Chen
Thesis Mentor
Matthew Gibson, PhD
Thesis
The Involvement of Hh Signaling, vasa and nanos in Germline Development of the Sea Anemone Nematostella vectensis
Thesis Defense Date
December 2020
First Post-Graduate Position
Postdoctoral Researcher, Farrell Lab, NIH/NICHD, Bethesda, MD
Hedgehog signaling is required for endomesodermal patterning and germ cell development in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis
Chen CY, McKinney SA, Ellington LR, Gibson MC. eLife. 2020;9:e54573. doi: 54510.54577.54554/eLife.54573.
Original Data
Electroporation of short hairpin RNAs for rapid and efficient gene knockdown in the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis.
Karabulut A, He S, Chen CY, McKinney SA, Gibson MC. Dev Biol. 2019;448:7-15.
Original Data

Xingyu Liu
Thesis Mentor
Jerry Workman, PhD
Thesis
A Novel Affinity Purification Method for Mass Spectrometry Based Protein Complexes Studies: Serial Capture Affinity Purification (SCAP)
Thesis Defense Date
November 2020
First Post-Graduate Position
Postdoctoral Researcher, Washington University, St. Louis, MO

Cassandra Kempf
Thesis Mentors
Michael Washburn, PhD and Jerry Workman, PhD
Thesis
Characterization of MHAP1 as a novel component of MIER1 histone deacetylase complexes
Thesis Defense Date
November 2020
First Post-Graduate Position
Scientist LCMS, Catalent, Kansas City, MO
Differential complex formation via paralogs in the human Sin3 protein interaction network
Adams MK, Banks CAS, Thornton JL, Kempf C, Zhang Y, Miah S, Hao Y, Sardiu ME, Killer M, Hattem G, Murray A, Katt M, Florens LA, Washburn MP. [published ahead of print May 30 2020] Mol Cell Proteomics. 2020.
Original Data
BRK Phosphorylates SMAD4 for proteasomal degradation and inhibits tumor suppressor FRK to control SNAIL, SLUG and metastatic potential
Miah S, Banks CAS, Ogunbolude Y, Bagu ET, Berg JM, Saraf A, Tettey TT, Hattem G, Dayebgadoh G, Kempf CG, Sardiu M, Napper S, Florens L, Lukong KE, Washburn MP. Sci Adv. 2019;5:eaaw3113. doi: 3110.1126/sciadv.aaw3113.
Original Data

Dayebgadoh Gerald
Thesis Mentor
Jerry Workman, PhD
Thesis
Quantitative Interaction Proteomic Strategies for WDR76 and HP1 Annotation
Thesis Defense Date
October 2020
First Post-Graduate Position
Postgraduate Researcher, Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO

Nicole Nuckolls
Thesis Mentor
Sarah Zanders, PhD
Thesis
Characterization of the ultra-selfish wtf meiotic drivers
Thesis Defense Date
August 2020
First Post-Graduate Position
Postdoctoral Researcher, Julia Cooper Lab, University of Colorado, Colorado
The wtf4 meiotic driver utilizes controlled protein aggregation to generate selective cell death.
Nuckolls, NL, Mok, AC, Lange, JJ, Yi, K, Kandola, TS, Hunn, AM, McCroskey, S, Snyder, JL, Bravo Núñez, MA, McClain, ML, McKinney, SA, Wood, C, Halfmann, R, and Zanders, SE. bioRxiv 2020.02.05.935874; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.05.935874
wtf genes are prolific dual poison-antidote meiotic drivers
Nuckolls NL*, Bravo Núñez MA*, Eickbush MT, Young JM, Lange JJ, Yu JS, Smith GR, Jaspersen SL, Malik HS, Zanders SE. eLife. 2017;6:e26033. doi: 26010.27554/eLife.26033.
Original Data
Reviews, Commentaries, Chapters or Books
Genetic Villains: Killer Meiotic Drivers
Bravo Nunez MA*, Nuckolls NL*, Zanders SE. [published ahead of print February 27 2018]. Trends Genet.2018.
*contributed equally to this work.

Elisabeth Bauerly
Thesis Mentor
Matthew Gibson, PhD
Thesis
Deciphering the interplay between ciliogenesis and cellular development using microtubule associated proteins during spermatogenesis
Thesis Defense Date
June 2020
First Post-Graduate Position
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Prachee Avasthi Lab, Dartmouth, New Hampshire
Wampa is a dynein subunit required for axonemal assembly and male fertility in Drosophila
Bauerly E, Yi K, Gibson MC. Dev Biol. 2020;463:158-168.
Original Data
Discovery of Supernumerary B Chromosomes in Drosophila melanogaster.
Bauerly E, Hughes SE, Vietti DR, Miller DE, McDowell W, Hawley RS. Genetics. 2014;196:1007-1016.
Original Data
Gamma-Tubulin Is Required for Bipolar Spindle Assembly and for Proper Kinetochore Microtubule Attachments during Prometaphase I in Drosophila Oocytes.
Hughes SE, Beeler JS, Seat A, Slaughter BD, Unruh JR, Bauerly E, Matthies HJ, Hawley RS. PLoS Genet. 2011;7:e1002209.

Jelly Soffers
Thesis Mentor
Jerry Workman, PhD
Thesis
A characterization of the composition and gene-regulatory functions of SAGA-related complexes during Drosophila development
Thesis Defense Date
June 2020
First Post-Graduate Position
Postdoctoral Researcher, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
b-Catenin and Associated Proteins Regulate Lineage Differentiation in Ground State Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells
Tao F, Soffers J, Hu D, Chen S, Gao X, Zhang Y, Zhao C, Smith SE, Unruh JR, Zhang D, Tsuchiya D, Venkatraman A, Zhao M, Li Z, Qian P, Parmely T, He XC, Washburn M, Florens L, Perry JM, Zeitlinger J, Workman J, Li L. Stem Cell Rep. 2020;15:662-676.
Original Data
The SAGA chromatin-modifying complex: the sum of its parts is greater than thewhole
Soffers JHM, Workman JL. Genes Dev. 2020;34:1287-1303.
SAGA Structures Provide Mechanistic Models for Gene Activation
Soffers JHM, Popova VV, Workman JLW. [published ahead of print March 16 2020]. Trends Biochem Sci. 2020.

María Angélica Bravo Núñez
Thesis Mentor
Sarah Zanders, PhD
Thesis
The role of meiotic drivers on infertility and the evolution of the chromosome segregation machinery
Thesis Defense Date
March 2020
First Post-Graduate Position
Postdoctoral fellow in Andrew Murray’s lab at Harvard University, Boston, MA
Atypical meiosis can be adaptive in outcrossed S. pombe due to wtf meiotic drivers
Bravo Núñez MA, Sabbarini IM, Eide LE, Unckless RL, Zanders SE. eLife. 2020;9:e57936. doi: 57910.57554/eLife.57936.
Original Data
The wtf4 meiotic driver utilizes controlled protein aggregation to generate selective cell death. Nuckolls, NL, Mok, AC, Lange, JJ, Yi, K, Kandola, TS, Hunn, AM, McCroskey, S, Snyder, JL, Bravo Núñez, MA, McClain, ML, McKinney, SA, Wood, C, Halfmann, R, and Zanders, SE. bioRxiv 2020.02.05.935874; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.05.935874
Dramatically diverse Schizosaccharomyces pombe wtf meiotic drivers all display high gamete-killing efficiency
Bravo Núñez MA, Sabbarini IM, Eickbush MT, Liang Y, Lange JJ, Kent AM, Zanders SE. PLoS Genet. 2020;16:e1008350. doi: 1008310.1001371/journal.pgen.1008350.
Original Data
A suppressor of a wtf poison-antidote meiotic driver acts via mimicry of the driver’s antidote
Bravo Núñez MA, Lange JJ, Zanders SE. PLoS Genet. 2018;14:e1007836. doi: 1007810.1001371/journal.pgen.1007836.
Original Data
wtf genes are prolific dual poison-antidote meiotic drivers
Nuckolls NL*, Bravo Núñez MA*, Eickbush MT, Young JM, Lange JJ, Yu JS, Smith GR, Jaspersen SL, Malik HS, Zanders SE. eLife. 2017;6:e26033. doi: 26010.27554/eLife.26033.
Original Data
Reviews, Commentaries, Chapters or Books
Genetic Villains: Killer Meiotic Drivers
Bravo Nunez MA*, Nuckolls NL*, Zanders SE. [published ahead of print February 27 2018]. Trends Genet.2018.
*contributed equally to this work.

Joaquín Navajas Acedo
Thesis Mentor
Tatjana Piotrowski, PhD
Thesis
Dissecting the role of the Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) and Wnt signaling pathways during the establishment of hair cell orientation in zebrafish.
Thesis Defense Date
November 2019
First Post-Graduate Position
Postdoctoral Researcher in the Alexander F. Schier lab at the Biozentrum, University of Basel, Switzerland
PCP and Wnt pathway components act in parallel during zebrafish mechanosensory hair cell orientation
Joaquin Navajas Acedo, Matthew G Voas, Richard L Alexander, Thomas Woolley, Jay Unruh, Hua Li, Cecilia Moens, Tatjana Piotrowski. (2019) Nature Communications
Original Data
Evolutionary Origin and Nomenclature of Vertebrate Wnt11-Family Genes
Postlethwait JH, Navajas Acedo J, Piotrowski T. Zebrafish. 2019;16:469-476.
Retinoic acid is required and Fgf, Wnt, and Bmp signaling inhibit posterior lateral line placode induction in zebrafish
Nikaido M, Acedo JN, Hatta K, Piotrowski T. Dev Biol. 2017;431:215-225.
Original Data
Imaging collective cell migration and hair cell regeneration in the sensory lateral line
Venero Galanternik M, Navajas Acedo J, Romero-Carvajal A, Piotrowski T. Methods Cell Biol.2016;134:211-256.
Original Data
Regeneration of Sensory Hair Cells Requires Localized Interactions between the Notch and Wnt Pathways.
Romero-Carvajal A, Navajas Acedo J, Jiang L, Kozlovskaja-Gumbriene A, Alexander R, Li H, Piotrowski T. Dev Cell. 2015;34:267-282.
Original Data
Acrofacial Dysostosis, Cincinnati Type, a Mandibulofacial Dysostosis Syndrome with Limb Anomalies, Is Caused by POLR1A Dysfunction.
Weaver KN, Watt KE, Hufnagel RB, Navajas Acedo J, Linscott LL, Sund KL, Bender PL, Konig R, Lourenco CM, Hehr U, Hopkin RJ, Lohmann DR, Trainor PA, Wieczorek D, Saal HM. Am J Hum Genet. 2015;96:765-774.
Original Data

Raquel Barajas Azpeleta
Thesis Mentor
Kausik Si, PhD
Thesis
Modulation of Nervous System Functions: A Surprising Role for Antimicrobial Peptides
Thesis Defense Date
October 2019
First Post-Graduate Position
Postdoctoral Researcher Scholar, Ribeiro Lab, Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
Antimicrobial peptides modulate long-term memory
Barajas-Azpeleta R, Wu J, Gill J, Welte R, Seidel C, McKinney S, Dissel S, Si K. PLoS Genet. 2018;14:e1007440. doi: 1007410.1001371/journal.pgen.1007440.
Original Data
Reviews, Commentaries, Chapters or Books
When mothers leave their mark.
Barajas-Azpeleta R, Si K. eLife. 2019;8:e48899. doi: 48810.47554/eLife.48899.

Amanda Bonner
Thesis Mentor
R. Scott Hawley, PhD
Thesis
The Evolution and Function of Matrimony, a Meiotic Regulator of Polo Kinase
Thesis Defense Date
May 2019
First Post-Graduate Position
Postdoctoral Research Scholar, Singh Lab, University of Oregon
Narya, a RING finger domain-containing protein, is required for both meiotic DNA double-strand break formation and crossover maturation in Drosophila melanogaster
Lake CM, Nielsen RJ, Bonner AM, Eche S, White-Brown S, McKim KS, Hawley RS. PLoS Genet. 2019;15:e1007886. doi: 1007810.1001371/journal.pgen.1007886.
Original Data
Functional consequences of the evolution of matrimony, a meiosis-specific inhibitor of Polo kinase
Bonner AM, Hawley RS. Mol Biol Evol. 2019;36:69-83.
Original Data
Binding of Drosophila Polo kinase to its regulator Matrimony is noncanonical and involves two separate functional domains.
Bonner AM, Hughes SE, Chisholm JA, Smith SK, Slaughter BD, Unruh JR, Collins KA, Friederichs JM, Florens L, Swanson SK, Pelot MC, Miller DE, Washburn MP, Jaspersen SL, Hawley RS. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013;110:E1222-1231.
Original Data
Reviews, Commentaries, Chapters or Books
A Nucleoporin at the Meiotic Kinetochore
Bonner AM, Hawley RS. Dev Cell. 2016;38:447-448.

Melvin Noé González
Thesis Mentors
Joan Conaway, PhD, and Ron Conaway, PhD
Thesis
Through bubbles, scaffolds and cassettes: Reconstituting the link between Pol II transcription and RNA capping.
Thesis Defense Date
May 2019
First Post-Graduate Position
Postdoctoral Training Fellow, The Francis Crick Institute, London, England
CTD-dependent and -independent mechanisms govern co-transcriptional capping of Pol II transcripts
Noe Gonzalez M, Sato S, Tomomori-Sato C, Conaway JW, Conaway RC. Nat Commun.2018;9:3392. doi: 3310.1038/s41467-41018-05923-w.
Frozen in transcription: Cryo-EM structures of Pol II transcribing through a nucleosome
Noe Gonzalez M, Conaway RC, Conaway JW. Mol Cell. 2018;72:802-804.
Artificial RNA Polymerase II Elongation Complexes for Dissecting Co-transcriptional RNA Processing Events
Noe Gonzalez, M., Conaway, J. W., & Conaway, R. C. Journal of Visualized Experiments. (147), e59497.

Christine Smoyer
Thesis Mentor
Sue Jaspersen, PhD
Thesis
Analysis of Inner Nuclear Membrane Composition by SPLIT-GFP.
Thesis Defense Date
October 2018
First Post-Graduate Position
Postdoctoral Scholar, Dr. Kassandra Ori-McKenney, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, UC Davis, Davis, California
Distribution of Proteins at the Inner Nuclear Membrane Is Regulated by the Asi1 E3 Ligase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Smoyer CJ, Smith SE, Gardner JM, McCroskey S, Unruh JR, Jaspersen SL. Genetics. 2019 Feb 1. pii: genetics.301911.2019. doi: 10.1534/genetics.119.301911. [Epub ahead of print]
Analysis of membrane proteins localizing to the inner nuclear envelope in living cells.
Smoyer CJ, Katta SS, Gardner JM, Stoltz L, McCroskey S, Bradford WD, McClain M, Smith SE, Slaughter BD, Unruh JR, Jaspersen SL. J Cell Biol. 2016 Nov 21;215(4):575-590. Epub 2016 Nov 9.
Breaking down the wall: the nuclear envelope during mitosis.
Smoyer CJ, Jaspersen SL. Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2014 Feb;26:1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2013.08.002. Epub 2013 Sep 4. Review.
The SUN protein Mps3 controls Ndc1 distribution and function on the nuclear membrane.
Chen J, Smoyer CJ, Slaughter BD, Unruh JR, Jaspersen SL. J Cell Biol. 2014 Feb 17;204(4):523-39. doi: 10.1083/jcb.201307043. Epub 2014 Feb 10.
Destination: inner nuclear membrane.
Katta SS, Smoyer CJ, Jaspersen SL. Trends Cell Biol. 2014 Apr;24(4):221-9. doi: 10.1016/j.tcb.2013.10.006. Epub 2013 Nov 19. Review.
Genetic analysis of Mps3 SUN domain mutants in Saccharomyces cerevisiae reveals an interaction with the SUN-like protein Slp1.
Friederichs JM, Gardner JM, Smoyer CJ, Whetstine CR, Gogol M, Slaughter BD, Jaspersen SL. G3 (Bethesda). 2012 Dec;2(12):1703-18. doi: 10.1534/g3.112.004614. Epub 2012 Dec 1.
Acetylation of the SUN protein Mps3 by Eco1 regulates its function in nuclear organization.
Ghosh S, Gardner JM, Smoyer CJ, Friederichs JM, Unruh JR, Slaughter BD, Alexander R, Chisholm RD, Lee KK, Workman JL, Jaspersen SL. Mol Biol Cell. 2012 Jul;23(13):2546-59. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E11-07-0600. Epub 2012 May 16.
The SUN protein Mps3 is required for spindle pole body insertion into the nuclear membrane and nuclear envelope homeostasis.
Friederichs JM, Ghosh S, Smoyer CJ, McCroskey S, Miller BD, Weaver KJ, Delventhal KM, Unruh J, Slaughter BD, Jaspersen SL. PLoS Genet. 2011 Nov;7(11):e1002365. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002365. Epub 2011 Nov 17.
Targeting of the SUN protein Mps3 to the inner nuclear membrane by the histone variant H2A.Z.
Gardner JM, Smoyer CJ, Stensrud ES, Alexander R, Gogol M, Wiegraebe W, Jaspersen SL. J Cell Biol. 2011 May 2;193(3):489-507. doi: 10.1083/jcb.201011017. Epub 2011 Apr 25.

Wanqing Shao
Thesis Mentor
Julia Zeitlinger, PhD
Thesis
The interplay between transcription initiation, RNA polymerase II pausing and core promoter elements: A genomics perspective.
Thesis Defense Date
July 2018
First Post-Graduate Position
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Genetics Department, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
Suppression of m(6)A reader Ythdf2 promotes hematopoietic stem cell expansion
Li Z, Qian P, Shao W, Shi H, He XC, Gogol M, Yu Z, Wang Y, Qi M, Zhu Y, Perry JM, Zhang K, Tao F, Zhou K, Hu D, Han Y, Zhao C, Alexander R, Xu H, Chen S, Peak A, Hall K, Peterson M, Perera A, Haug JS, Parmely T, Li H, Shen B, Zeitlinger J, He C, Li L. [published ahead of print August 2 2018]. Cell Res.2018. 28(9):904-917.
Capicua controls Toll/IL-1 signaling targets independently of RTK regulation
Papagianni A, Fores M, Shao W, He S, Koenecke N, Andreu MJ, Samper N, Paroush Z, Gonzalez-Crespo S, Zeitlinger J, Jimenez G. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.2018;115:1807-1812.
Original Data
Paused RNA polymerase II inhibits new transcriptional initiation
Shao W, Zeitlinger J. Nat Genet.2017;49:1045-1051..
Original Data
A global change in RNA Polymerase II pausing during the Drosophila mid bastula transition. eLife 2013 doi: 10.7554/eLife.00861
Chen, K., Johnston, J., Shao, W., Meier, S., Staber, C., and Zeitlinger, J.

Cori Cahoon
Thesis Mentor
R. Scott Hawley, PhD
Thesis
Understanding the structure and function of the Drosophila synaptonemal complex in female meiosis.
Thesis Defense Date
April 2018
First Post-Graduate Position
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
Superresolution expansion microscopy reveals the three-dimensional organization of the Drosophila synaptonemal complex.
Cahoon CK, Yu Z, Wang Y, Guo F, Unruh JR, Slaughter BD, Hawley RS. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.2017;114:E6857-E6866.
Regulating the construction and demolition of the synaptonemal complex
Cahoon CK, Hawley RS. Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2016;23:369-377.
Meiosis: Cohesins are not just for sisters anymore.
Cahoon CK, Hawley RS. Current Biology. 2016 Jun 11;26(13):R523-5.
Flies get a head start on meiosis.
Cahoon CK, Hawley RS. PLoS Genet. 2013;9:e1004051.
Multiple opposing constraints govern chromosome interactions during meiosis.
Liu DY, Cahoon CK, Burgess S. PLoS Genet. 2013;9:e1003197

Kobe Yuen
Thesis Mentor
Jennifer Gerton, PhD
Thesis
Structural Maintenance Proteins - Roles in Chromatin Organization and Gene Expression
Thesis Defense Date
December 2016
First Post-Graduate Position
Postdoctoral Researcher, Genentech, San Francisco CA
Taking cohesin and condensin in context
Yuen KC, Gerton JL. PLoS Genet.2018;14:e1007118. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007118.
Condensin II is anchored by TFIIIC and H3K4me3 in the mammalian genome and supports expression of active dense gene clusters
Yuen, KC, Slaughter, BD, andGerton JL. Sci Adv. 2017;3:e1700191. doi: 1700110.1701126/sciadv.1700191. .
Original Data
NIPBL Controls RNA Biogenesis to Prevent Activation of the Stress Kinase PKR.
Yuen KC, Xu B, Krantz, ID, and Gerton, JL (2016) Cell Rep. Jan 5;14(1):93-102.
Etiology and pathogenesis of the cohesinopathies.
Zakari M, Yuen K, Gerton JL. (2015) Wiley Interdiscip Rev Dev Biol. Sep-Oct;4(5):489-504.
Mef2c-F10N enhancer drive β-galactosidase (LacZ) and Cre recombinase mice facilitate analyses of gene function and lineage fate in neural crest cells.
Aoto, K, Sandell, L.L., Butler Tjaden, N.E., Yuen, K.C., Watt, K.E., Black B.L., Durnin, M., and Trainor, P.A. (2015) Dev Biol, 402(1):3-16
From skeleton to cytoskeleton: osteocalcin transforms vascular fibroblasts to myofibroblasts via angiotensin II and Toll-like receptor 4.
Yuen CY, Wong SL, Lau CW, Tsang SY, Xu A, Zhu Z, Ng CF, Yao X, Kong SK, Lee HK, Huang Y. (2012) Circ Res. 111(3):e55-66.
Telmisartan inhibits vasoconstriction via PPARγ-dependent expression and activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase.
Yuen, C.Y., Wong, W.T., Tian, X.Y., Wong, S.L., Lau, C. W., Yu, J., Tomlinson, B., Yao, X. and Huang, Y. Cardiovasc Res, 90(1):122-129.