Current Lab Members

Maciej Basczok

Maciej carried out graduate work with Prof. Mikolaj Olejniczak at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland, where he characterized the RNA recognition determinants for the Neisseria meningitidis ProQ protein. Maciej is now focusing on elucidating the functions of small proteins, particularly those encoded by uORFs that regulate translation of the downstream gene.

NIH, Building 49, Room 1A-35
49 Convent Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-4417
Email: maciej.basczok@nih.gov

Chelsey Fontenot

Chelsey joined the group after receiving a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Louisiana State University. Geaux Tigers! As a graduate student with Prof. Huangen Ding, she discovered that the Fur transcription repressor binds a [2Fe-2S] instead of iron as initially thought. She is examining the physiological roles of three oxidative stress-induced small RNAs and characterizing a small protein induced under anaerobic conditions.

NIH, Building 49, Room 1C-20
49 Convent Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-4417
Email: chelsey.fontenot@nih.gov

José de Jesus Hernández Valle

José obtained his Ph.D. from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) where he characterized the quorum sensing system and the role of the CtrA transcription factor in Rhodobacter sphaeroides in the group of Prof. Laura Camarena. Having obtained experience in RNA-seq approaches, José is excited to examine the changes in the small RNA-mRNA interactome over time as bacteria encounter a stress such as iron limitation. José was selected as a Pew Latin American Fellow for his proposal about this work.

NIH, Building 49, Room 1A-35
49 Convent Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-4417
Email: jose.hernandezvalle@nih.gov

Madison (Madi) Jermain

As a graduate student with Prof. Wade Winkler at the University of Maryland at College Park, Madi characterized the role of Bacillus velezensis LoaP, a NusG paralog, in promoting transcription elongation of very long operons responsible for polyketide secondary metabolites. Given Madi’s long standing interest in transcription, she plans to initiate a project to characterize small proteins that modulate transcription by directly binding transcription factors or RNA polymerase.

NIH, Building 49, Room 1A-35
49 Convent Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-4417
Email: madison.jermain@nih.gov

Zachary (Zach) Rich

Zach is joining the group as an NIH-OxCam graduate scholar after obtaining his undergraduate degree in Physics from Columbia University. Having worked on cryo-EM studies of human CFTR, the protein mutated in cystic fibrosis patients, with Prof. John Hunt, Zach has a strong interest in the structural characterization of small protein-transporter complexes found in the inner membrane. Excitingly, this work will be carried out in collaboration with Prof. Ben Luisi at Cambridge University.

NIH, Building 49, Room 1A-35
49 Convent Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-4417
Email: zachary.rich@nih.gov

Janka Joline (Jo) Schmidt

Jo carried out graduate work in microbiology with Prof. Franz Narberhaus at the Ruhr Universität Bochum. The main focus of her thesis work was the characterization of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens LysR-type transcription factor LsrB, which Jo found to senses both plant-derived phenolic compounds and hydrogen peroxide to provide protection against these stresses. Jo has now turned her attention to proteins encoded within larger open reading frames, both in and out-of-frame. She received a Walter Benjamin Fellowship from the DFG for her proposal to identify and characterize these genes-within-genes expressed under various stress conditions.

NIH, Building 49, Room 1C-20
49 Convent Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-4417
Email: joline.schmidt@nih.gov

Shuwen Shan

Shuwen has a unique background in that she obtained her Ph.D. in molecular diagnosis in veterinary medicine at the University of Göttingen, working together with Prof. Bertram Brenig. She is excited to learn more about bacterial small RNAs. Shuwen is working on noncanonical small RNAs for which we have some information about Hfq and ProQ binding but still do not know the physiological roles.

NIH, Building 49, Room 1A-35
49 Convent Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-4417
Email:  shuwen.shan@nih.gov

Rilee Zeinert

After completing an undergraduate research project in the lab of former Storz lab alum Prof. Laurie Waters, Rilee conducted Ph.D. work with Prof. Peter Chien at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. The Tn-seq screens he conducted and followed up have led into new insights into physiological consequences of proteolysis. Rilee’s project to learn more about the impact of small proteins by proteolysis will capitalize on this expertise.

NIH, Building 49, Room 1A-35
49 Convent Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-4417
Email: rilee.zeinert@nih.gov

Aixia Zhang

Aixia has worked on nearly every aspect of small RNA identification and characterization, assisting many projects in the Storz lab as well as in other labs. Over the years, she has conducted much of the seminal work on the Hfq RNA chaperone protein. Contact Aixia for any questions about protocols and reagents!

NIH, Building 49, Room 1A-35
49 Convent Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-4417
Email: zhanga@mail.nih.gov

Aoshu Zhong

As a graduate student with Prof. Hung-wen Liu at the University of Texas at Austin, Aoshu studied the biosynthesis of oxetanocin A, a nucleoside antiviral agent produced by Bacillus megaterium. Aoshu’s expertise in enzymology and protein purification is a big asset in his characterization of proteins encoded by overlapping genes, particularly a novel toxin-antitoxin system. Aoshu is planning to continue this exciting work in his own lab and is a great colleague; a hint to search committees!

NIH, Building 49, Room 1C-20
49 Convent Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-4417
Email: aoshu.zhong@nih.gov

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