CURRENT LAB MEMBERS
Bess Frost, Ph.D.
Dr. Bess Frost is the Salame-Feraud Director of the Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research, a joint initiative between the Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science and the Division of Biology and Medicine at Brown University. Bess earned her Ph.D. from the University of California San Francisco in the laboratory of Dr. Marc Diamond. She performed her postdoctoral work at Harvard Medical School in the laboratory of Dr. Mel Feany. Bess began her independent laboratory at the University of Texas Health in San Antonio in 2015 and moved to Brown University in 2024. She was awarded the 2020 O'Donnell Award in Medicine from The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas, a 2021 Standout Achievement Award from CurePSP, and was a gold recipient of the Oskar Fischer Prize in 2022.
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Alyssa Cavalier, Ph.D.
Dr. Aly Cavalier is a postdoctoral fellow in the Frost lab who is investigating tau-induced dsRNAs as a driver of innate immune activation. Prior to joining the lab, Aly earned her B.S. from the University of Colorado Boulder, where she worked with Dr. Chris Link to characterize the beta amyloid peptide as a pro-inflammatory cytokine in human astrocytes. Aly was then an F31-funded Ph.D. student at Colorado State University, where she worked with Dr. Tom LaRocca to investigate age-related epigenetic dysregulation of transposable elements and inflammation associated with brain aging and Alzheimer’s disease.
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Yutaka Yamamoto, Ph.D.
​Dr. Yutaka Yamamoto is a senior research associate in the Frost Lab who is working on establishing an experimental system to monitor tau seeding in Drosoplila.
After earning his medical degree in Japan, he completed his Ph.D. study in developmental biology in Drosophila with Dr. Walter Gehring in Switzerland. Prior to joining the Frost Lab, he worked on the centrosomal behavior regulated by polo kinase in Drosophila in the lab of Dr. David Glover in England. He moved to Dr. Susan Gerbi's lab at Brown University to study unique biological features (DNA amplification, chromosome elimination etc.) of fungus fly Sciara coprophila and developed various molecular genetic tools for the Sciara fly.
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Zachary Uttke, M.D./Ph.D. Student
Zach is a Brown University M.D./Ph.D. student in the Frost lab who is investigating novel mechanisms of retrotransposon activation in the aging Drosophila brain. Prior to joining the lab, Zach earned his B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and studied normal cognitive aging in Long-Evans rats at NIA in the laboratory of Dr. Peter Rapp.
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Morgan Lambert, Ph.D. Candidate
Morgan Lambert is a Ph.D. student in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at Brown University who is investigating circular forms of DNA in the context of Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. Morgan earned her B.S. from the University of South Carolina where she analyzed brain levels of copper and studied kynureninic acid in the context of brain development. Morgan has received previous support from the University of Texas Health San Antonio Neuroscience T32.
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Lulu Schulz, M.S., Ph.D. Candidate
Lulu Schulz is a Ph.D. student in the Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry Graduate Program at Brown University who is investigating formation of viral-like particles in the context of tauopathy. Lulu graduated with a B.S. from Rhodes College, where she worked in the analytical chemistry lab of Dr. Jon Russ. Lulu went on to perform her masters thesis in the Frost lab, where she was the 2022 recipient of the Armand J. Guarino Award for Academic Excellence in Master’s Studies.
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Morgan Thomas, Ph.D. Candidate
Morgan Thomas is a Ph.D. student in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at Brown University who is developing a novel split-luciferase based Drosophila model of huntingtin aggregation. Morgan earned her B.S. from Oberlin College in 2019, where she investigated gene-toxicant interactions between Huntington's disease and cadmium. She has received previous support from the University of Texas Health San Antonio Neuroscience T32.
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Erich Sohn, Ph.D. Candidate
Erich Sohn is an NIH F31-funded Ph.D. student in the Integrated BioMedical Sciences program at the University of Texas Health San Antonio who is investigating how the phase separation of RNA binding proteins regulate DNA repair and transcription. Erich is co-mentored by Dr. David Libich and Dr. Frost.
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Claira Sohn, Ph.D. Candidate
Claira Sohn is an NIH F31-funded Ph.D. student in the Biology of Aging discipline of the Integrated BioMedical Sciences program at the University of Texas Health San Antonio. She is investigating mechanosensing properties of neuronal nuclei in physiological settings and in the context of tauopathy. Claira earned her B.S. from Northern Arizona University, where she worked to synthesize self-assembling peptides to create a new vaccine platform for HPV. Claira has received previous support from the University of Texas Health San Antonio Biology of Aging T32.
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PREVIOUS LAB MEMBERS
Farzaneh Atrian, Ph.D.
As a University of Texas Health San Antonio NIH Biology of Aging T32-funded postdoctoral fellow in the Frost lab (2020-2024), Dr. Farzaneh Atrian discovered that pathological forms of tau drive formation of circular RNAs, and that such a process is mediated by RNA methylation.
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Meghna Chinchankar, Ph.D.
As a University of Texas Health San Antonio postdoctoral fellow in the Frost lab, Dr. Meghna Chinchankar (2022-2024) worked to develop new assays for quantifying tau aggregation in the Drosophila brain.
Wenyan Sun, Ph.D.
As a BrightFocus Foundation-funded postdoctoral fellow in the Frost lab (2018-2022), Dr. Wenyan Sun . discovered that pathological forms of tau cause a toxic activation of transposable elements. Dr. Sun was the was the postdoctoral recipient of the Joe H. Ward, Jr. and Bettie B. Ward Award for Excellence in the Study of the Biology of Aging in 2018. Dr. Sun is currently an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Tulane University. ​
Rebekah Mahoney, Ph.D.
As a University of Texas Health San Antonio NIGMS SABER-IRACDA-funded postdoctoral fellow in the Frost lab (2016-2019), Dr. Rebekah Mahoney discovered that pathological forms of tau cause a toxic depletion of nuclear calcium in the Drosophila brain and served as the President of the UT Health Postdoctoral Association. She is now a 6th grade science teacher at Doctors Inlet Elementary School.​
Garrett Cornelison, Ph.D.
As a University of Texas Health San Antonio NIA Biology of Aging T32-funded postdoctoral fellow in the Frost lab (2017), Dr. Garrett Cornelison discovered that pathological forms of tau negatively affect RNA export. Garrett now works as a Principal Scientist in the Post-Candidate Research Group at Seattle Genetics.​
Paulino Ramirez, Ph.D.
As a University of Texas Health San Antonio Ph.D. student in the Frost laboratory (2019-2024), Dr. Paul Ramirez focused on bioinformatic analyses of transposable element activation in tauopathy. Paul is currently the Lead Bioinformatician for the Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research at Brown University.​
Elizabeth Ochoa, Ph.D.
As a University of Texas Health San Antonio NIGMS R25-supported Ph.D. student in the Frost lab (2018-2022), Dr. Elizabeth Ochoa discovered that tau-induced activation of retrotransposons causes formation of neuroinflammatory double stranded RNAs. Elizabeth was the 2022 winner of the Ward Award in the Biology of Aging. She is now a SABER-IRACDA-funded postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Dr. Kevin Bieniek at the University of Texas Health San Antonio. ​
Gabrielle Zuniga, M.D./Ph.D.
As a University of Texas Health San Antonio NIH Biology of Aging T32, TST-TL1, and Neuroscience T32-funded student in the South Texas MSTP program, Dr. Gabbe Zuniga discovered that pathogenic forms of tau disrupt RNA surveillance pathways and elevate overall levels of translation. Gabbe is currently a Resident in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Texas Health San Antonio.
Simon Levy, Ph.D.
As a University of Texas Health San Antonio Ph.D. student in the Frost lab (2017-2022), Dr. Simon Levy developed a Drosophila system for in vivo detection of tau-tau interaction and served as the President of the UTHSA Graduate Student Association. Simon is now a Regulatory Scientist with RQM+ in San Diego, CA. ​
Adrian Beckmann, Ph.D.
As a University of Texas Health San Antonio NIA Biology of Aging T32 and NINDS F31-funded Ph.D. student in the Frost lab (2017-2021), Dr. Adrian Beckmann discovered that pathogenic forms of tau disrupt the cellular program that maintains terminal neuronal differentiation. Adrian was the recipient of the Joe H. Ward, Jr. and Bettie B. Ward Award for Excellence in the Study of the Biology of Aging in 2018. Adrian is now an Institute Research Investigator at MD Anderson in Houston, TX. ​
Lisa Davila, M.B.A.
Lisa Davila was a Research Coordinator in the Frost lab from 2021-2024. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from St. Mary's University of San Antonio and her MBA in Data Analytics from Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi. Lisa is currently the Projector Director of the Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research at Brown University.
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Melissa Soliz, M.S
Melissa Soliz was a Research Associate in the Frost lab from 2023-2024. Melissa earned her B.S. in Biochemistry from University of Texas at San Antonio, and her master’s degree in Immunology and Infection from the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Texas Health San Antonio.​ She is currently an MD/PhD student at Penn State.
Marissa Marquez, B.S.
Marissa Marquez was a Research Assistant in the Frost lab from 2022-2024. Marissa earned her B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to joining the Frost lab, Marissa worked as a Women in Neuroscience WiNtern in the laboratory of Dr. Audrey Brumback.​
Annie Flores, B.S.
Annie Flores was a Research Assistant in the Frost lab from 2021-2023. She earned her B.S. in Psychology and Pre-Health Professions certification from the University of Texas at Austin. Annie is currently a Research Assessor/Coordinator for the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium.
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Jasmine De Mange, M.S.
Jasmine De Mange was a Research Associate in the Frost lab from 2020-2024. Jasmine earned her B.S. in Biology from California State University Channel Islands, and her master’s degree in Cell Systems and Anatomy from the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Texas Health San Antonio.​
Elias Gonzalez, M.S.
Elias Gonzalez was a Research Assistant the Frost lab from 2019-2022. Elias earned his B.S. from St. Mary's University of San Antonio, and his master's degree in biomedical science from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. He is currently a student at Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine in Provo, Utah. ​
Maria Gamez, B.S.
Maria Gamez was a Research Associate in the Frost lab from 2015-2020 and 2023-2024. Maria earned her B.S. and masters degrees in electronic engineering from the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon in Monterrey, Mexico, and has over 30 years of experience working in the field of neurodegenerative disorders. ​She is now a Research Associate with Dr. Lizhen Chen at the University of Texas Health San Antonio.