Rodoniki Athanasiadou

I’m a Molecular Biologist and Applied Data Scientist with a strong commitment to advancing the integration of machine learning in the fields of healthcare and biomedicine. In August 2023, I assumed the role of Senior Research Associate on Dr. John LaCava’s team at The Rockefeller University, where I lead the dry lab. My primary focus is harnessing the power of machine learning as a dynamic tool for hypothesis generation within the established scientific research framework.

I have a PhD from the University of Edinburgh in Molecular Biology and extensive experience on the application of machine learning in biomedicine both in academia and industry. More details about my professional experience can be found in my LinkedIn profile.

Omar Bringas

I earned my Master’s degree in Mexico and then I joined John’s groups to do my PhD. I am interested in RNA biology and the interactions between proteins and other macromolecules. I am currently studying the interactions between IGF2 binding proteins and LINE-1 retrotransposons. I am also interested in mass spectrometry and data analysis.

Hua Jiang

I earned an MS degree in Biology from Queens College of The City University of New York (CUNY). I joined the Laboratory of Cellular and Structural Biology at The Rockefeller University in 2006. Since that time, I have been a project coordinator for the National Center for Dynamic Interactome Research.

I started working with John in 2008, when he was a recently-joined post-doctoral associate in the same lab, and we have continued working together ever since. In my capacity on John’s team, I am a Research Specialist working on the biochemical characterization of L1 ribonucleoproteins.

Mohammed Hanzala

In May 2023, I joined the LaCava Lab at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) in the Netherlands as a Mass Spectrometry Researcher, where I applied DIA-proteomics to the LysoIP project, aimed at mapping the proteomic landscape of lysosomes in the gut and understanding their role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In late 2024, I moved to Rockefeller University in New York City as a Research Specialist, where I continue this work and am currently exploring the computational aspects of proteomics.

Jonathan Kittel

I’m an industry-trained scientist with a B.S. in Chemistry and Biology and over a decade of biotech experience in antibodies, sterile-inflammation and nucleic-acid nanoparticle delivery. I recently returned to academia to tackle important questions about LINE-1’s role in cancer and neurodegeneration. In Dr. LaCava’s lab at Rockefeller University, I’m combining proteomics and cell cultures to uncover how these retrotransposons contribute to disease.

Julia De Souza

Naji Khanji

A pharmacist by profession with a passion for programming and software development, I joined John’s lab as intern as a part of my International Master in Innovative Medicine and am now involved in the dry lab efforts to augment machine learning in the macromolecules.fun pipeline. My primary focus lies in investigating emerging techniques for biomarker discovery and their integration into diagnostic research.

 Max T.W van Velzen

After my bachelor’s in Biology and medical laboratory research (life science) in Utrecht, I fell in love with Mass Spectrometry Proteomics and Data analysis. I joined the LaCava lab as part of my thesis project for the MSc Bioinformatics and Systems Biology at VU Amsterdam, regarding the use of AlphaFold to find allosteric effects of Mannoses on E-Cadherin. I am currently extending this thesis work as computational structural proteomics research for the LaCava team.

Edie Frederick

I hold a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and an M.Sc. in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. For my master’s thesis, I joined the LaCava Lab, where I focused on optimizing AlphaFold-based multi-protein complex prediction. My interests lie in data engineering within the biomedical field, particularly in building computational tools to support biological research and discovery.

Ana Vicic

I hold a B.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Ljubljana and am currently pursuing an M.Sc. in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology at the University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. For my master’s thesis, I have joined the LaCava Lab, where I am contributing to research on evaluating and refining AlphaFold-based multi-protein complex predictions. My interests lie at the intersection of structural bioinformatics and machine learning, with a focus on developing computational tools for efficient hypothesis generation to advance biochemical research.