People

Josh Abrams, Postdoc
Josh is examining polarity and lumenogenesis in the excretory cell, a single-celled tube. As a graduate  student at the University of Pennsylvania, Josh investigated crosstalk between intestinal smooth muscle cells and epithelia in the zebrafish gut. When Josh is not busy creating tube deformities in the poor worms, he enjoys exploring NYC for hidden street art, going to rock shows, and telling antiquated jokes in front of his labmates.

Christina Brown, Undergraduate
Christina is an undergraduate at New York University majoring in Global Public Health with a concentration in Anthropology. She is interested in cell interactions, gene-disruption, and protein degradation in C. elegans. She received her Associates in Liberal Arts from Bard High School Early College where she first became fascinated by genetics while working with Drosophila. Outside of the lab, Christina enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, and studying Chinese.

Eileen Diaz-Cruz, Administrative Coordinator
Eileen is a Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine pioneer.  She has been at the Institute since its inception in 1994.  After a short jaunt with the Neuroscience Institute she is happy to be back home.

Allison Hall, Postdoc
Allison is studying polarity establishment in the early embryo. She received her PhD in molecular biology from Princeton, where she studied cell fusion in the budding yeast. As a Colorado native, Allison loves to ski and rock climb, but in the city she tries to see as many plays and musicals as possible.

Dan McIntyre, Postdoc
Dan is studying how niche cells and stem cells come together to form the primordial gonad.  Generally, his research interests lie in how cells use communication and gene regulation to organize, move and build complex 3D structures. He received a PhD in genetics and genomics from Duke University, where he worked on cell fate specification in sea urchins.  Dan likes to travel, build things with his hands, and play in the woods.

Lauren Meyer, Graduate Student
Lauren is studying the process by which the excretory cell is initially formed.  She received her B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Johns Hopkins University where she contributed to the construction of an artificial S. cerevisiae genome.  In her spare time Lauren enjoys practicing yoga, gaming, honing her archery skills, and listening to Broadway showtunes.  

Jeremy Nance, Principal Investigator
Jeremy is interested in how cell movements and shape changes sculpt tissues, organs, and embryos.  He obtained his PhD at the University of Arizona with Sam Ward studying morphogenesis of C. elegans sperm, and as a postdoc with Jim Priess, began investigating mechanisms of cell polarization and gastrulation in C. elegans embryos.  Jeremy is an avid birder, rookie gardener, yoga nut, and loves exploring New York’s amazing ethnic restaurants.

Aaron Schwartz, Graduate Student
Aaron is interested in mitochondrial inheritance in the C. elegans germ line. Before attending NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, he studied nuclear envelope fusion in the developing zebrafish embryo and majored in biology and chemistry at SUNY Purchase College. When not in the lab, Aaron enjoys playing music for his cats, skateboarding around New York City, and exploring the Hudson Valley.