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Principal Investigator
Martin Horvath
Martin Horvath
Principal Investigator
Dr. Horvath obtained his B.Sc. from Brown University. He pursued graduate studies at the University of Chicago earning his Ph.D. in 1994. Martin loves research and is passionate about undergraduate research and education, especially how to teach critical thinking & communication in science. In the fall, Martin teaches Biol 3525/Chem 3525: Molecular Biology of DNA Lab. Every spring, he co-instructs Biol 3510/Chem 3510: Biological Chemistry I. Outside of the lab or the classroom, he enjoys spending time with family, trail running, reading and learning new things! Currently, Martin is invested in learning all things astrobiology!
Fun fact: Martin abandoned two of his children above the arctic circle and uses this story as a metaphor for mentoring and teaching.
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Graduate Student
Vincent Mays
Vincent Mays
Graduate Student
Vincent graduated from Missouri State University as a biology major emphasizing in microbiology and biotechnology and a minor in chemistry. Vincent joined the Horvath lab in May of 2021. Broadly, his research interests are centered around how organisms simultaneously maintain and evolution their biological information. Specifically, he focuses on MutY and its role in DNA repair. Outside of devoting countless hours in the lab, Vincent enjoys jiu-jitsu, programming, weight training, and outdoor adventuring! Fun fact: Vincent has a tattoo written in Quenya, an elvish language from Lord of the Rings!
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Graduate Student
Keelah Barger
Keelah Barger
Graduate Student
Keelah graduated from the University of Arizona as a biochemistry major and minored in public health. For her master’s thesis, Keelah is exploring the importance of chaperone proteins in the expression and function of the a9a10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. When Keelah is not in the lab or studying, you can catch her running the 5K for the University of Utah Track & Cross Country team!
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Medical Student
Sonia Seghal
Sonia Seghal
Medical Student
Sonia is a 2nd year medical student here at the U! She graduated from the University of Utah as a biology major and chemistry minor. Sonia originally joined the Horvath Lab as a 2017 ACCESS Scholar and she was awarded the 2020 Beckman Scholar to continue her work in the lab! Outside of school and the lab, Sonia enjoys bouldering and binge-watching the Great British Baking Show!
A Very Good Boy
Ron Horvath
Ron Horvath
A Very Good Boy
Former Lab Members
Graduate Student
Valerie O'Shea
Valerie O'Shea
Graduate Student
Graduate Student
Peyton Russelburg
Peyton Russelburg
Graduate Student
Research Assistant
Markell Kolendrianos
Markell Kolendrianos
Research Assistant
Undergraduate Student
Evan Drage
Evan Drage
Undergraduate Student
Undergraduate Student
Kyle Knutsen
Kyle Knutsen
Undergraduate Student
Undergraduate Student
Harini Srinivasan
Harini Srinivasan
Undergraduate Student
Undergraduate Student
Pamela Giahi
Pamela Giahi
Undergraduate Student
Research Assistant
Karina Cedeno
Karina Cedeno
Research Assistant
Undergraduate Student
Payton Utzman
Payton Utzman
Undergraduate Student
Undergraduate Honors Student
Tara Tazehabadi
Tara Tazehabadi
Undergraduate Honors Student
Undergraduate ACCESS Student 2020
Mary Fairbanks
Mary Fairbanks
Undergraduate ACCESS Student 2020
Undergraduate Student
Annabel Lee
Annabel Lee
Undergraduate Student
Undergraduate ACCESS Student 2022
Maggie Leavitt
Maggie Leavitt
Undergraduate ACCESS Student 2022
Undergraduate Student
Evan George
Evan George
Undergraduate Student
Undergraduate Student
Kyle Wynn
Kyle Wynn
Undergraduate Student