Thomas Rando Laboratory at Stanford University

PEOPLE

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

THOMAS A. RANDO, MD, PhD

PROFESSOR
Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences
Stanford University School of Medicine

DIRECTOR
The Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging
Stanford University School of Medicine

DIRECTOR
RR&D Center of Excellence / REAP
VA Palo Alto Health Care System

CHIEF
Neurology Service
VA Palo Alto Health Care System

DEPUTY DIRECTOR
Stanford Center on Longevity (SCL)
Stanford University

LAB MANAGER

Yip Yu

YIP YU
Lab Manager

Hometown: San Francisco, CA

Undergraduate institution: USD, JD; UC Davis, BS

yipyu@stanford.edu.edu

LAB ADMINISTRATOR

Sheri Jungers

SHERI JUNGERS
Lab Administrator

Hometown: San Jose, CA

Undergraduate institution: University of California, Riverside

sjungers@stanford.edu

SENIOR SCIENTISTS

Dan Luo

DAN LUO
Research Associate

Hometown: Hefei, China

PhD Institution: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Research Focus: Molecular mechanisms of myogenic differentiation

danluo@stanford.edu

Marco Quarta

MARCO QUARTA
Senior Scientist

Hometown: Bologna, Italy

PhD Institution: University of Padua, Italy

Research Focus: Bioengineering of artificial stem cells niches, and biomaterials for regenerative medicine

mquarta@stanford.edu

Antonio Filareto

ANTONIO FILARETO
Senior Scientist

Hometown: Rossano, Italy

PhD Institution: University of Tor Vergata

Research Focus: Quiescence and cell fate regulation during skeletal muscle regeneration, aging and disease

filareto@stanford.edu

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS

Daniel Benjamin

DANIEL BENJAMIN
Postdoctoral Fellow

Hometown: Santa Cruz, CA

PhD Institution: UC Berkeley

Research Focus: Metabolic regulation of stem cell function

dbenjami@stanford.edu

Joel Benjamin

JOEL BENJAMIN
Postdoctoral Fellow

Hometown: Santa Cruz, CA

PhD Institution: Johns Hopkins Medical Institute

Research Focus: Understanding the role of histone methyltransferases in satellite cell quiescence and activation

jbenjami@stanford.edu

Biter Bilen

BITER BILEN
Postdoctoral Fellow

Hometown: Ankara, Turkey

PhD Institution: University of Basel

Research Focus: Transcriptional and epigenetic gene regulation in stem cells

biter@stanford.edu

Antoine de Morree

ANTOINE DE MOREE
Postdoctoral Fellow

PhD institution: Leiden University Medical Center

Hometown: Utrecht, The Netherlands

Research Focus: Molecular mechanisms of polyadenylation site choice

demorree@stanford.edu

Qiang Gan

QIANG GAN
Research Associate

Hometown: Guangxi, China

Undergraduate institution: Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences / Dalian University of Technology

Research Focus: Transcriptional regulatory network of muscle stem cell quiescence and activation mediated by microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs

qianggan@stanford.edu

Ling Liu

LING LIU
Research Associate

Hometown: Hometown: Guangzhou, China

PhD institution: SUNY Stony Brook / B.S. Sun Yat-Sen University

Research Focus: Understanding the epigenome of quiescent stem cells and how it changes with age

lingliu@stanford.edu

Jayesh Salvi

JAYESH SALVI
Postdoctoral Fellow

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

PhD Institution: University of Toronto

Research Focus: Molecular mechanisms regulating satellite cell quiescence and activation

jsalvi@stanford.edu

Cindy Van Velthoven

CINDY VAN VELTHOVEN
Postdoctoral Fellow

Hometown: Utrecht, The Netherlands

PhD institution: Utrecht University

Research Focus: Intercellular communication in the stem cell niche

cvanvelt@stanford.edu

Michael Wosczyna

MICHAEL WOSCZYNA
Postdoctoral Fellow

Hometown: West Hartford, CT

PhD institution: University of Connecticut

Research Focus: Regulation of the stem cell niche

wosczyna@stanford.edu

GRADUATE STUDENTS

Jamie Brett

JAMIE BRETT
MD/PhD student

Hometown: Santa Rosa, CA

Undergraduate/graduate institution: Stanford University

Research Focus: Heterogeneity and instability of cell age

VISITING SCIENTISTS

Ingrid Egner

INGRID EGNER, PHD
Visiting Scholar

Hometown: Oslo, Norway

PhD Institution: University of Oslo

Research Focus: Effect of exercise on satellite cells

iegner@stanford.edu

Luiz Augusto Buoro Perandini

LUIZ AUGUSTO BUORO PERANDINI, PHD
Visiting Scholar

Hometown: Sao Paulo, Brazil

PhD Institution: University of Sao Paulo

Research Focus: Physical exercise, inflammation and satellite cells

lbuorope@stanford.edu

Julian Klein

JULIAN KLEIN
Visiting Student Researcher

Hometown: Aachen, Germany

Undergrad/Graduate Institution: Erasmus University Rotterdam

Research Focus: Posttranscriptional regulation essential to maintain differential satellite cell dynamics

kleinj@stanford.edu

Garazai Aldanondo Aristizabal

GARZAI ALDANONDO ARISTIZABAL
Visiting Student Researcher

Hometown: Donostia, Spain

Undergrad/Graduate Institution: University of the Basque Country

Research Focus: Development of new therapies against Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

galdanon@stanford.edu

POSTGRADS/UNDERGRADS

Justin Blonigan

JUSTIN BLONIGAN
Research Assistant

Undergraduate/Graduate Institution: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

jbloniga@stanford.edu

Mark Hamer

MARK HAMER
Research Assistant

Hometown: San Ramon, CA

Undergraduate/Graduate Institution: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Research Focus: Regenerative Medicine / Bio-engineering

mhamer@stanford.edu

Edgar Perez

EDGAR PEREZ
Research Assistant

Hometown: Orange County CA

Undergraduate/Graduate Institution Cal State Fullerton

Research Focus: Regulation of MSC fate in musculoskeletal disease

xedgepx@stanford.edu

Colin Konishi

COLIN KONISHI
Research Assistant

Hometown: Sacramento, CA

Undergraduate/Graduate Institution UC Berkeley

Research Focus: Regulation of MSC fate in musculoskeletal disease

ckonishi@stanford.edu

Daniel Martinez-Najera

DANIEL MARTINEZ-NAJERA
Research Assistant

Hometown: South El Monte, CA

Undergraduate/Graduate Institution: UC Berkeley

Research Focus: Post-transcriptional regulation of stem cell quiescence

dmartinn@stanford.edu

Patrick Paine

PATRICK PAINE
Research Assistant

Hometown: Carbondale, IL

Undergraduate/Graduate Institution Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Research Focus: Translational applications of a bioengineered muscle stem cell niche

ppaine@stanford.edu

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Yuzhen Wang

YUZHEN WANG
Research Assistant

Hometown: Anhui, China

Undergraduate/Graduate institution: Beijing Renwen University

yz05wang@stanford.edu