Members

Jennifer Rauch, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator

Jenny is originally from the beautiful (and snowy) Upper Peninsula of Michigan. She completed her B.S. at Central Michigan University in 2010 and her Ph.D. in 2015 at the University of Michigan in Jason Gestwicki‘s lab. In Jason’s lab, Jenny studied the molecular chaperone protein Hsp70 and its regulation by a group of co-chaperone proteins known as Nucleotide Exchange Factors (NEFs). Jenny joined Ken Kosik‘s group at UCSB for a postdoc in 2015 and got to work deciphering tau neurobiology. Her main focus in Ken’s lab centered on understanding cellular mechanisms that contribute to tau propagation in the brain, including the identification of a cellular receptor for tau -LRP1. Jenny joined the faculty at UMass in Jan 2021.

Karishma Bhasne, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Fellow

Karishma is originally from India, where she obtained an integrated B.S.-M.S. (Major in Biology) degree from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, India in 2013. She carried out her doctoral thesis work under the supervision of Samrat Mukhopadhyay and defended her thesis in 2018. During her Ph.D. she worked on α-synuclein and its interactions with lipid membranes, tau protein, and molecular chaperones. After her doctoral work she began work as postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Lila Gierasch at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and studied the role of chaperones in the SNARE complex. Now, she is leading a joint project between the Gierasch and Rauch Lab where she is continuing her interest in neurodegenerative diseases and IDPs and working towards understanding the role of tau strain spread.

Caiqin Wang | MCB Graduate Student

Caiqin is a PhD student in Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) program. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Biology at Sichuan University. During her undergraduate studies, Caiqin did research training in the Peng lab researching the roles of circular RNAs in cancers. Caiqin began studying in the Rauch lab in spring 2022. Out of the lab, she likes hiking, cooking, and photography.

Vanessa Stahl | MCB Graduate Student

Vanessa attended Boston University for her undergraduate studies, where she majored in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and minored in Business Administration & Management. She completed her undergraduate research work in the lab of Prof. Catherine E. Costello at Boston University School of Medicine Center for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry. In the Costello-Lab, Vanessa‘s main focus was on glycoproteomics, specifically N-glycosylation. Vanessa is in the Molecular and Cellular Biology Ph.D. program at UMass. She is a joint Ph.D. student between the Rauch lab and the Vachet Lab. Vanessa was born and raised in Germany before coming to the Boston area her Sophomore year of High School. In her free time she enjoys spending time with friends and family, listening to music, and reading.

Jose Martinez Montes | MCB Graduate Student

José is originally from Orocovis, Puerto Rico. He completed his BS in Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) with a Minor in Contemporary Hispanic Literature at the University of Puerto Rico – Rio Piedras campus. After completion he did a 1-year post baccalaureate at UMass Amherst where he worked with macrophage phenotype in the context of breast cancer under the mentorship of Prof. Michelle Farkas. Afterwards, he joined the MCB PhD program at UMass Amherst where he joined the best lab, the Rauch lab! Whenever he is free he likes to play video games, write and play pool with friends and, if he has enough time, he loves to go back home to enjoy the beautiful weather and beaches.

Gabrielle Villafana | MCB Graduate Student

Gabby is originally from St. James, Trinidad and Tobago. She attended Cornell University and completed her bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences in 2018. During her undergrad, she conducted research in the Liu Lab on characterization of the bone morphogenetic pathway. After graduating, she worked at the Wistar Institute focusing on development on novel immunotherapy approaches to infectious disease using DNA-encoded monoclonal antibodies. Gabby is in the Molecular and Cellular Biology Ph.D. program at UMass and joined the Rauch lab in Spring 2023. In her free time, she enjoys listening to podcasts, reading and doing aerial arts.

Wen-Chuan (May) Chou | MCB Graduate Student

May is originally from the sunny beach of Santa Barbara, California. She attended UCSB and received her BS in Microbiology. She did her undergraduate research in the Young lab studying the genetic susceptibility of rodent species to Trypanasoma. Before coming to UMass Amherst, May worked in the biotech industry and carried out several projects including therapeutic aptamer discovery and COVID diagnostics. May is a Ph.D. student in the Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) PhD program and joined the Rauch lab in Spring 2023. In her free time, May enjoys reading, cooking and inventing catchphrases with friends.

Emma Poirier | MCB Graduate Student

Emma is an MCB student from Barre, Vermont. She graduated from Quinnipiac University in 2023 and 2024 with a BS in Biology and MS in Molecular and Cell Biology, respectively. Her previous research was on a pro-longevity microRNA, miR-71, and its role in neurodegenerative diseases in the model organism C. elegans. Specifically, she studied diseases linked to the amyloid proteins transthyretin and amyloid-beta. Emma is very excited to continue studying neurodegenerative diseases and start studying the tau protein in the Rauch Lab.

Daya Mena | NSB Graduate Student

Daya is a Ph.D. student in the Neuroscience and Behavior program. She graduated from Hampshire College in 2019 with a focus in biomedical and biomathematical sciences. Following graduation, Daya conducted research at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard in Kasper Lage’s laboratory, where she investigated protein interactomes and employed stem cell models to study mechanisms underlying psychiatric and neurological disorders. Outside the lab, Daya enjoys cooking, science writing, and advocating for equitable public health.

Donna Ter-Mkrtchyan | NSB Graduate Student

Donna is originally from Los Angeles, CA, and earned her BS in neuroscience at UCLA. During her undergraduate years, she conducted research in Dr. Alcino Silva’s lab, studying memory allocation between brain regions, and continued working in the lab after graduation. She is currently a PhD student in the Neuroscience and Behavior program at UMass Amherst and joined the Rauch Lab in Spring 2025. In her free time, she enjoys reading and gaming.

Jess Roy | MCB Graduate Student

Jess is originally from Maine and received her BA from Hampshire College. After graduation Jess worked in a lab at Massachusetts General Hospital studying how Alzheimer’s Disease affects on the Entorhinal Cortex. Jess is currently a Ph.D. student in Molecular and Cellular Biology program at UMass and is a joint student between the Rauch lab and Babbitt lab. In her free time, Jess enjoys playing roller derby and exploring the National Parks.

Samay Trivedi | BMB Undergraduate Student

Samay is a Senior from Westford, MA majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He joined the Rauch Lab in Fall 2023. He is a joint undergraduate student with the Hebert Lab in the BMB department. Outside of his time studying or working in the lab, he enjoys running and spending time with his friends, family, and Mini Goldendoodle.

Anna Vincze | BMB Undergraduate Student

Anna is a Senior undergraduate majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She joined the lab in Spring 2024. Outside of the lab, she enjoys crocheting and going on hikes with friends.

Kaushal Kasina | BMB Undergraduate Student

Kaushal is a Senior undergraduate from Grafton, MA majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology on the pre-med track. He joined the Rauch lab in Fall 2023. Outside of the lab, Kaushal enjoys going to the gym, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Shourya Gupta | Neuroscience Undergraduate Student

Shourya is a Senior undergraduate from Mansfield, MA pursuing a dual degree in Neuroscience and Public Health on the pre-med track. He joined the Rauch lab in Fall 2024. Outside of the lab, Shourya is an avid photographer, loves playing basketball, and enjoys spending time with friends and family.

Oskar Simon | BMB Undergraduate Student

Oskar is a Senior from Arlington, MA majoring in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. He joined the Rauch Lab in Fall 2024. Outside of the lab, he enjoys hiking, snowboarding, attending car events, and spending time with friends and family.

Yahya El Hariri | Biology Undergraduate Student

Yahya is a senior undergraduate, from Lebanon, studying Biology on the pre-medical track. He joined the Rauch lab in Fall 2025. Outside the lab, he enjoys running, going to the gym, visiting new places, and spending time with family.

Keira Hodum | Neuroscience Undergraduate Student

Keira is a Junior undergraduate from South Florida pursing a major in Neuroscience at Amherst College. She joined the Rauch Lab in the Spring of 2024. While in high school, she worked as a lab technician at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience in the Stern Lab. Outside of the lab, Keira enjoys, hiking, scuba diving, photography, and running track and cross country for Amherst college.

Anna Ducot | Biology Undergraduate Student

Anna is a Junior undergraduate from Columbia, Maryland, double-majoring in Biology and Animal Science on the pre-med track. She joined the Rauch lab in Fall 2025. Outside of the lab, Anna enjoys working out, composing songs, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Suhana Mittal | BMB Undergraduate Student

Suhana is a sophomore from Mumbai, India majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology along with Neuroscience. She joined the Rauch Lab in Summer 2025. Outside the lab, Suhana enjoys spending time with her friends and family and finding new food places!

Tim Heise | BMB Undergraduate Student

Tim is a Sophomore from Quincy, MA majoring in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology as well as German & Scandinavian Studies. He joined the Rauch Lab in Summer 2025. Outside of the lab, he loves traveling the world, anything to do with soccer, skiing, and going on adventures with friends and family.

Tasha Semeniuk | BMB Undergraduate Student

Tasha is a sophomore undergraduate from Saint Petersburg, Russia, majoring in Biomedical Engineering and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. She joined the Rauch lab in the Fall of 2025. Outside of the lab, Tasha enjoys rock climbing, ice skating, crocheting, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. Her research interests as of now: Protein–ligand interactions, tissue engineering, and drug delivery

Mariam Morcos | Neuroscience & BMB Undergraduate Student

Mariam is a sophomore undergraduate from Marlborough, MA pursuing a dual degree in Neuroscience and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology on the pre-med track. Outside of the lab, Mariam enjoys swimming, working out, traveling, trying new foods, and spending time with family and friends.

Tau Rex | Lab mascot

Tau-Rex is originally from Montana, but has adapted nicely to the New England climate. As technically the oldest member of the lab, Tau-Rex is always around to offer wisdom and support to other lab members.

Rauch Lab Alumni

Graduate Students
Andrew Shultz | MCB Ph.D. | 2021-2026
Navya Sebastian | MCB MS | 2022-2023

Research Fellows/Techs
Hannah Demanche | 2024-2025
Jess Roy | 2023-2024
Elana Carleton | 2021-2022