PEOPLE

michel.bagnat@duke.edu
Michel is born in Rio Negro, Northern Patagonia, Argentina. He did his undergrad at the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid in Spain. For his graduate studies, he went to the EMBL in Heidelberg, Germany. He spent about half of his Ph.D. days at the Max Planck Institute in Dresden Germany. He then crossed the pond and the american continent to do his postdoc at UCSF. He started his lab in 2008, was promoted to Associate Professor in 2016, Professor in 2022, and to “Nanaline Duke Distinguished Professor” in 2023.

daniel.levic@duke.edu
I’m interested in how cell physiology impacts morphogenesis of the GI tract. In Michel’s lab, I study how membrane proteins are sorted and delivered to the apical cell surface in the intestine. I’m also trying to understand how this sorting machinery is regulating during intestinal maturation and lumen expansion. In my free time I like working with my hands, these days on guitars and amplifiers.

indrasen.magre@duke.edu
Inder was born and brought up in Maharashtra, a state in west India. He completed his bachelor’s degree from Modern college - Ganeshkhind and master’s degree from Rajiv Gandhi Institute of biotechnology in Pune, India. He worked in Serum Institute of India, in Pune, India in the bacterial vaccine manufacturing department for a couple of years. From there he moved on to do his PhD at National Centre for Cell Science under the guidance of Dr. Jomon Joseph in Pune, India. After completing his PhD in 2019, he joined as a postdoc in Michel’s lab owing to his interest in learning more about cell biology of the gut epithelia during development. In his free time he loves spending time with friends and family, watching bollywood movies and cooking.

Carina.block@duke.edu
Carina is originally from Napa, California. She received her bachelor’s degree from UCSD and received her PhD in Neuroscience from Duke University. Carina is a joint postdoc with the Eroglu lab, and is investigating how protein transport by LREs regulates neuroimmune development by enabling the gut to brain transport of intact proteins. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, playing with her pets, preparing for Halloween, and eating tasty food. 

jennifer.bagwell@dm.duke.edu
Jennifer is originally from Topsham, Maine. She moved to North Carolina for college and obtained her graduate degree from the University of North Carolina Wilmington in the Marine Science program. Jennifer joined the Bagnat lab as an analyst and lab manager in January of 2010. Currently, she is investigating the notochord's role in spine morphogenesis and scoliosis. In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys making jewelry, playing pool, and traveling. She is also the default departmental dog-sitter. She is also an excellent photo bomber.

james.norman@dm.duke.edu
James was born and raised in Durham, NC. Although he is a Durham native, he is a proud fan of the North Carolina Tarheels. He earned his bachelor's degree in Biology at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. After being a beach bum for four years, he moved back to Durham and began working in the Bagnat Lab as a technician. Outside of lab life, he enjoys cooking and trying new places to eat in Durham.

laura.childers@duke.edu
Laura grew up in Houston, TX. She studied History and Plan II Honors at the University of Texas at Austin. After getting interested in science, she later earned a BS in Biology from Oregon State University – Cascades. Laura is interested in researching the interaction between gut microbiota and lysosome rich enterocytes. Her hobbies outside the lab include gardening, trail running, and visiting the farmers’ market.

siyao.wang@duke.edu
Siyao is originally from Beijing, China. She first came to the US in 2015 to do her undergrad in Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University. Graduating in 2019, she started her PhD life at Duke when summer ended. Siyao is interested in learning how background genetic changes could enhance the nutrient uptake function and help improve the development and survival of zebrafish. In her time outside of lab she's an avid orchid collector and enjoys thrift store treasure hunting and traveling.

andressapacheco.1310@gmail.com
Andressa is from Brazil. She holds a degree in Biomedical Sciences and is currently a PhD student in the Graduate Program in Microbiology, Parasitology, and Pathology at the Federal University of Paraná. Recently, she received a scholarship to conduct part of her doctoral research abroad and is now a Visiting Graduate Student in Bagnat's lab. Her research interests include molecular biology, innate immunology, the gut in both pathological and physiological contexts. In her free time, she enjoys exploring beaches, hiking and going to concerts.

kaelyn.owen@duke.edu
I am originally from Doylestown, Pennsylvania which is near Philadelphia. I attended the University of Delaware where I earned a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering. I am currently a PhD student and am co-advised with the Hoffman lab in the BME department. I am interested in studying and learning about the myotendinous junction using mechanobiology. In my free time, I enjoy baking gluten free treats and spending time with friends and family.

parsa.zareiesfandabadi@duke.edu
I am a physicist in love with biology. What fuels my interest is the innate interdisciplinary nature of the biophysics field to unify different branches of science in pursuit of untangling fundamental biological problems that will positively impact lives.

brennen.kosmeh@duke.edu
I’m originally from Las Vegas, Nevada, but have spent most of my life in North Carolina. I recently graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a bachelor’s degree in biology and physics. I have a strong interest in biophysics and aspire to eventually attend a graduate program in medical physics. In my free time, I love hiking and can often be found crocheting cat keychains for friends.

emily.t.nguyen@duke.edu
I graduated from UNC Charlotte with a bachelor's degree in Physics, along with minors in Biology and Chemistry. I'm particularly interested in the biophysics of protein interactions and enjoy exploring how these molecular processes shape cellular functions. Later on, I hope to pursue either nuclear medical physics or continue my journey with biophysics. In my free time, I enjoy relaxing, arts and crafts, and card/board games.

abby.cortez@duke.edu
Abby is a senior Biology major interested in cell and developmental biology. She joined the lab her sophomore year in hopes of learning about microscopy, zebra fish as a model system, and anything anyone was willing to teach her! She’s planning to go to graduate school after she graduates to pursue more training in research. When she’s not in lab she works in peer advising for Biology majors and loves to write. Abby is working with Carina where she is investigating regional and developmental differences in the endolysosomal system of the neonatal small intestine.

fernando.martinez@duke.edu
My name is Fernando Martinez, and I’m a biology major with a concentration in neurobiology and a minor in chemistry from Laredo, Texas. I am currently researching Lysosome-Rich Enterocytes (LREs) in zebrafish to better understand their role and function within the context of cellular biology.

takoa.cartwright@duke.edu

claudia.carugati@duke.edu
I am an international student from Milan, Italy, currently in my junior year, majoring in Biology with a concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology. I joined the Bagnat Lab during my freshman year to gain experience in Zebrafish research and cell biology and learn as many laboratory techniques as possible. After graduation, I plan to pursue a PhD in Biology. I am particularly interested in molecular genetics, and recently I have been working with Daniel to develop a transcriptional knock-in reporter for Yap. My next project will focus on investigating how vacuoles form during development in the notochord.

dasia.evans@duke.edu