Lab Members
Colin Conine Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
PhD: Molecular Biology And Genetics.
University Of Massachusetts, Medical School, 2014.
Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry
University Of Rochester, 2007.
Colin Conine is an Assistant Professor of Genetics and Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Division of Neonatology), as well as a faculty member of the Penn Epigenetics Institute and Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health. Colin completed his Ph.D. in the laboratory of Craig Mello at UMass Medical School where he worked on the function of endogenous small RNA pathways regulating thermotolerant male fertility in C. elegans. Colin went on to complete his postdoctoral training in Oliver Rando’s lab also at UMass Medical where he was a Helen Hay Whitney Postdoctoral Fellow. During this time he demonstrated that sperm-transmitted small RNAs in mice are able to regulate embryonic gene expression and development in offspring. In the process, he found that small RNAs are shipped from the epididymis to maturing sperm via exosomes, establishing a novel soma-to-germline transfer of epigenetic information in mammals.
About Colin
Acadia DiNardo
Postdoctoral Fellow
PhD Biology
University of Oregon, 2025
BA in Biochemistry and Science, Technology, and Society
Vassar College, 2019
About Acadia
Acadia received her BA in Biochemistry and Science, Technology, and Society from Vassar College in 2019 where she investigated the kinetics of translational initiation in the lab of Colin Aitken. Acadia went on to receive her PhD in Biology in Diana Libuda’s at the University of Oregon, where she characterized sexual dimorphisms in germ granule architecture and their effect on fertility and gene regulation in C. elegans. In the Conine Lab, Acadia is investigating the role of paternal epigenetic inheritance on early embryo chromatin structure and gene expression. Outside of the lab she enjoys running, hiking, and exploring Pennsylvania with her dog, Whiskey.
Maddie Lamonica
Research Technician
Bachelors of Science in Biology, Neuroscience
Penn State University, 2023.
About Maddie
Maddie graduated in 2023 from Penn State University with a B.S. in Biology and minors in Neuroscience and Psychology. During her undergraduate, Maddie worked in Dr. Yingwei Mao's Neurobiology lab where she studied the role of RNA-binding protein 8A (RMB8A) in Neural Progenitor Cells. She hopes to explore the field of reproductive biology and wants to pursue graduate school in the future. Outside of lab, Maddie enjoys yoga and spending time with her dogs!
Diya Surray
Graduate Student
Bachelors of Art in Molecular Biology,
Rutgers University, 2025
About Diya
Diya graduated in 2025 from Rutgers University with a BA in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. She is currently a PhD student in Cell and Molecular Biology – Development, Stem Cell, and Regenerative Biology program. She is interested in how small RNAs can influence offspring development. Outside of lab she likes to read, scrapbook and bake
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Nick Galambos
Graduate Student
Bachelors of Science in Biology
West Chester University, 2016.
About Nick
Nick Galambos is the first graduate student in the Conine lab. He received his B.S., summa cum laude, from West Chester University as a Biology major and Chemistry minor. Nick is very interested in RNA biology and ultimately wants to obtain a faculty position at a primarily undergraduate university. Outside of lab, Nick enjoys gardening, fly fishing, and spending time with his family.
Grace Lee
Graduate Student
Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry
Trinity University, 2016
About Grace
Grace is a PhD student from the Pharmacology Graduate Group interested in the role of small RNAs in early development and epigenetic inheritance. She received her B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Trinity University in 2019. Outside of the lab, Grace enjoys nature, playing guitar, and spending time with friends.
Lexie Schneider
Graduate Student
Bachelors of Science in Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics
University of Maryland, 2020
About Lexie
Lexie graduated in 2020 from the University of Maryland with a B.S. in Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics and spent a year before grad school doing a postbacc at NIH. Her past research was on the regulation of small noncoding RNAs by RNA binding proteins. Her research interests mainly include where RNA biology and epigenetics intersect. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading and exploring Philadelphia.
Graudate Student
Taylor Miller-Ensminger
Bachelors of Science in Bioinformatics
Loyola University Chicago
About Taylor
Taylor is PhD student in the Microbiology, Virology, and Parasitology program within the Cell and Molecular Biology graduate group. She is co-advised and also works in the Jurado Lab. She is interested in the innate immune response in the context of Zika virus infection.
Graudate Student
Simon Zhou
Bachelors of Science
University of Santa Cruz, 2019
About Simon
Simon is a second year PhD student in the Immunology Graduate Group. He is co-advised and also works in the Kambayashi Lab. He is interested in immune cells and the mechanisms that drive their behavior and function during development.
Alexis Leach
Graduate Student
Bachelors of Biology and Mathematics
Iowa State University, 2023
About Alexis
Alexis Leach graduated from Iowa State University in 2023 earning a B.S. in Biology and a B.S. in Mathematics. She is a current PhD student in the Cell and Molecular Biology – Genetics and Epigenetics Program. Alexis is interested in molecular evolution, RNA biology, and epigenetics. Outside of lab, she enjoys hiking and spending time with her family and pets (Echo and Obi).