MEET THE LAB
Anne Carlson, Ph.D.
Principle Investigator
I received my Ph.D. from the University of Washington, and worked with Bertil Hille and Donner Babcock studying the preparation of sperm for fertilization. For my postdoctoral studies, I focused ion channel structure and function in the laboratory of William Zagotta. I am now interested in the earliest signaling events of fertilization as well as the regulation of Ca2+-activated Cl- channels.
Katie Wozniak
Graduate Student
Katie graduated from Duquesne University in 2014 with a B.S. in Biochemistry. Her undergraduate research focused on optimizing methods for robotic liquid handling systems utilized by the Division of Laboratory Sciences at the CDC. Her current research focuses on understanding the first moments of zygote development, with hopes of using this information to design novel contraceptives.
Wase Tembo
Graduate Student
Wase graduated from Lake Forest College in 2015 with a B.A. in Neuroscience and Biology. Her undergraduate research focused on the role of alpha synuclein mutations in Parkinson’s disease pathology using yeast as a model. Her current research focuses on understanding how acidic phospholipids, such as PIP2, regulate gating of the Ca2+-activated Cl- channel TMEM16a.
Monica Sauer
Undergraduate Researcher
Monica is a senior at Pitt. She joined the lab in January 2016 and has been working with Ben on various projects including uncovering the role that actin polymerization may play in fertilization of Xenopus laevis, examining how extracellular ions regulate fertilization, and uncovering how phenylarsine oxide disrupts fertilization.
Bennett Wisner
Undergraduate Researcher
Ben is a senior at Pitt and also joined the lab in January 2016. Together with Monica, Ben has been working on various projects in the lab including uncovering the role that actin polymerization may play in fertilization of Xenopus laevis, examining how extracellular ions regulate fertilization, and uncovering how phenylarsine oxide disrupts fertilization.
Meli Linderman
Undergraduate Researcher
Meli is a junior at Pitt and joined the lab during the summer of 2017. Meli and Meghan are working together to understand the role that various extracellular ions may play in fertilization and early embryonic development in Xenopus laevis.
Meghan Hanson
Undergraduate Researcher
Meghan is a sophomore at Pitt and joined the lab fall of 2017. Together with Meli, Meghan is studying the role that extracellular ion may play in fertilization and early embryonic development