Born in the subterranean jungle of Washington, DC on the eve of the Uganda-Tanzania war. At the fragile age of 3, he was relocated to Athens, Greece where he was raised to adulthood on a steady diet of European football, garage-punk music, and feta cheese. Following various stints as radio dj and DIY punker, Elias settled in West Philadelphia, PA, where he currently leads a monastic life centered around experimental philosophy and the septin gospel.

Franklin Mayca Pozo

Senior Scientist

Franklin was born and raised in a subtropical city - nestled between the mountains of the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru and close to the Amazon basin - called Quillabamba. After graduating from high school, he moved to Arequipa-Peru to study Medicine, learning through working with oncology patients. The desire to contribute to cancer research led Franklin to further study in Japan, where he worked on investigating DNA repair pathways, and earned a doctorate in Medical Sciences (Medical Genetics). In recent years, he has been working to clarify the molecular mechanism involved in the loss of nuclear stability due to the dysregulation of cytoskeletal proteins such as myosin. Currently, his interest is in knowing how septins contribute to the stability of the nucleus in the face of DNA damage.

Born in Washington State, Andy did not stay there for long before moving and going on to live in twelve other states! He completed his bachelor’s at Williams and Mary before doing his master’s at Wake Forest and his PhD in Neuroscience at Case Western Medical School. After a Post doc at Yale developing his microscopy skills, Andy left the academic field for a while to pursue a degree in Physical Therapy while thinking about the perspective when doing science of discovering something new vs experiencing something that already exists and how to decolonize the practice of science. He’s now back to explore the role of Septins in neuronal growth cones. You can find him outside the lab reading poetry, literature, and philosophy. He also enjoys hiking, eating, and visiting Mexico with his wife.

MD Alam Noor

PhD Graduate Student

Born and raised in the vibrant city of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Noor’s academic journey has propelled him across borders, igniting a keen passion for unraveling the intricacies of cellular biology. After completing his undergraduate studies, he went for a master's degree in the bustling metropolis of Tokyo, where he delved deep into the realm of chromatin remodeling proteins. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in the Spiliotis Lab, he is fulfilling his hunger for using cutting-edge microscopic techniques and exploring the role of septin family of GTPases in spatial cellular organization. When not in the lab, you will most probably find him in some random restaurant trying out new foods with his friends.

Born and raised in the bustling city of Austin, Texas, Aisha was relocated to calmer pastures in Kozhikode, India at the age of 9. With her parents’ blessings, she decided to move back to the US and pursue her scientific aspirations. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelors degree in Molecular Biology after probing the role Septins play in neonatal cardiomyocyte maturation. Aisha is now interested in further developing her microscopy and cell biology skills to look at the interactions between Septins and other cytoskeletal proteins. When she’s not in lab, you can find her checking out books from the local library, at the gym or exploring different cuisines in her kitchen.

Riya Metagudmath

Undergraduate Student

Born in the flat plains of Kansas and raised amidst the vibrant suburbs of Northern Virginia, Riya's journey led her to the University of Virginia, where she passionately pursues a major in biochemistry. Fascinated by the intricacies of cytoskeletal cell biology, Riya harbors aspirations of a career in dentistry, envisioning a future where she merges scientific precision with compassionate care for oral health. Along with her academic commitments, she actively engages in community service and gains hands-on experience at local dental clinics. She is also a proud classical dancer and expresses herself through the art form in her free time. Despite her commitment to oral health, Riya confesses to having a sweet tooth, often navigating Charlottesville's ice cream scene for the perfect balance between indulgence and dental hygiene. Now, Riya remains steadfast in her commitment to unraveling the mysteries of septins.