People

Principal Investigator

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I did my undergraduate at Mount Holyoke College, where I fell in love with Biology and lab research. In Liz Hadly's lab at Stanford University, I studied population variation in Ambystoma salamanders. Transitioning to a model organism as a postdoc in David Parichy's lab at the University of Washington, I focused on the developmental and molecular effects of thyroid hormone and other endocrine factors on zebrafish development. I started my lab in the Boston College Biology Department in January, 2017. Our lab asks fundamental questions about the roles of thyroid hormone and other molecular factors in sculpting the vertebrate skeleton.


Melody Autumn

Melody Autumn

Ph.D. Candidate • they/them

I received my BS in biology from the University of Northwestern St. Paul in 2017. During my undergraduate, I researched memory and behavior of iridescent swimming crabs, worked to elucidate the anatomy of seahorse organ systems, and studied the resident orcas in the Puget Sound. In the McMenamin lab, I am researching the effect thyroid hormone has on development. Outside of lab, I can be found weight lifting, playing underwater hockey, or reading philosophy.


Eric Surette

Eric Surette

Ph.D. Candidate • he/him

I received my BS in Biology from Ithaca College in 2016. During my undergraduate, I worked in the lab of Dr. Te-Wen Lo, studying the evolution of sex determination mechanisms. Specifically, I looked at the evolution of X-chromosome dosage compensation across Caenorhabditis species. In the McMenamin Lab, I am interested in the pathways and regulatory mechanisms that drive skeletal development, patterning, and regeneration. Outside of lab, I can be found cooking, running, or acting onstage.


Crisvely Soto Martinez

Crisvely Soto Martinez

Research Technician • she/her

I received my BS in Biology, Psychology, along with a Chemistry minor from University of Massachusetts, Boston in 2023. As an undergraduate, I worked with the McCusker lab on characterizing nerve-dependent regenerative skeletal growth in Ambystoma mexicanum. In the McMenamin lab, I’m looking at signaling pathways affecting vertebrae skeletal development. When I’m not in the lab, you can find me spending time with my family, watching anime, or begging my dog not to steal another sock.


Undergraduate Students

Andrew Gans

Andrew Gans

Undergraduate Researcher
Class of 2024



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Andrew Gans

Andrew Gans

Undergraduate Researcher

Class of 2024

Gabby Petrullo

Gabby Petrullo

Undergraduate Researcher
Class of 2024



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Gabby Petrullo

Gabby Petrullo

Undergraduate Researcher

Class of 2024

Julianna Barbaro

Julianna Barbaro

Undergraduate Researcher
Class of 2024



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Julianna Barbaro

Julianna Barbaro

Undergraduate Researcher

Class of 2024

Betty Solomon

Betty Solomon

Undergraduate Researcher
Class of 2024



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Betty Solomon

Betty Solomon

Undergraduate Researcher

Class of 2024

Jenny Zeng

Jenny Zeng

Undergraduate Researcher
Class of 2024



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Jenny Zeng

Jenny Zeng

Undergraduate Researcher

Class of 2024

Deirdre McKenna

Deirdre McKenna

Undergraduate Researcher
Class of 2025



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Deirdre McKenna

Deirdre McKenna

Undergraduate Researcher

Class of 2025

Kate Backus

Kate Backus

Undergraduate Researcher
Class of 2025



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Kate Backus

Kate Backus

Undergraduate Researcher

Class of 2025

Elird Haxhimihali

Elird Haxhimihali

Undergraduate Researcher
Class of 2024



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Elird Haxhimihali

Elird Haxhimihali

Undergraduate Researcher

Class of 2024

Wayne Waliggo

Wayne Waliggo

Undergraduate Researcher
Class of 2025



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Wayne Waliggo

Wayne Waliggo

Undergraduate Researcher

Class of 2025

Lab Alumni

Rachel Ruggera

Rachel Ruggera

Research Technician, 2023-24



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Rachel Ruggera

Rachel Ruggera

Research Technician, 2023-24

Dr. Stacy Nguyen

Dr. Stacy Nguyen

Ph.D. Student, 2017-23
Faculty in the Biology Department at Wheaton College



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Dr. Stacy Nguyen

Dr. Stacy Nguyen

Ph.D. Student, 2017-23

Faculty in the Biology Department at Wheaton College

Abi Gallant

Abi Gallant

Undergraduate Researcher
Class of 2024



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Abi Gallant

Abi Gallant

Undergraduate Researcher

Class of 2024

Isabella Ranieri

Isabella Ranieri

Undergrad Researcher, 2021-23
Researcher at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center



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Isabella Ranieri

Isabella Ranieri

Undergrad Researcher, 2021-23

Researcher at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Brendan Fitzgerald

Brendan Fitzgerald

Undergrad Researcher, 2021-23
Clinical Research Coordinator, Massachusetts General Hospital



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Brendan Fitzgerald

Brendan Fitzgerald

Undergrad Researcher, 2021-23

Clinical Research Coordinator, Massachusetts General Hospital

John Blythe

John Blythe

Technician, 2022-23
Business Development Analyst, Locus Walk



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John Blythe

John Blythe

Technician, 2022-23

Business Development Analyst, Locus Walk

Stephanie Robinson

Stephanie Robinson

Undergrad Researcher, 2021-23
Teacher at Sturgis Charter School



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Stephanie Robinson

Stephanie Robinson

Undergrad Researcher, 2021-23

Teacher at Sturgis Charter School

Ziggy Chin

Ziggy Chin

Undergrad Researcher, 2022-23



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Ziggy Chin

Ziggy Chin

Undergrad Researcher, 2022-23

Mary Ossar

Mary Ossar

Visiting Undergrad Researcher, Summer 2022



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Mary Ossar

Mary Ossar

Visiting Undergrad Researcher, Summer 2022

Emeka Okorie

Emeka Okorie

Visiting Undergrad Researcher, Summer 2022



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Emeka Okorie

Emeka Okorie

Visiting Undergrad Researcher, Summer 2022

Dr. Yinan Hu

Dr. Yinan Hu

King Foundation Fellowship Postdoctoral Fellow, 2017-2021
Bioinformatics Scientist at Veracyte, Inc.



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Dr. Yinan Hu

Dr. Yinan Hu

King Foundation Fellowship Postdoctoral Fellow, 2017-2021

Bioinformatics Scientist at Veracyte, Inc.

Dr. Shahid Ali

Dr. Shahid Ali

Postdoctoral Fellow, 2020-2021
Postdoc at University of Chicago



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Dr. Shahid Ali

Dr. Shahid Ali

Postdoctoral Fellow, 2020-2021

Postdoc at University of Chicago

Joan Donahue

Joan Donahue

Undergraduate Researcher (2017-20; Senior thesis); Technician (2020-21); NSF REPS Post-bac researcher (2021-22)
Ph.D. student at University of Pennsylvania



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Joan Donahue

Joan Donahue

Undergraduate Researcher (2017-20; Senior thesis); Technician (2020-21); NSF REPS Post-bac researcher (2021-22)

Ph.D. student at University of Pennsylvania

Emma Mohlmann

Emma Mohlmann

Undergraduate Researcher, 2019-22
Researcher at Boston Children's Hospital



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Emma Mohlmann

Emma Mohlmann

Undergraduate Researcher, 2019-22

Researcher at Boston Children's Hospital

Rachel Lee

Rachel Lee

Undergraduate Researcher, 2020-22
Consultant at Veeva Systems



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Rachel Lee

Rachel Lee

Undergraduate Researcher, 2020-22

Consultant at Veeva Systems

Flora Dievenich-Braes

Flora Dievenich-Braes

Undergrad Researcher, 2020-22
M.D. student at University of Connecticut



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Flora Dievenich-Braes

Flora Dievenich-Braes

Undergrad Researcher, 2020-22

M.D. student at University of Connecticut

Tommy O'Rourke

Tommy O'Rourke

Undergraduate Researcher, 2021-22



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Tommy O'Rourke

Tommy O'Rourke

Undergraduate Researcher, 2021-22

Pranav Parikh

Pranav Parikh

Undergraduate Researcher (2017-20; Senior thesis)
MD student at Rutgers Medical School



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Pranav Parikh

Pranav Parikh

Undergraduate Researcher (2017-20; Senior thesis)

MD student at Rutgers Medical School

Flora Hepp

Flora Hepp

Undergraduate Researcher, 2020-21
Data Associate at ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research



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Flora Hepp

Flora Hepp

Undergraduate Researcher, 2020-21

Data Associate at ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research

Ben "Button" Acosta

Ben "Button" Acosta

Undergraduate Researcher (2017-2019; Senior thesis student), Technician (2019-20)
Researcher at Blue Rock Theraputics



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Ben "Button" Acosta

Ben "Button" Acosta

Undergraduate Researcher (2017-2019; Senior thesis student), Technician (2019-20)

Researcher at Blue Rock Theraputics

Hyungwoo Lee

Hyungwoo Lee

Undergrad Researcher, 2019-21
Medical Assistant at Wellesley Dermatology Care



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Hyungwoo Lee

Hyungwoo Lee

Undergrad Researcher, 2019-21

Medical Assistant at Wellesley Dermatology Care

Rajendra Singh

Rajendra Singh

Undergrad Researcher, 2017-20
MD student at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University



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Rajendra Singh

Rajendra Singh

Undergrad Researcher, 2017-20

MD student at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

Hoa Bui

Hoa Bui

Undergrad Researcher, 2020
Clinical Research Assistant at Boston Children's Hospital



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Hoa Bui

Hoa Bui

Undergrad Researcher, 2020

Clinical Research Assistant at Boston Children's Hospital

Dominic Lanni

Dominic Lanni

Visiting Undergraduate Researcher, Summer 2018- 2019
Researcher at Innovac Therapeutics



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Dominic Lanni

Dominic Lanni

Visiting Undergraduate Researcher, Summer 2018- 2019

Researcher at Innovac Therapeutics

Anna Redgrave

Anna Redgrave

Research Technician, 2017-19
Ph.D. Candidate at University of Michigan



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Anna Redgrave

Anna Redgrave

Research Technician, 2017-19

Ph.D. Candidate at University of Michigan

Cristina Lee

Cristina Lee

Undergrad Researcher, 2018-19
Consultant at Simon-Kucher



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Cristina Lee

Cristina Lee

Undergrad Researcher, 2018-19

Consultant at Simon-Kucher

Angela Mauri

Angela Mauri

Undergrad Researcher, 2017-18
Public Health Advisor, CDC



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Angela Mauri

Angela Mauri

Undergrad Researcher, 2017-18

Public Health Advisor, CDC

Mary Xu

Mary Xu

Undergrad Researcher, 2017-19
M.D. student at Michigan State University



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Mary Xu

Mary Xu

Undergrad Researcher, 2017-19

M.D. student at Michigan State University

Andrew Yang

Andrew Yang

Undergrad Researcher, 2018-19
M.D. student at Drexel University



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Andrew Yang

Andrew Yang

Undergrad Researcher, 2018-19

M.D. student at Drexel University

Catherine May

Catherine May

Research Technician, 2017
M.S. Student, 2018-19



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Catherine May

Catherine May

Research Technician, 2017

M.S. Student, 2018-19