Research Assistant

Emma recently graduated from UC Berkeley, where she double majored in Molecular and Cell Biology and Data Science. She is broadly interested in applying genomic technologies to study neuronal development and plasticity. Previously, Emma worked in Barbara Meyer’s lab, where she used genomic tools to identify key genes involved in sex determination in C. elegans, and in Yang Dan’s lab where she investigated how sleep deprivation affects neurotransmitter synthesis in catecholaminergic neurons. In the Fang Lab, Emma is developing sequencing- and imaging-based genomic tools to study, at single-molecule resolution, how transcription in the brain is impacted by neural activity. She is also passionate about scientific writing, check out some of her essays here.

PhD Student in Biophysics

Eduardo received his bachelor degree in Chemistry from the University of Puerto Rico–Mayagüez. His passion for neurobiology began as an AMGEN Scholar at UC Berkeley where, as part of Dr. Kumar’s lab, he studied the biophysics of neurofilament aggregation in disease states. Later, as a REACH Scholar at Stanford and in Dr. Zuchero’s lab, he studied myelin formation and compaction by combining exocytosis and calcium imaging. In the Fang Lab, he is now using single cell sequencing and spatial transcriptomics to investigate how disrupted communication between glial, neuronal, and immune cells contributes to the pathogenesis of brain diseases. Outside the lab, Eduardo enjoys playing basketball and softball, and exploring new restaurants around the Bay Area.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Ya earned her Ph.D. in genetics and molecular biology from Cornell University. She is broadly interested in how transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms shape cellular function. Her previous work in Andrew Grimson’s lab identified transcriptional and epigenetic signatures that distinguish human adult and neonatal CD8⁺ T cells. There, she also contributed to the identification of microRNA target genes using PRO-seq and RNA-seq. In the Fang Lab, Ya studies how gene regulation in the mammalian brain changes during learning and memory. Her goal is to better understand how these gene regulatory processes support neural plasticity and cognition.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Yue is a collaborative postdoc from Kang Shen’s Lab at Stanford. She is broadly interested in ageing and neurodegeneration. Yue earned her Ph.D. in Biology from UC San Diego, where she trained in C. elegans genetics and neurobiology in Yishi Jin’s lab. There, she uncovered novel mechanisms regulating the stress-responsive DLK signaling pathway at the sensory endings of the nervous system. In the Fang lab, Yue is applying transcriptome imaging to investigate how neuronal signaling changes during upon neurodegeneration. Outside the lab, she enjoys photography, visiting art museums, and playing badminton.

Lab Manager / Research Assistant

Aaron graduated from UC Merced in 2022 with a bachelor degree in Microbiology and Immunology. Previously, he worked as a research associate at UCSF’s Institute for Human Genetics and the Benioff Center for Microbiome Medicine, where he contributed to multiple projects applying next-generation sequencing technologies to gut microbiome research. In the Fang Lab, Aaron oversees lab safety and administration, while also providing technical support to the group. Outside the lab, he enjoys spending time outdoors—whether bouldering on the weekends or swimming at the beach.

Undergraduate Student

Rachel is broadly interested in how environmental and genetic factors influence health across development. Previously, she worked in Dr. Stephanie Lovinsky-Desir’s lab at Columbia, where she assisted with a pilot study investigating the impact of air pollution on lung function in active youth and in Dr. Sonia Athina Karabina’s lab at Hôpital Armand-Trousseau where she studied autophagy as a potential treatment for childhood interstitial lung diseases. In the Fang Lab, Rachel is working on combining expansion microscopy and multiplexed fluorescence imaging. Outside the lab, Rachel loves singing and performs with Stanford’s Mixed Company A Capella group.