2023-2024 ISO Board
Jordy Martinez(he/him)
President
Jordy is a 3rd-year graduate student in the Wignall Lab. He is currently investigating the interplay between the chromosome and the meiotic spindle’s architecture in C. elegans oocytes.
Prior to his graduate studies, he received his B.S in Cell Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Houston in Texas. The native Tejano enjoys painting, drawing and exploring the best Chicago bars with his
friends. His favorite place to study is at Hoosier Mama in Evanston
Emily Faul
Professional Development Co-Chair 1
Emily is a second year PhD student at the Lane Lab where she studies the extent to which heterogeneity in host pathogen outcomes can be described by spatial and dynamic patterns in innate immune response factors. She did her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Miami University Oxford Ohio. Emily is from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and her hobbies include running and lifting weights, spending time in nature and baking.
emilyfaul2022@u.northwestern.edu
Brooke Angell
Professional Development Co-Chair 2
Brooke is a fourth year PhD candidate in the Brickner lab. She is interested in the molecular mechanism of transcript buffering and developing next generation sequencing-based assays. Brooke is from Vermont. She received her B.A. from Middlebury College. Her hobbies outside of the lab include running, baking, reading, and visiting local breweries.
beangell@u.northwestern.edu
Jamal Jenkins
Social Co-Chair 1
Jamal is a 2nd-year graduate student in the Wignall Lab. He is currently studying the role between a protein ring complex and the chromosomes using C. elegans oocytes. Before coming to Northwestern, he received his M.Sc in Molecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology (MCDB) from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Outside of lab, Jamal is an avid gym-goer and yoga practitioner.
jamaljenkins2027@u.northwestern.edu
Gracie Siffer
Social Co-Chair 2
Gracie is a 2nd year PhD student in the Reza Lab. She uses single molecule FRET to study the dynamic movements of individual G-Protein Couple Receptors. She received her B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Toledo in her home town of Toledo, Ohio. Outside of school she is involved in a local German Folk Dancing group, and enjoys planning and attending events with them all around the country.
graciesiffer2028@u.northwestern.edu
Gloria Alvarado
Peer Mentoring Chair 1
Gloria Alvarado is a 5th year PhD candidate in the Lane Lab and studies the dynamics of host responses to bacterial infections on a single-cell level to determine how host decisions result in various infection outcomes. She received her B.S. in Molecular Biology and then her M.S. in Biological Sciences from Illinois State University. She grew up in the South Chicago suburbs and outside of lab she loves watching TV, playing on the switch, and playing with her three dogs (children).
Marie Lamarque
Peer Mentoring Chair 2
Marie is a 2nd year PhD student in Lackner lab, studying how lipid metabolism at membrane contact sites regulates mitochondrial dynamics in S. cerevisiae. She grew up in the south of France and received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Molecular and Cellular biology there. To relax Marie likes to play video games, listen to a wide range of music, read books and buy her baguette every week at the local French bakery.
Lydia Kenney(she/her)
Peer Mentoring Chair 3
Lydia Kenney is a first year PhD student currently rotating at IBiS. She is originally from Hiram, Georgia. Lydia graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biochemistry in May 2023.
Janet Zhao
Outreach Chair
Janet is a 2nd-year PhD student in the Kozorovitskiy Lab where she is studying the genes associated with bipolar disorder and their roles in circadian rhythms. Prior to her graduate studies she received her B.S.E. in chemical and biological engineering from Princeton University where she was also a member of the varsity swimming and diving team. She grew up in Ottawa, Canada and outside of science she enjoys reading, swimming, puzzles, and getting to know her peers!
janetzhao2028@u.northwestern.edu
Ilka Mari Lorenzo
Webmaster
Ilka is a 2nd year PhD student in the Wignall Lab. She studies acentrosomal spindle stability in murine and bovine oocytes models. Ilka is originated from Puerto Rico, where she did her undergraduate degree in Veterinary Sciences and Animal sciences, she has a Masters degree in Animal Science and Reproductive Physiology from Purdue University. In her free time she enjoys baking and cooking Latino-Caribbean food to feel closer to home. She loves to watch horror movies and spend time with her family and 2 cats Ringo and Arty.