Anita Corbett, Ph.D. (acorbe2@emory.edu)

I received my undergraduate degree in Chemistry at Colgate University, moved to Vanderbilt for my PhD in Biochemistry and then did post-doctoral work at Harvard Medical School. I came to Emory as an Assistant Professor in 1997. I am currently a tenured Professor of Biochemistry. In the Corbett lab we study both regulation of nuclear protein import and mRNA processing/export. We have a strong emphasis on collaborative studies that cross interdisciplinary boundaries. We exploit several genetic model organisms including budding yeast, Drosophila, and mice. Much of our current work focuses on understanding the role of RNA binding proteins in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression with an emphasis on proteins mutated in human disease. Current projects study proteins linked to muscular dystrophy, cancer, and intellectual disability.

Current lab members

Sara Leung, Ph.D. (sleung@emory.edu)

I got my Undergraduate degree in Biological Chemistry from the University of Chicago. I then moved to Emory University to attend Graduate School, where I studied gamma -tubulin function in the cell cycle in the Joshi Lab and recieved my Ph.D in Cell Biology. My work in the Corbett laboratory is focused on a human RNA binding protein, ZC3H14. Recent work from our lab reveals that ZC3H14 represents a new class of polyadenosine RNA binding proteins. My goal is to study the function of ZC3H14 in RNA processing and also to understand links to human disease.

Milo Fasken, Ph.D. (mfasken@emory.edu)

I received my Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Dundee, Scotland. I joined the Corbett Lab at Emory University as a postdoctoral research fellow in July 2003. My research focuses on mRNA export in yeast.

Ayan Banerjee, Ph.D. (abaner6@emory.edu)

I received my medical degree (M.B.B.S) from the Grant Medical College in Bombay, India in 2003. I then moved to New Orleans, Louisiana for graduate school and received my Ph.D in Genetics from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans in 2009. My doctoral work was aimed at investigating the pathogenesis of the neurodegenerative disease, Friedreich Ataxia (FRDA). I am currently a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Anita Corbett's lab, where I work on the disease, Oculopharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy (OPMD). OPMD is caused by a mutation in the poly-A binding protein, nuclear-1 (PABPN1), which is essential for efficient polyadenylation. My project is aimed at understanding why OPMD affects a specific subset of skeletal muscles (ocular and pharyngeal), in spite of PABPN1 being expressed ubiquitously.

Katherine Mills-Lujan, Ph.D. (kmills3@emory.edu)

I received my undergraduate degree in Biochemistry from the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, in Guatemala. I moved to the US to attend Graduate School at the University of Arizona, where I not only earned an MS in Plant Sciences, but also met my husband. We then moved to Georgia, where I attended the University of Georgia and obtained a Ph.D. degree in Plant Pathology in 2010. I joined the Corbett Lab as a postdoctoral fellow in August 2010. My project focuses mostly on the importance of regulating RNA poly(A)-tail length in yeast.

Callie Preast

I grew up in Kennesaw, GA and received my B.S. in chemistry, minor in biology from Georgia Southern University (Go Eagles!). I immediately joined the BCDB program at Emory University, where I am currently pursuing a PhD in biochemistry in the Corbett lab. My project focuses on elucidating the role of the novel zinc finger poly(A) binding protein, ZC3H14, in breast cancer. When I am not in lab, I enjoy: hanging out with my favorite guy, Robert, running, baking, and spoiling my 5 nieces and nephews!

Sharon Soucek

I completed my undergraduate degree in Biology at Northeastern University and entered the Biochemistry, Cell, and Development Biology graduate program at Emory. I joined the Corbett lab in 2009 and became interested in how RNA binding proteins regulate and guide the journey of mRNA transcripts in a cell.

Jennifer Rha

I received my undergraduate degree in Biological Basis of Behavior (major) and Philosophy (minor) at the University of Pennsylvania. I came back to my home town of Atlanta to enroll in the MD-PhD program in the School of Medicine at Emory University. I've completed the first two of years of medical school, and currently I'm working on my PhD in the Biochemistry, Cell, & Developmental Biology (BCDB) Department. In the Corbett lab, I use a mouse model to study the role of an RNA-binding protein, ZC3H14, in the development of intellectual disability. Right now, I can't think of something witty or entertaining to make my bio more personal. In lieu of that, I invite your comments for or questions about me, protocols, the Corbett lab, Emory/Atlanta, philosophy, society, or miniature pinschers. Please feel free to contact me. :)

Nick Bauer

I grew up in southeastern New Hampshire and received a Bachelor of Science in the Program in Biological Chemistry from Bates College (Lewiston, ME) in 2008. Right after college, I entered the BCDB graduate program here at Emory and joined the Doetsch and Corbett labs to work on a joint project on the dynamic localization of base excision repair DNA repair proteins to nuclei and mitochondria in S. cerevisiae.

ChangHui Pak

I received my undergraduate degree in Molecular & Cellular Biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Then I immediately joined the Graduate program in Genetics & Molecular Biology at Emory University. My research using Drosophila as a model to study the developmental role of a poly(A) RNA binding protein involves collaboration between the Corbett Lab in the Biochemistry Department and the Moberg Lab in the Dept. of Cell Biology.

Brianne Kallam (bkallam@emory.edu)

I received my undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2010. I then joined the Corbett Lab as lab tech/manager and have been collaborating with Katherine Mills.

Lab Alumni

Shana Kerr

Shana is currently a FIRST post-doctoral fellow at Emory University in the lab of David Katz.

Alex Frere

Alex is currently attending graduate school in Miami.

Seth Kelly, Ph.D.

Seth is currently a FIRST post-doctoral fellow at Emory University in the lab of Ken Moberg.

Allison Lange, Ph.D.

Allison currently lives in Washington DC.

Anna Bramley, MPH.

Anna works in the flu division of the CDC.

Kanika Pulliam, Ph.D.

Kanika now works at Morehouse College.

Laura McLane, Ph.D.

Laura is now working as a post-doc at the University of Pennsylvania.

Michelle Harreman, Ph.D.

Michelle is now working as a post-doc at Cancer Research UK, Clare Hall.

Adam Berger, Ph.D.

Adam is now working as a post-doc with the NIH Experimental Immunology Branch in Bethesda, Maryland.

Kavita Berger (Marfatia), Ph.D.

Kavita now works at the Academy for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Deanna Green, Ph.D.

Deanna now works as a professional scientific writer.

Boots Quimby, Ph.D.

Boots is an instructor at the University of Maryland College Park.

Maja Ordanic-Kodani, Ph.D.

Roopa Luthra

Patrizia Fanara

Patrizia is the Director of Neurogenerative Diseases at KineMed Inc.

Trisha Kline