Wang Lab Personnel » Center for NeuroGenetics » College of Medicine

Assistant Scientist

Belinda Pinto

Assistant Scientist (faculty)

Department: Molecular Genetics & Microbiology

Phone: (352) 273-9236

Email: belindapinto@ufl.edu

Mailing Address:: PO BOX 103610
GAINESVILLE FL 326110001

Publications:

2020
Sleep disorders in myotonic dystrophies.
Muscle & nerve
2019
Cell-type-specific dysregulation of RNA alternative splicing in short tandem repeat mouse knockin models of myotonic dystrophy.
Genes & development
2019
A CTG repeat-selective chemical screen identifies microtubule inhibitors as selective modulators of toxic CUG RNA levels.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
2017
Impeding Transcription of Expanded Microsatellite Repeats by Deactivated Cas9.
Molecular cell

Grants:

Nov 2024 ACTIVE
Investigating the contribution of circadian disruption to hypersomnolence in myotonic dystrophy
MYOTONIC DYSTROPHY FOU · Principal Investigator

Apr 2023 ACTIVE
Circadian Rhythm Disturbances in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1
VA COMMONWEALTH UNIV · Principal Investigator

Feb 2019 – Dec 2023
Impeding transcription of expanded microsatellite repeats using deactivated Cas9
NATL INST OF HLTH NIA · Other

Patents:

Published April 2019
Compositions and Methods for Impeding Transcription of Expanded Microsatellite Repeats
#US-2021-0285010-A1

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Lab Manager

Kendra K Mckee

Lab Manager/Biological Scientist Ll

Department: Molecular Genetics & Microbiology

Phone: (352) 273-9236

Email: kmckee@ufl.edu

Mailing Address:: PO BOX 103610
GAINESVILLE FL 326100001

Physical Address:: 2033 Mowry Road – CGRC Eric Wang Lab 215
GAINESVILLE FL 326100001

Lab Manager, University of Florida, Eric T. Wang Lab, Center for Neurogenetics

Publications:

2022
Mice lacking MBNL1 and MBNL2 exhibit sudden cardiac death and molecular signatures recapitulating myotonic dystrophy.
Human molecular genetics
2021
Ribonuclease recruitment using a small molecule reduced c9ALS/FTD r(G4C2) repeat expansion in vitro and in vivo ALS models.
Science translational medicine
2019
Precise small-molecule cleavage of an r(CUG) repeat expansion in a myotonic dystrophy mouse model.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
2019
Culturing C2C12 myotubes on micromolded gelatin hydrogels accelerates myotube maturation.
Skeletal muscle
2017
Whole Transcriptome Analysis of Notochord-Derived Cells during Embryonic Formation of the Nucleus Pulposus.
Scientific reports

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Post Doctoral Associate

Yu Zhou

POSTDOC ASO

Department: Molecular Genetics & Microbiology

Phone: (352) 273-9236

Email: yuzhou@ufl.edu

Mailing Address:: 2033 MOWRY RD
GAINESVILLE FL 32610

Physical Address:: 2033 Mowry Rd.
Gainesville FL 32610

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Graduate Assistants

Ryan Hildebrandt

POSTDOC ASO

Department: Molecular Genetics & Microbiology

Phone: (352) 273-9236

Email: ryhildeb@ufl.edu

Mailing Address:: PO Box 103610
GAINESVILLE FL 326110001

Physical Address:: 2033 MOWRY RD RM 215
GAINESVILLE FL 32610

Publications:

2023
Muscleblind-like proteins use modular domains to localize RNAs by riding kinesins and docking to membranes.
Nature communications
2021
Transcriptome alterations in myotonic dystrophy frontal cortex.
Cell reports
2019
ALS-Linked SOD1 Mutants Enhance Neurite Outgrowth and Branching in Adult Motor Neurons.
iScience
2019
ALS-Linked SOD1 Mutants Enhance Neurite Outgrowth and Branching in Adult Motor Neurons.
iScience
2018
Selective activation of estrogen receptors, ERα and GPER-1, rapidly decreases food intake in female rats
Hormones and Behavior

Grants:

Aug 2023 ACTIVE
Investigating the Impact of mHTT on mRNA Trafficking and the Synaptic Transcriptome
HEREDITARY DISEASE FOU · Principal Investigator

Jan 2021 – May 2021
2021 Southeastern Translational Cell Biology Symposium
CHAN ZUCKERBERG INITIATIVE · Principal Investigator

Education:

2016-2022
PhD Medical Sciences (Genetics)
University of Florida
2011-2015
B.S. Psychology
Florida State University

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Alana P O'Brien

Ph.D. Candidate

Department: Molecular Genetics & Microbiology

Phone: (352) 273-8601

Email: aob730@ufl.edu

Mailing Address:: 2033 MOWRY RD RM 236
GAINESVILLE FL 32610

Research Interests:

Genetics
Myotonic Dystrophy
RNA processing
Repeat Expansion Diseases

Publications:

Education:

2015-2019
B.S. in Biology
University of Florida

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Danielle Adekunle, BSc. Joint with Phil Sharp at MIT

Research Assistants

Senior Lab Tech

Leanne M Adams

SR LAB TCH

Department: Molecular Genetics & Microbiology

Phone: (352) 273-9236

Email: leanne.adams@ufl.edu

Mailing Address:: P.O. Box 103610
GAINESVILLE FL 32610

Physical Address:: 2033 MOWRY RD
GAINESVILLE FL 32611

Publications:

2024
Myospreader improves gene editing in skeletal muscle by myonuclear propagation.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
2024
Alternative splicing dysregulation across tissue and therapeutic approaches in a mouse model of myotonic dystrophy type 1.
Molecular therapy. Nucleic acids
2023
Myospreader improves gene editing in skeletal muscle by myonuclear propagation.
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology

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Biological Scientist

Carmen Valero Quiros

Biological Scientist IV

Department: Molecular Genetics & Microbiology

Phone: (352) 273-9236

Email: mvaleroquiros@ufl.edu

Mailing Address:: PO BOX 103610
GAINESVILLE FL 326100001

Physical Address:: 2033 MOWRY RD # LAB215
CANCER AND GENETICS RESEARCH COMPLEX
GAINESVILLE FL 326103010

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Juan D Arboleda

Graduate Research Assistant

Department: Molecular Genetics & Microbiology

Phone: (352) 273-9236

Email: jarboleda@ufl.edu

Mailing Address:: PO BOX 103610
GAINESVILLE FL 326100001

Physical Address:: 2033 Mowry Rd. Lab 215
UF Cancer and Genetics Research Complex
GAINESVILLE FL 32610

Publications:

2022
Altered Behavioral Responses Show GABA Sensitivity in Muscleblind-Like 2-Deficient Mice: Implications for CNS Symptoms in Myotonic Dystrophy.
eNeuro
2019
Culturing C2C12 myotubes on micromolded gelatin hydrogels accelerates myotube maturation.
Skeletal muscle
2018
An engineered RNA binding protein with improved splicing regulation.
Nucleic acids research
2017
Impeding Transcription of Expanded Microsatellite Repeats by Deactivated Cas9.
Molecular cell

Education:

2013-2017
Biology, B.S.
University of Florida

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Hailey R Olafson

OPS

Department: Molecular Genetics & Microbiology

Phone: (352) 273-9236

Email: olafsohr@ufl.edu

Mailing Address:: PO BOX 103610
GAINESVILLE FL 326110001

Publications:

2023
Transcriptome-Wide Studies of RNA-Targeted Small Molecules Provide a Simple and Selective r(CUG)exp Degrader in Myotonic Dystrophy.
ACS central science
2022
The skeletal muscle circadian clock regulates titin splicing through RBM20.
eLife
2022
Mice lacking MBNL1 and MBNL2 exhibit sudden cardiac death and molecular signatures recapitulating myotonic dystrophy.
Human molecular genetics
2021
Ribonuclease recruitment using a small molecule reduced c9ALS/FTD r(G4C2) repeat expansion in vitro and in vivo ALS models.
Science translational medicine
2021
Repeat length increases disease penetrance and severity in C9orf72 ALS/FTD BAC transgenic mice.
Human molecular genetics
2021
High-content image-based analysis and proteomic profiling identifies Tau phosphorylation inhibitors in a human iPSC-derived glutamatergic neuronal model of tauopathy.
Scientific reports
2019
Transcriptome alterations in myotonic dystrophy skeletal muscle and heart.
Human molecular genetics
2019
Precise small-molecule cleavage of an r(CUG) repeat expansion in a myotonic dystrophy mouse model.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

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Lab Technician

Derek R Muscato

Biological Scientist II

Department: Molecular Genetics & Microbiology

Email: derekmuscato@ufl.edu

Publications:

2024
Myospreader improves gene editing in skeletal muscle by myonuclear propagation.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
2024
Alternative splicing dysregulation across tissue and therapeutic approaches in a mouse model of myotonic dystrophy type 1.
Molecular therapy. Nucleic acids
2023
Skeletal muscle Nox4 knockout prevents and Nox2 knockout blunts loss of maximal diaphragm force in mice with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.
Free radical biology & medicine
2023
Myospreader improves gene editing in skeletal muscle by myonuclear propagation.
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
2022
Skeletal myopathy in a rat model of postmenopausal heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985)
2022
Cardiac and respiratory muscle responses to dietary N-acetylcysteine in rats consuming a high-saturated fat, high-sucrose diet.
Experimental physiology
2021
Nox4 Knockout Does Not Prevent Diaphragm Atrophy, Contractile Dysfunction, or Mitochondrial Maladaptation in the Early Phase Post-Myocardial Infarction in Mice.
Cellular physiology and biochemistry : international journal of experimental cellular physiology, biochemistry, and pharmacology

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Lab Personnel

Not Pictured:

Elena Mariel Encinas

Yidan Lu

Matthew Menzel

Laura Vargas