Principal Investigator
Oriana Fisher
Email: ofisher@wesleyan.edu | Phone: (860)-685-2443 | Office: Casper Life Sciences, 307
Professional Appointments
- Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, Wesleyan University, 2024-present
- Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Lehigh University, 2019-2024
- NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow, Northwestern University, 2015-2019
Education
- Ph.D. in Pharmacology, Yale University, 2015
- B.S./M.S. in Biochemistry, B.A. in English and American Literature, Brandeis University, 2009
Funding and Awards
- NIH R35 MIRA, 2023-2028
- NSF LEAPS-MPS, 2021-2024
- NIH Ruth L. Kirchstein NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow, 2016-2019
- NSF Graduate Research Fellow, 2010-2015
Current Lab Members
Postdoctoral fellows
Marissa Berry
B.S. in Biochemistry, St. Michael’s College
Ph.D. in Microbiology; The Ohio State University
Undergraduate students
Furuzon Atobekova
Major in MB&B
Wesleyan University, class of 2027
Jai Tavera
Major in MB&B
Wesleyan University, class of 2027
Marc Iradukunda
Major in MB&B and Computer Science
Wesleyan University, class of 2028
Sarah Toolan
Major in MB&B and Government
Wesleyan University, class of 2029
Abigail Oduro
Major in MB&B and Neuroscience
Wesleyan University, class of 2027
Flora Wang
Major in MB&B
Wesleyan University, class of 2027
Jasmine Palekar
Major in Neuroscience, Chemistry minor
Wesleyan University, class of 2028
Graduate students
Akanchhya Khanal
B.Sc. in Biotechnology, Chulalongkorn University
M.S. in Biotechnology, Brandeis University
Fisher Lab Alumni
Postdoctoral fellows
- Dr. Daniel Zhitnitsky (2024-2026; now: University of Rochester)
- Dr. Yuri Rafael de Oliveira Silva (2022-2024; now: Postdoc, Universidade de São Paulo)
Graduate students
Wesleyan University
- Oscar Galdamez (Spring 2026 rotation; now: Padilla Lab)
- Arianna McDaniels (Spring 2025 rotation; now: PhD student, Padilla Lab)
- Samantha Palermo (Fall 2025 rotation; now: EMT/paramedic)
Lehigh University
- Jessica Mickno, M.S. in Chemistry (2021-2023)
- Aarshi Singh (2021-2022)
- Madhura Damle (2020-2021)
Undergraduate students
- Samuel Geathers, Cabrini College ’24 (Summer 2023; now: research technician, Thomas Jefferson University)
- Elisa Daniela In Dallo, Lycoming College ’24 (Summer 2023; now: PhD student in MBSB program, University of Pittsburgh/Carnegie Mellon)
- Nina Bautista, Lehigh University ’24 (Spring 2024; now: NIH postbaccalaureate program)
- Hailey Price, Lehigh University ’25 (2023-2024; now: M.Sc. student in Biotechnology, Johns Hopkins University)
- Christopher Jennings, Lehigh University ’26 (2023-2024; now: MD student, University of Virginia)
- Mu Hu, Lehigh University ’23 (2022-2023; now: PhD student in Biochemistry, McGill University)
- Jueun (David) Han, Lehigh University ’23 (2022-2023)
- Emerald Kan, Lehigh University ’23 (2021-2023; now: laboratory manager, Baylor College of Medicine)
- Dia Zheng, Lehigh University ’23 (2021-2023; now: MD student, Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine)
- Jing Guo, Lehigh University ’22 (2020-2022; now: PhD student in Microbial Pathogenesis, Washington University in St. Louis)