Jessica LaMae Whited, PhD
Jessica holds a BA in Philosophy and a BS in Biological Sciences from the University of Missouri. She earned her PhD at MIT, where she studied neuronal architecture in Paul Garrity's lab. As a postdoc in Cliff Tabin's lab at Harvard Medical School, Jessica focused on developing tools to more thoroughly investigate axolotl limb regeneration, and she established a breeding colony of axolotls. These animals are the seeds of the Whited Lab in BWH's Department of Orthopedic Surgery. Jessica is an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School, a Principal Faculty member of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, an Associate Member of the Broad Institute, a Smith Family Foundation fellow, a March of Dimes Basil O'Connor Scholar, and a 2015 NIH New Innovator Awardee. She is also a team member of the new Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University. A native of Michigan, Jessica spent her childhood messing with critters in the Midwest, and she spends her free time doing the same with her twin 8-year-old boys in Massachusetts.
Jessica holds a BA in Philosophy and a BS in Biological Sciences from the University of Missouri. She earned her PhD at MIT, where she studied neuronal architecture in Paul Garrity's lab. As a postdoc in Cliff Tabin's lab at Harvard Medical School, Jessica focused on developing tools to more thoroughly investigate axolotl limb regeneration, and she established a breeding colony of axolotls. These animals are the seeds of the Whited Lab in BWH's Department of Orthopedic Surgery. Jessica is an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School, a Principal Faculty member of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, an Associate Member of the Broad Institute, a Smith Family Foundation fellow, a March of Dimes Basil O'Connor Scholar, and a 2015 NIH New Innovator Awardee. She is also a team member of the new Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University. A native of Michigan, Jessica spent her childhood messing with critters in the Midwest, and she spends her free time doing the same with her twin 8-year-old boys in Massachusetts.
Will Ye
Will is our lead animal husbandry technician. He is a graduate of Tufts University and a wizard at power tools. Will had extensive previous experience with aquatic animals while at the New England Aquarium. His hometown is New York City.
Kimberly Johnson, PhD
Kimberly holds a BS degree in Biology from Bay Path University and an M.S. degree in Biology from Smith College. She earned her PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology from UMass Amherst, where she studied neural stem cell division in the developing zebrafish spinal cord. Kimberly is currently studying the impacts of wound-epidermis-specific molecules on axolotl limb regeneration and systemic wound responses following amputation. In her off time, Kimberly enjoys hiking with her dog, rock climbing, and baking.
Nicholas Leigh, PhD
Nick graduated from Lafayette College in Easton, PA with a B.S. in Biology. He also holds a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Roswell Park Cancer Institute/SUNY Buffalo. Nick is interested in learning how the immune system impacts the initiation and progress of limb regeneration. He enjoys reading, fishing, and playing soccer.
Rachelle Mariano
Rachelle is a graduate student in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences program at Harvard University, having earned undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and Computer Science at the University of Miami. Rachelle is interested in how information integrates at cellular and molecular levels to permit the high fidelity limb regeneration observed in axolotls. In her spare time she enjoys cooking, doing aerial fitness, and taking pictures of her cat.
Duygu Payzin
Duygu is a graduate student in the BBS program at Harvard Medical School. She earned her B.S. degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics from Bilkent University, and holds an M.S. degree in Molecular Biology from Koc University. In her spare time, Duygu enjoys reading, doing yoga and traveling, and she is passionate about animal welfare.
Konstantinos "Kostas" Sousounis, PhD
Kostas joined the lab in the summer of 2016 to lead our collaborative project with Mike Levin's group at the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts. He completed his PhD work at the University of Dayton in the lab of Dr. Panagiotis Tsonis. After a postdoctoral research position in the lab of Dr. Joanna Jankowsky at Baylor, Kostas is now reunited with salamanders.
Rachel Oshiro
Rachel is an undergraduate at Harvard University in the class of 2019 studying Molecular and Cellular Biology. Rachel is originally from Las Vegas, Nevada, and currently lives in Pforzhemier House. At Harvard, Rachel is part of the Mozart Society Orchestra, the Chinese Music Ensemble, and Health Peer Advisors and Liasons. After graduation, Rachel will potentially pursue an MD degree.
Bess Miller
Bess is a graduate student in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences program at Harvard University. She holds a B.A. in Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology from Harvard College. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, baking, and skiing.
Garrett Dunlap
Garrett is currently a student in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences PhD program at Harvard University. Previously, he graduated from Case Western Reserve University with a BS in Biology and a minor in Political Science. Outside of lab, Garrett writes for Harvard’s Science in the News and is involved in the Graduate Student Science Policy group. Additionally, he enjoys spending time running, cooking, and traveling.
Garrett Dunlap
Garrett is currently a student in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences PhD program at Harvard University. Previously, he graduated from Case Western Reserve University with a BS in Biology and a minor in Political Science. Outside of lab, Garrett writes for Harvard’s Science in the News and is involved in the Graduate Student Science Policy group. Additionally, he enjoys spending time running, cooking, and traveling.
Alan Wong
Alan is a Class of 2019 undergraduate at Harvard College studying Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology with a secondary in Linguistics. He hails from Vancouver, Canada, and in his spare time enjoys running, cooking and collecting postcards.
Jose Martinez Fernandez
Jose is an undergraduate at Harvard University studying Human Development and Regenerative Biology. He grew up in Camaguey, Cuba and currently lives in Winthrop House. His interests outside of the study of regeneration include cartooning for the Harvard Crimson and working to aid poor communities in Latin America.
Anna Henricks
Anna Henricks, originally from Lakeland, Florida, is a sophomore at Harvard studying Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology. After graduation, Anna hopes to take a year off to work in the nonprofit field before pursuing a career in pediatric medicine. On campus at Harvard, Anna is involved in a number of dance companies and works as a student mentor at the Harvard Ed Portal. She also works with Harvard Model Congress to run government simulations for high school students around the world.
Lab Alumni
Anna Guzikowski (technician; currently grad student at UCSD)
Colleen Carmody (student assistant, Simmons College; currently student researcher in Dr. Matt Harris's lab, HMS)
Samantha Furgason (student assistant, Simmons College; currently a registered nurse)
Neng Thao (undergrad researcher, Harvard, class of 2015; currently Youth Development and Employment Coordinator, Center for Wooden Boats, Seattle)
Mandi Nyambi (undergrad researcher, Harvard, class of 2015; currently MPH student, Columbia U.)
Tzu-Hsing (April) Kuo, PhD (postdoc; currently scientist, Acceleron Pharma, Cambridge, MA)
Tia DiTommaso, PhD (postdoc; currently scientist, SQZ Biotech)
May Barakat (undergrad researcher, Harvard, class of 2016; currently MD/PhD student at University of Illinois-Chicago)
Frankie Davis (undergrad researcher, Harvard, class of 2016; currently Second Lieutenant, United States Marine Corps)
Emily Pate (undergrad researcher, Harvard, class of 2016; currently enlisted in the U.S. Navy)
Janine Kopeski (aquatics technician; currently head coach/aquatics director for a swim team)
Tae Lee, PhD (postdoc; currently at GlaxoSmithKline)
Cameron Waites (HMS MD student, Pursuing Interests in Medicine researcher)
Joel Bateman (undergrad researcher, Harvard, class of 2017)
Nathaniel Dale (high school student; currently undergraduate at Emmanuel College)
Anna Saltman (MS student from BU; beginning medical school in fall 2017)
Donald Bryant, PhD (Harvard BBS program, HHMI Gilliam fellow; defended July, 2017; currently consultant, LEK)
