I pursued a Master's in Human Genetics at Tulane University, then moved to Houston for a PhD at Baylor College of Medicine, where in Marco Sardiello's, I studied proteostasis with a particular focus on lysosomal enzyme trafficking. Here, I helped uncover the function of two previously lesser-known genes, CLN6 and CLN8. After graduating I headed to Harvard Medical School for postdoctoral work in Scott Kennedy's lab, where I dove into ribostasis and biomolecular condensates, exploring how cells maintain germline immortality. Eventually, opportunities (but mostly my Puerto Rican wife) brought me to "La Isla del Encanto," Puerto Rico.

Research interests: My lab focusses on stress granules. We study how failures in ribo-proteostasis drive stress-granules liquid-to-solid transition and why this process may lie at the root of many neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

I completed my bachelor's in physics at the University of Puerto Rico, and started my Ph.D. at the Medical Sciences Campus in the Pharmacology Department. My interest in RNA biology and neurodegeneration grew during my undergraduate lab rotations, which ultimately brought me to Bajaj Lab.

Research interests: My research focusses on RNA G-quadruplexes and their role in stress granule dynamics. I'm especially curious about how RNA structure influences neurodegenerative disease pathways, and I enjoy using techniques like microscopy and RNA structure probing to explore these questions.

I'm Isabel Lopez, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus. I earned my B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Rochester, as well as a minor in American Sign Language.

Research interests: My research focusses on cellular and molecular signaling, including transcriptional regulation, lysosomal function, autophagy and mechanisms relevant to neurobiology.

I joined the lab in February 2025, a couple of months before graduating high-school. I knew I was interested in pursuing science since I was 13; started shadowing in hospitals at 15, and did my first research internship at 16. Currently, I'm majoring in Biomedical Engineering and hope to pursue an M.D-Ph.D. in neuroimmunology. 

Research interests: I am interested in understanding how molecular and transcriptional regulation within neurons shape neuron-glia communication, and how this impacts neural circuits and neurobiology. My research focusses on genome regulation, cellular signaling, and neurobiology, with a particular interest in how dysregulation of pathways, such as Wnt signaling, contribute to neurodegenerative and autoimmune neurological disorders.

My name is Maria F. Machado, and I am a student at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. I am in my third year of a B.S. in Integrative Biology. After finishing my bachelors degree I would like to pursue an M.D. with a focus on neurology. 

Research interests: I am interested in the study of molecular pathways and the underlying cellular mechanisms that contribute to disease development, with a particular interest in neurological conditions.