WELCOME TO SILVA-FISHER LAB
Exploring the Wonders of RNA
2024 Deans Impact Award "Sponsorship and Mentorship"
JESSICA SILVA-FISHER, PH.D. (SHE/HERS/ELLA)
Assistant Professor
Assistant Director DEI Oncology
Director MEDA
My interest in cancer research began when I got a job as a specimen collector in a Breast Cancer Research Phase 1 Clinical Trial Lab at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, TX (where I was also born and raised). I first attended San Antonio College then transferred to St. Mary's University for my undergraduate degree in Biology and loved science. Unfortunately, my mom was diagnosed with cervical cancer around the same time and it was then that I knew I wanted to prevent cancer before it even started. She has been cancer free for over 18 years. I then pursued a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and fell in love with RNA. I was one of the first to identify functionally relevant long non-coding RNAs in cancer. This led me to dive straight into the field of genomics at the McDonnell Genome Institute and then to Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
I have received numerous scientific and leadership awards throughout my career. As a young investigator, I published 13 peer-reviewed articles, including three articles in Nature Journals (Nature Communications, npj Breast Cancer, and Nature Genetics), and seven articles in Molecular Cell on my extensive diversity efforts.
As one of the few female Mexican-American tenure-track Assistant Professors, I utilize my research and mentoring expertise to promote and inspire fellow under-represented students to pursue degrees in science. In addition to my role as an Assistant Professor, I also serve as both the Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) for the Division of Oncology and the founder and Director of the Mentorship to Enhance Diversity in Academia program at WUSM, and as the founder and Chair of the Women Physicians and Scientists Affinity Program at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. I have mentored >40 pre-graduate and post-graduate students and received the 2024 Dean’s Impact Award for Sponsorship and Mentorship. I will continue to enhance DEI in biomedical sciences through my research program by guiding and mentoring trainees in cancer research.
Dr. Silva-Fisher is a faculty of Washington University in St. Louis Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences (DBBS) Cancer Biology Program.
PRASANTH THUNGUNTLA, M.S. (HE/HIM/HIS)
Senior Research Technician
Prasanth is a Master's graduate of Texas Tech University. He has extensive experience in molecular biology and genetic techniques. His work focuses on determining the importance of downstream regulation of how modifications located on lncRNAs can bind to proteins.
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RICHA MISHRA, PH.D. (SHE/HER/HERS)
Postdoctoral Associate
Vice President WiSTEM
Dr. Richa Mishra received her Ph.D. in the field of Immunology and Infectious Disease Biology. Her research is focused on investigating the crosstalk between long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) in cancer metastasis highlighting the immunoregulatory and cell proliferative/apoptosis signalling pathways involved in cancer progression using the novel and existing promising tools of RNA biology (CHIRP, CRISPR, CLIP) and cancer biology (patient tissues, cell lines, tumoroids/tumor organoids).
DHANUSHA DURAIYAN (SHE/HER/HERS)
Bioinformatic Research Assistant
Dhanusha has a Master of Science in Bioinformatics from Indiana University. She joined the lab in 2023 and is applying computational methods to determine the importance and mechanisms of RNAs. She is our lead bioinformatician who focuses on analyzing next generation sequencing datasets.
CATHERYN BOLICK
(SHE/HER/HERS)
WUSTL DBBS PhD Student
Cancer Biology
Catheryn obtained her bachelor’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University in Science of Biology and Music in Clarinet Performance. Catheryn is a second year student in the Cancer Biology Program. Her research focuses on understanding how RNA modifications promote tumor growth in multiple myeloma.
ELIZABETH SULVARAN-GUEL
(SHE/HER/HERS)
WUSTL DBBS PhD Student
Student Advisory Committee, Coordinator of the Health and Wellness Branch
Elizabeth is a third-year student in the Human and Statistical Genetics Program. Originally from Mexico City, she obtained her bachelor’s degree in Genomics from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. In the lab, Elizabeth is applying her skills in computational analysis to study the roles of how RNAs bind to protein. During her free time, she enjoys reading, doing and teaching pilates, playing the guitar, singing, and exploring St. Louis with her friends.
JESSICA CAMACHO (SHE/HER/HERS)
WUSTL DBBS Rotating PhD Student
Cancer Biology
Jessica received a BA in Biochemistry from Vassar and is a first year Ann W. and Spencer T. Olin-Chancellor Fellow in the Cancer Biology program. She is studying how RNA molecules can be influenced by modifications in late relapse breast cancer.
DR. YESSICA (SHE/HER/HERS)
RNA Biologist
Dr. Yessica loves learning about RNA.
CECILIA LEBER (SHE/HER/HERS)
WUSTL DBBS Rotating PhD Student
Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology
Cecilia received a BS in biochemistry from University of Notre Dame and is a first year in the Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology program. She is studying how RNA molecules can be influenced by modifications in late relapse breast cancer.
STEVE DALY (HE/HIM/HIS)
WUSTL Thesis Honors Student
Steve is a undergraduate student at WUSTL majoring in Biology. He is completing his Thesis honors research project on RNA modifications.
DR. J LEGO (SHE/HER/HERS)
Scientist
Dr. Lego is always by Dr. Bobble-Heads side. She cant wait to put down her flask.
DR. JESSY SASSY BOBBLE-HEAD (SHE/HER/HERS)
Bobble-head Investigator
Dr. Bobble-Head oversees the lab from her high position on the shelf. Nodding away at the crazy exciting science going on in the lab.
SILVA-FISHER LAB ALUMNI
DAKOTA COLBERT ROMERO
Science Coach WUSTL Cancer Bio High School Summer student
ALANI PERKIN
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Opportunities in Genomics Research Scholar (Postbac) now a PhD candidate at Mayo Clinic School of Medicine.
A'JAH GREEN
Opportunities in Genomics Research Summer Fellow
A'jah is currently an undergraduate at Hampton University.
BRIANNA DUHART
Siteman Diversity in Cancer Research Program Summer fellow
Brianna is currently a WUSTL undergraduate.
MATHEW MUELLER
Saint Louis University Summer Bioinformatic Intern
Matt is currently a Master's student at SLU.
JAIYANA KING
Siteman MOLSAMP Summer undergraduate
Jay is currently a undergraduate student at UMSL.
MAHDOTE ABEBE
(SHE/HER/HERS)
WUSTL Eureka Program then a Thesis Honors Student currently at Washington University in St. Louis
KELLY WICHMANN
(SHE/HER/HERS)
WUSTL DBBS PhD Rotation Student
YASH RAJANA
(HE/HIM/HIS)
WUSTL Thesis Honor Student
Yash is an undergraduate student at WUSTL.
LAYAN SALMAN (SHE/HER/HERS)
WUSTL Thesis Honors student working in Silva-Fisher lab. She started in the lab as a MARC U-STAR Summer scholar.
AAK'INAA (REESE) JENNINGS
WUSTL BME Undergrad Independent Research
Reese is a now a senior and got accepted into the FDA CCR program.
JUSTIN LAN (HE/HIM/HIS)
WUSTL Thesis Honors student and currently undergraduate at WashU majoring in computational biology.
YOON JAE CHANG (HE/HIM/HIS)
Yoon Jae is a Marquette High School graduate now at Columbia University.
ALYSSA WEINSTEIN (SHE/HER/HERS)
Cancer Biology Rotation Student
KATELYN BAGWILL, M.S. (SHE/HER/HERS)
Bioinformatic Research Assistant
Katelyn was a SLU intern in Dr. Jess lab in 2021 and joined the lab in June 2022. Katy is continuing her training in an Academic lab for Bioinformatics.
VANESSA BRIZUELA (SHE/HER/HERS)
MGI OGR Summer Scholar graduate from California State Domingues Hills in the Opportunities in Genomics Research Program Accepted to GRAD SCHOOL!
MADDIE TURNER (SHE/HER/HERS)
MSTP Student
SAVANNAH GONZALES (SHE/HER/HERS)
McDonnell Genome Institute OGR Extensive Research Program Scholar
Savannah Gonzales recently graduated from St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas with a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Bioinformatics. She was a post-bac researcher in the McDonnell Genome Institute's Opportunities in Genomics Research Program.
Currently getting her PhD at Dartmouth!
ALEX BENTON (HE/HIM/HIS)
Alex is currently a DBBS Cancer Biology student.
ALEXANDER MILLER, M.S. (HE/HIM/HIS)
Bioinformatic Research Assistant (now in BioIndustry)
DEANNA WELLS (SHE/HER/HERS)
WashU U-STAR Summer Program (current WashU undergraduate)
KYLA GELEV, B.S. (SHE/HER/HERS)
OGR Extended Program Fellow (now PhD candidate at UCLA)
AJ MURPHY (HE/HIM/HIS)
McDonnell Genome Institute Opportunities in Genomic Research Summer Scholar (now Sophmore Brown)
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TORMEY MCMANAMAN (HE/HIM/HIS)
Washington University Diversity High School Initiative Science Coach (now High School Senior)
JOSHUA WILSON (HE/HIM/HIS)
MARCuSTAR student (now WUSTL graduate)
