The Ott Lab publishes novel research on SARS-CoV-2 variants Read More

Our People

Sun

Hello everyone! I’m Limeng Sun, a new postdoc in the Ott lab. I am from China. I got my PhD from Huazhong Agricultural University.I focused on exploring the interaction mechanism between coronavirus and host factors, I’m also keen to explore unknown functional receptors for pandemic and emerging viruses performed by Crispr/Cas9 library and multi-omics. In the Ott lab, I will focus on research interesting and important phenotypes induced by virus protein depending on the virus protein library. Outside of the lab, I enjoy sports ( kinds of ball games and hiking) with friends , go to concerts and cook for new cuisines.

Langdon

Quinn grew up in Alaska, but has been moving around the United States since undergrad. She did her PhD at University of Wisconsin – Madison researching natural diversity of wild yeast and the evolution of hybrid brewing yeasts. For her postdoc she switched from fungi to animals, using natural hybrids of freshwater tropical fish to study the repeatability of hybrid genome evolution. She’s excited to be stepping into the realm of viral evolution in the Ott lab, where she will be developing computational and machine learning approaches for viral genomes. In her free time she enjoys exploring the microclimates of the bay via hiking and biking and is always on the lookout for a new brewery to try.

Rosecrans

My name is Julia and I recently graduated from Mills College with a BA in biology and a concentration in evolution ecology and behavior. I love being in the outdoors with my dog Buddy and I’m excited to be joining the Ott lab as an RA!

Grzelak

Originally from a French tropical island called New Caledonia, Ludivine was educationally trained in Paris where she also obtained her PhD in Infectious Diseases at Institut Pasteur. Her doctoral research focused on SARS-CoV-2 and antibodies. More generally, her research interests encompass viruses and their interaction with the immune system. She joined the Ott lab as a postdoc working on the impact of HIV-1 infection on the gut using intestinal organoids. As hobbies, Ludivine enjoys reading, dancing, and traveling.

McCavitt-Malvido

Originally a Bay Area native, Maria received her BS in Microbiology from UC San Diego. Previously, she worked making antigenic proteins and aiding in therapeutic antibody discovery and production. In the Ott lab, she is interested in exploring airway organoids and other methods to study SARS-CoV-2 infection and developing therapeutics against viral protein targets. Outside of the lab, Maria enjoys camping, hiking, traveling, and lacrosse.

Zapatero Belinchon

Francisco (Fran) comes originally from Spain and obtained his PhD in Virology at Hannover Medical School in Germany. His main interests are the dissection of viral entry and host‑pathogen interactions of emerging and re-emerging pathogens using novel proteomics approaches. Outside the lab, he enjoys hiking, camping, playing video games, and tasting a good ol’ brew.

Padget

Rachel received her B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Central Missouri, an M.S. in Biology from Missouri State University, and her Ph.D. from Virginia Tech in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, where she studied the roles of viruses in sudden cardiac arrest. In the Ott lab, she focuses on the role of factor acetylation in HIV latency and SARS-CoV-2 toxicity in the heart. Outside of the lab, she enjoys running down to the ocean and taking the bus back uphill, playing video games with her cats, and baking cookies.

Matsui

Yusuke studied basic HIV research and clinical medicine at Kyoto University, Japan.

He then joined the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan, where he was involved in the outbreak control of infectious diseases with molecular techniques.

At Ott lab, he is working on research to eradicate diseases caused by HIV and SARS-CoV-2 by studying them from the molecular level.

Outside of the lab, he enjoys participating in marathon races around the world.

Chen

Originally from Los Angeles, Irene is a graduate student in UCSF’s BMS program. She is interested in how viruses hijack host transcription during infection.When she isn’t in lab, Irene can be found going off trail in the mountains, eating her way through SF, and taking care of her succulents.

Tsou

Chia-Lin received her B.S. in agronomy from National Taiwan University, and her M.S. in genetics from UC Davis.  Before joining the Ott lab, she studied the role of chemokine receptor CCR2 involved in cell signaling and trafficking of monocytes, macrophages, hematopoietic progenitor and stem cells.  She is currently the lab manager, and works on generating viral proteome library and CRISPR-Cas13a SARS-CoV-2 detection assay.  In her free time, Chia-Lin enjoys experimenting new recipes in the kitchen, jewelry making, orchids growing, playing Chinese music instruments, and singing in a chamber chorus.