Previous Members
Graduate Student
Jeff was a graduate student in the Pakrasi Lab from 2005-2011. Jeff's research focus in the Pakrasi lab was on the essential role of glutathione in redox processes in cyanobacteria. In addition, Jeff is an accomplished cook who often shared delicious creations with his labmates, a talented stained glass artist, and an accomplished amateur mycologist. Jeff accepted a position at as a postdoc in Cheryl Kerfeld's lab at UC-Berkeley in summer 2011.
Undergraduate Researcher
314 935-8133
I am a senior at Washington University in St. Louis majoring in Biology and Spanish who is pursuing a career in medicine. Marisa graduated in May 2012 and started medical school in Michigan fall 2012.
Laboratory Technician
314 935-8133
I am a visiting undergraduate researcher. I have not yet declared my major, but I have a particular interest in science and linguistics. When I am not exploring photosynthetic antenna complexes, I can usually be found baking or playing with my dogs.
Cindy left the lab in August of 2012 to continue her undergraduate studies in engineering at the University of Missouri in Columbia.
Laboratory Technician
703 477-7993
I am attracted to the concept of the cell as a factory. I want to develop synthetic and systems biology techniques to optimize the production of chemicals using biological platforms.
Brian entered a PhD program at Rice Univesity in fall 2012.
Postdoctoral Researcher
314 935-6862
I’m particularly interested in the membrane protein complex structure and function in bioenergetics. The model organisms used in my former and current PSII research include Chlamydomonas, Arabidopsis, Spinach, and Synechocystis 6803. Energy conversion must have a structural basis which can be further elucidated only by newly developed analytical instruments, such as FTIR, mass spectrometry, and advanced optical ultrafast spectrophotometers. Haijun accepted a position in the lab of Bob Blankenship at WUSTL, starting Jan. 2012
Research Interests:
My research interests include photosynthesis and beneficial plant/microbe interactions.
Graduate Student
314 935-8133
My interest in photosynthesis began while doing undergraduate research at the University of Missouri. There, I was fortunate to work in the lab of Bruce McClure, studying molecular mechanisms of pollen-pistil interactions. While working in Bruce’s lab, he constantly encouraged me to explore the field of plant molecular biology as a whole. Through this exploration, I developed an intense interest in the process of photosynthetic light harvest, and was determined to study it in graduate school.
314-935-4964
My research interests include Disulfide bond formation in cyanobacteria; understanding the cyanobacterial adaptation to abnormal conditions utilizing 'omies' technology.
Abhay departed the lab in 2011 to start a position at MOgene in St. Louis.
Research Scientist
314 935-4964
Jana left the Pakrasi Lab in January 2013 to take a new position at a company that I will find the name of and put here.
Research Interest:
I am interested in understanding the complex cellular interactions of unicellular photoautotroph’s that facilitate adaptation to changes in their environment. My current studies focus on the impact of high CO2 concentrations on the metabolism of diazotrophic and non-diazotrophic cyanobacteria.
Postdoctoral Researcher
314 935-8133
My current research interests are in Photosystem II assembly and repair in oxygenic photosynthetic organisms. Photosystem II is a multi-component enzyme complex in that catalyzes the light-driven oxidation of water to molecular oxygen. Due to the high energetics of the reactions it catalyzes, PSII is frequently damaged and repaired as part of its normal function. Using global proteomics, we have discovered a number of proteins that function in the assembly and repair cycle and are working to elucidate their individual contributions.