{"id":1120,"date":"2025-05-29T20:13:05","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T20:13:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kurshanlab.org\/?page_id=1120"},"modified":"2025-08-14T16:36:52","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T16:36:52","slug":"lab-members-sandbox","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kurshanlab.org\/index.php\/lab-members-sandbox\/","title":{"rendered":"Lab Members"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR<\/span><\/p>\n

PERI KURSHAN<\/p>\n

Peri performed her postdoctoral work at Stanford University in the lab of Kang Shen. She obtained her PhD in Neuroscience from Harvard University, under the mentorship of Thomas Schwarz, studying synaptogenesis in\u00a0Drosophila<\/em>. She completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at Brown University. Outside of lab Peri enjoys skiing and hiking with her husband and two kids.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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POSTDOC<\/span><\/p>\n

ELISA FRANKEL<\/p>\n

Elisa is an IRACDA\/K12 postdoctoral scholar. She earned her PhD in Biochemistry in the laboratory of Jon Audhya at UW-Madison, studying ESCRT protein regulation in\u00a0C. elegans<\/em>. Prior to graduate school, Elisa obtained her bachelor\u2019s degree in Biochemistry from Mount Holyoke College, and spent a year as a Fulbright Scholar at the Weizmann Institute in Israel. In her free time, Elisa enjoys tennis, skiing, and card games.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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RESEARCH TECHNICIAN<\/span><\/p>\n

PARISE HENRY<\/p>\n

Parise earned her Master\u2019s in Environmental Toxicology from Texas Southern University under the direction of Fawzia Abdel-Rahman in collaboration with Saleh Mahmoud. She used C. elegans<\/em> as a model for the lipid profile as an early biomarker of stress following exposure to an environmental pollutant. She earned her Bachelor\u2019s in Environmental Science and Technology from University of Maryland-College Park. She enjoys taking an excessive amount of photos and videos of nature (like scenic views and bees), the mundane (like personalized license plates), and almost anything else that is photographable, cooking for family and friends, visiting libraries, and hiking.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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PHD STUDENT<\/b><\/span><\/p>

ARAVEN TIROUMALECHETTY<\/span><\/p>

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Araven obtained his bachelor\u2019s degree in Molecular Biology and Physics at Colgate University. Outside of the lab, Araven likes experimenting with new cooking styles, exploring new york city, reading and learning new languages.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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PHD STUDENT<\/b><\/span><\/p>

JADA SUMMERVILLE<\/span><\/p>

Jada was born in Italy and raised in Virginia before moving to Georgia where she attended undergrad. Jada earned her Bachelors in cellular biology from the University of Georgia. She used planarians as a model for understanding regeneration and how it occurs in the nervous system. For her Ph.D. she is currently working to understand the roles of cell adhesion molecules in synapse formation. Outside of lab, she enjoys writing poetry, spending time with family and friends, and watching movies.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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MD\/PHD STUDENT<\/b><\/span><\/p>

MIKE KRAWCHUK<\/span><\/p>

Mike grew up in Pennsylvania and completed his Bachelor\u2019s degree in neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh. In the Kurshan lab, his project involves studying how patient derived mutations in voltage gated calcium channel subunits impact synaptic structure and function. Outside the lab, Mike enjoys playing\/watching sports, hanging out with his dog, and traveling.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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MD\/PHD STUDENT<\/span><\/span><\/p>

JACKSON ROGOW<\/span><\/p>

I love imaging and tackling questions related to neurodevelopment and mRNA in neurons. In my free time I also love to play instruments at home, see live music, and go hiking!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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RESEARCH TRAINEE<\/span><\/span><\/p>

ALEXA AUGUSTINE<\/p>

Alexa was born and raised in New York City. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology and in Asian Civilizations and Languages at Amherst College. She used C. elegans to study functional differences between gamma secretase’s homologous catalytic subunits. She enjoys playing board games and doing arts and crafts in her free time. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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MD\/PHD STUDENT<\/span><\/span><\/p>

MALISSA RAMSUKH<\/p>

Malissa was born in Guyana and moved to NYC when she was 10 years old. She earned her Bachelor\u2019s Degree from Cornell University, majoring in Science and Technology Studies on a pre-med track. In her free time, Malissa enjoys spending time with her family and friends, cooking, and reading.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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PHD STUDENT<\/strong><\/p>

CATHERINA MOBINI<\/p>

Catherina, a native New Yorker, earned her Bachelor\u2019s degree in Neuroscience with a minor in Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh. During her time at Pitt, she developed a passion for exploring the molecular mechanisms that drive neuronal plasticity. Now in the Kurshan Lab, her research focuses on the role of voltage-gated calcium channels in shaping both the structural and functional diversity of synapses across various cell types. Outside of the lab, Catherina enjoys cooking, staying active, learning Farsi, and spending time with her loved ones.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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MASTER’S STUDENT<\/strong><\/p>

JASMINE HUERTA CANETE<\/p>

Jasmine was born and raised in New York City. She earned her bachelor’s degree from CUNY Lehman College. She majored in Biology with a concentration in Brain Sciences and a minor in Disability Studies. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree at the same institution. During her free time, she enjoys reading, playing video games and spending time with family and friends.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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HIGH SCHOOL AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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  • Tiffany Wang, Bronx Science HS, Summer 2025<\/li>
  • Zijun Liu, Bronx Science HS, Summer 2025<\/li>
  • Paola Guzman-Torres, University of Puerto Rico, Summer 2025<\/li>
  • Calista Toque, Bronx Science HS, 2024-2025<\/li>
  • Khadidja Berete, Bronx Science HS, 2024-2025<\/li>
  • Runjia Zhong, Bronx Science HS, 2024-2025<\/li>
  • Yonathan Eilon, Hunter College, 2024-2025<\/li>
  • Maserah Daniel,\u00a0Pelham Lab High School, Summer 2024<\/li>
  • Iman Siddiqui, Brooklyn College, 2023-2025<\/li>
  • Amy Sooraj, Bronx High School of Science, 2023-2024<\/li>
  • Jeremiah Prashad, Pelham Lab High School, Summer 2023<\/li>
  • Erika Attar, Rye High School, Summer 2023<\/li>
  • May Sen, Bronx High School of Science, 2022-2023<\/li>
  • Oliver Ryan, Bronx High School of Science, 2021-2022. Current position: Undergrad, Vassar College<\/li>
  • Anna Manger, Brown University, Summer 2022<\/li>
  • Bhaskar Chakrabarti, Bronx High School of Science, 2020-2021. Current position: Undergrad, University of Pittsburgh<\/li>
  • Carolyn Lai, Brown University, Summer 2021<\/li>
  • Rhea Sakaria, Jericho High School, Summer 2021<\/li>
  • Kathryn Callahan, Brown University, Summer 2020 (remote)<\/li>
  • Maya Azrieli, Brown University, Summer 2020 (remote)<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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    FORMER LAB MEMBERS<\/b><\/p>

    MAXIMILIANO ZULUAGA FORERO (Research Trainee)<\/span>
    Current position: PhD Student, Cornell University<\/p>

    MARCOS SCHAAN PROFES (Postdoc)<\/span>
    Current position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Mount Sinai<\/p>

    NEEL PATEL (Research Trainee)<\/span>
    Current position: PhD Student, Albert Einstein College of Medicine<\/span><\/p>

    ALBERT EDO PEREZ (Research Trainee)
    Current position: PhD Student,\u00a0Universitat Pompeu Fabra<\/p>

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    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR PERI KURSHAN Peri performed her postdoctoral work at Stanford University in the lab of Kang Shen. She obtained her PhD in Neuroscience from Harvard University, under the mentorship of Thomas Schwarz, studying synaptogenesis in\u00a0Drosophila. She completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at Brown University. Outside of lab Peri enjoys skiing and hiking with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1120","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kurshanlab.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1120","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kurshanlab.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kurshanlab.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kurshanlab.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kurshanlab.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1120"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/kurshanlab.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1120\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1590,"href":"https:\/\/kurshanlab.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1120\/revisions\/1590"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kurshanlab.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1120"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}