Meet the Lab!
David W. Sanders (PI)
David Sanders is a tenure-track assistant professor at UT Southwestern . Previously, he was a postdoctoral fellow at Princeton University (advisor: Cliff Brangwynne), where he studied the regulation and (dys)function of protein-RNA networks in cellular organization and RNA homeostasis. Before this, he was a graduate student at Washington University in St. Louis (advisor: Marc Diamond). In his PhD work, he determined that different tau protein aggregate structures stably replicate to cause distinct neurodegenerative diseases. Outside of lab, he enjoys EXTREME METAL, EXTREME WEATHER, cuddling with his EXTREME Yorkie (and new addition to family: his papillon), running (not extreme), creative writing (often extreme), drinking champagne with his EXTREMEly patient life partner (hi Mel!), and trying her patience by continually making up excuses to go back to lab at unreasonable times during the night/weekend/holidays (sorry Mel!). He was born and raised in Kansas City and received a Neurobiology BS from the University of Kansas. He values transparency and clear communication. Hopefully, you do too.
Grigorii Sultanakhmetov (Postdoctoral Fellow)
Grisha is broadly interested in the role of disease-associated proteins in biomolecular condensation. Currently, he is leading the lab’s efforts to develop improved cellular models of TDP-43 aggregation. He was educated in Russia, earning his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Physics from Lomonosov Moscow State University. He completed his Ph.D. in Molecular Neuroscience at Tokyo Metropolitan University, where he drew new insights into the regulation of tau phosphorylation. Raised in a city of factories, Izhevsk, but in a family with roots in the countryside, he loves landscapes, farmer work, and wild nature. When not in lab, he enjoys hiking, running, futsal, movies, books, and chess. He also likes to play a Russian social deduction game called Mafia, but it’s way too complicated for David to understand.
Michael Jimenez
(Research Scientist)
Michael earned his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University in 2019. A native of the Oak Cliff area in Dallas, Texas, Michael discovered his fascination for cells thriving in extreme conditions within the human body after completing his electrical engineering degree. He aspires to unravel how molecules respond to diseases and aging. The enthralling realm of quantum biology, defined by its unpredictable interactions within dynamic cellular systems, continues to deepen his scientific curiosity. He is currently using purified components to understand how a polyanionic cofactor influences tau aggregation. Michael's objective is to bridge his community to medical science, establish outreach programs for minorities, and continuously learn from accomplished mentors. Outside the lab, Michael is an avid runner. His diverse interests include biking, yoga, soccer, and spending quality time with his three cats and dog, as well as immersing himself in compelling scientific literature during moments of leisure.
Vaibhav Bommareddy (MD/PhD Student)
Vaibhav is about to start his second year in the MSTP program at UT Southwestern. He was born and raised in Houston, TX, and completed a BS in Neuroscience at UT Dallas in 2020. He is broadly interested in diseases of aging, with a specific focus on the dysregulation of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) in disease states. During his rotation in the Sanders Lab, Vaibhav initiated the lab’s efforts to combine optogenetic and proteomic approaches into an improved high-throughput screening platform. He is now optimizing this methodology with the goal of discovering peptide ligands that toggle oligomerization domain network switches. We hope such studies will inform new therapeutic targets for diverse diseases. When not in lab, Vaibhav is in class or sleeping. Sometimes he gets to poke at cadavers. Respectfully, of course.
Yasmeen Khan
(Postdoctoral Fellow)
Yasmeen is interested in the role of RNA-protein interactions in biomolecular condensation, particularly as it relates to innate immunity and membrane damage. She was educated in Delhi, India, receiving her Bachelor's and Master's in Biochemistry from Delhi University and Jamia Millia Islamia, then earning a PhD from CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology. At CSIR, she characterized the biophysical mechanism by which nucleolin’s RNA-binding domains cooperatively recognize G-quadruplex structures in nucleic acids. As a postdoc, Yasmeen is expanding her RNA biology expertise from test tubes to living systems and is also leading efforts to understand the role of TMEM106B in the aging brain. Outside of lab, one can find her trying new food, exploring new places, and playing badminton.
Rupam Ghosh
(Postdoctoral Fellow)
Rupam is interested in the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration. He completed his PhD at UT Southwestern (advisor: Kendra Frederick), where he investigated the structural biology of disordered proteins within cellular environments using sensitivity enhanced solid-state NMR (Dynamic Nuclear Polarization NMR). He developed a methodology to apply DNP NMR to study proteins (a-synuclein and tau) within intact mammalian cells. Rupam had previously completed his Integrated MS from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research with dual specializations in Biology and Chemistry. During this time, he worked across diverse topics such as prion biology (with Chiara Zurzolo, Institut Pasteur), alternative splicing in cancer (with Sanjeev Shukla, IISER Bhopal), and non-coding RNAs in immunity (with VV Satyavathi, CDFD). In the Sanders lab, Rupam studies the pathogenesis of tauopathies, especially as it pertains to polyanions. Outside of lab, Rupam enjoys traveling, experimenting with cuisines (he fails 90% of the time though), reading modern history, and discussing the same with like-minded companions.
Shefali Banerjee
(Senior Scientist)
Shefali comes to the lab from the RNA and virology world. She is interested in understanding how aberrant RNA processing contributes to disease, with a particular focus on neurodegenerative diseases. She obtained her PhD from NUS, where she studied how endothelial microRNAs regulate vascular permeability in dengue fever. In her first postdoc, she explored the underlying mechanisms that poxviruses use for cross-species adaptation, finding that viruses acquire adaptive viral RNA pol mutations to regulate their transcriptional output in a species-specific manner. In her second post-doc, she demonstrated that DDX39A/B are selectively required for the splicing of specific pre-mRNAs, despite a high degree of functional redundancy. In the Sanders Lab, she will focus on U1 snRNP biology in physiological and disease states, such as Alzheimer’s. She is also investigating the role of stress granules in mRNA turnover. Outside of work, Shefali enjoys watching stand-up comedy, listening to Bollywood music, and going on road trips.
Harper Averitt
(Undergrad Researcher)
Harper is entering her senior year of college at Dallas Baptist University (DBU), where she is pursuing a BS in Biology with a pre-medical concentration. She has grown up moving all around the United States and spent time off the coast of Venezuela watching her father complete his MD and work in the medical field, which inspired her to want to follow in his steps. Currently, Harper is working with post-doctoral fellow Rupam Ghosh, establishing a neuronal model of tau aggregate metabolism. In addition, her summer internship will deepen her understanding of how specific transcription factors commit IPSCs to neurons. She hopes her research experience will further fuel her passion for regenerative medicine/neurology. In her free time, she loves to read, play tennis, hang out with friends, and try new foods.
Srivinya ‘Vinni’ Karusala
(Youth Achiever)
Vinni is a rising high school senior from Austin, TX. Ever since taking her first biomedical class during her freshman year, Vinni has been interested in asking scientific questions and learning new things about the human body. She has previous research experience, having completed a protein purification project at UT Austin, and conducting an independent project on mitochondrial disease using C. elegans (they are so cool!). Currently, Vinni is working with Rupam and Michael to decipher the molecular logic of a polyanionic cofactor of tau fibrils. She hopes to initiate an independent project this summer to expand her skill set. She plans to enter the medical engineering field in the future. Outside of the lab, Vinni enjoys singing, trying new foods, and learning the piano!
Hewes Lance
(Youth Achiever)
Hewes Lance is an incoming junior at a presitigious local Dallas high school—some call it the Andover of the South. Or at least David does. He will be working with Vaibhav and Yasmeen on delineating the function of TMEM106B in protein homeostasis, and how it aggregates in the aging brain. From what David can tell, Hewes enjoys competitive rowing, playing the guitar, and respecting his elders. He has been instructed to stop calling David “sir”, but it’s a hard habit for Hewes to break. He’s a good kid! :)
YOU?!?
The Sanders Lab continues to recruit talented graduate students enrolled at UT Southwestern, as well as undergraduates and high school interns in the local area. If you are passionate about curiosity-based research at the interface of health and disease, please reach out to David by e-mail and include a paragraph about why you are excited about potentially joining our group!
UNFORTUNATELY, the Sanders Lab is not able to consider additional postdoctoral fellows, senior scientists, or research technicians at this time. However, we would gladly consider outstanding scientists who are fully funded by external fellowships. We hope to have more senior positions available soon!
ALUMNI
GIVE US TIME! WE JUST STARTED!