Meet the Team
Gunther Hollopeter did his undergraduate studies at the University of Washington in Seattle, and began his research career there, studying the neuronal basis of appetite control in mice. For his graduate work, he entered the neuroscience program at the University of California, San Francisco, where he isolated the target of the clot-busting drug Plavix. For his postdoctoral training, Gunther moved to the University of Utah and later to the Stowers Institute, where he initiated projects to study basic cell biology in vivo. In September 2015, Gunther joined the Molecular Medicine faculty in the College of Veterinary Medicine as an Assistant Professor.
Gwen Beacham is a graduate student in Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology. She grew up in Farmington, Maine and attended the University of Maine for her undergraduate studies during which she was awarded a Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. She also studied abroad at the University College Cork in Ireland for a semester. Her undergraduate research focused on characterizing a novel Cluster E mycobacteriophage. Additionally, she had summer internships at the Mt. Desert Island Biological Laboratory in Salisbury Cove, Maine and at the Boyce Thompson Institute of Plant Research at Cornell. Gwen graduated from the University of Maine in May 2015 with a B.S. in Biochemistry and was awarded an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. She is also a co-recipient of the 2020 Porter Prize for Research Excellence from the American Society for Cell Biology. In her free time, Gwen likes to run, hike, explore new places, cook, and play the piano.
Ed Partlow is a graduate student in the Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology Program. He received a BS in biochemistry from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2016, where he worked on characterization of proteins that selectively kill cancer cells. He now focuses on structural biology in the Hollopeter lab, and is pursuing a minor in biophysics while at Cornell. In his free time Ed enjoys traveling to the Adirondacks to hike and camp, as well as drawing, reading, and swimming.
Erika Beyrent is a graduate student in the Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology Program. She is from Scranton, Pennsylvania, where she completed her undergraduate degree at The University of Scranton. Her undergraduate research focused on the effect of oxidative stress on the subcellular localization of the microtubule associated protein tau in neurons. As an undergraduate, she received the President's Fellowship for Summer Research and The University of Scranton, and completed an internship at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys playing the violin, baking, and swimming.
Derek Wei is a graduate student in the Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology Program. He grew up in Westerville, Ohio where he received his B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Otterbein University. His undergraduate research focused on understanding the role of a PAT family protein in lipid storage and associated diseases. He also completed a summer research internship in the Plant Genomics Program at Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan. Derek was was awarded a Presidential Life Science Fellowship his first year at Cornell. In his free time, he enjoys reading, hiking, watching movies, and spending time with his family and friends.
Mari Camacho is an undergraduate student in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences majoring in Biology and Society with a concentration in infectious diseases and population health. She was born and raised in Hilo, Hawai'i. At Cornell, she is a Tradition fellow in The Cornell Commitment where she contributes significant hours to community and campus service, as well as paid work. In her free time, she likes to go to the beach, surf, and fish.
Jian Zheng is a first-generation undergraduate student majoring in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Biochemistry and is pursuing a minor in Biological Engineering. Born in Manhattan, NY, he has lived in five states and China, but calls Andover, MN home. He transferred to Cornell University as a sophomore from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. Jian lives in Cornell’s Ecology House, where he explores the joys of cooking, gardening, and exploring new places with his bike.
Maria Henriquez is an undergraduate student in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in Biological Sciences with a concentration in General Biology while also pursuing a minor in Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She was born and raised in New York City to immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic. During her free time, Maria enjoys spending time with friends, trying out new restaurants, playing basketball, and traveling.
Lab Alumni
Aarooran Durairaj was an undergraduate student in the lab 2016-2019, and is currently a Life Science Research Professional with Katrin Andreasson at Stanford University.
Katie Gingrich was an undergraduate student in the lab 2018-2019, and is currently an Animal and Agricultural Sciences double major with Vimal Selvaraj here at Cornell University.
Eric Shen was an undergraduate student in the lab 2017-2020, and is currently a Material Sciences PhD student with Simon Billinge at Columbia University.
Jimmy Mo Hok Chun was an undergraduate exchange student in 2019 from Hong Kong University and Science and Technology (HKUST), and is currently working on lipid droplet related research projects with Ho Yi Mak back at HKUST.
Aarooran Durairaj was an undergraduate student in the lab 2016-2019, and is currently a Life Science Research Professional with Katrin Andreasson at Stanford University.
Katie Gingrich was an undergraduate student in the lab 2018-2019, and is currently an Animal and Agricultural Sciences double major with Vimal Selvaraj here at Cornell University.
Eric Shen was an undergraduate student in the lab 2017-2020, and is currently a Material Sciences PhD student with Simon Billinge at Columbia University.
Jimmy Mo Hok Chun was an undergraduate exchange student in 2019 from Hong Kong University and Science and Technology (HKUST), and is currently working on lipid droplet related research projects with Ho Yi Mak back at HKUST.