Dustin Rubinstein, PhD
Facility Director
3122 Biotechnology Center
genomeediting@biotech.wisc.edu
Background: Dr. Rubinstein received his PhD from Cornell University in 2008. He has extensive experience in genetics applied towards a diverse array of research topics, including neuroscience, behavior, reproduction, and bioinformatics. He has always sought to generate tools to best address important research questions. Dr. Rubinstein was most recently a member of a team led by Profs. Melissa Harrison, Kate O’Connor-Giles, and Jill Wildonger, and this group was the first to publish the use of CRISPR/Cas9 in Drosophila. In this team, he helped generate a dozen genome-edited flies and built a website to assistant CRISPR/Cas9 project design.
Brent Lehman, MS
Genome Editing Researcher
genomeediting@biotech.wisc.edu
Background: Brent received his B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 2012. He then continued on to complete his M.S. in Biochemistry at Iowa State University in 2015. Brent trained in the lab of Tom Bobik where he learned genetic recombineering methods. Brent joined GEAM in October 2016 and manages animal and cell genotyping and generates cell lines using the latest of CRIPSR/Cas9 gene editing technology.
Molly Nellen
Associate Research Specialist
genomeediting@biotech.wisc.edu
Background: Molly received her B.S. in Biology from Ripon College in 2018. During her undergraduate research, she utilized molecular cloning methods to influence gene expression in D. rerio. She gained experience with CRISPR-generated animal models while studying brain tissue morphogenesis at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In 2021, she joined the Genome Editing core, where she is in charge of genotyping and library prep.
Jess Parrott
Biotechnology Center Intern & Doctoral Candidate (Molecular & Environmental Toxicology)
genomeediting@biotech.wisc.edu
Background: Jessica received her B.S. in genetics from Iowa State University in 2018. She is currently a PhD candidate doing her thesis work in Dr. Christopher Bradfield’s lab on the molecular biology of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor pathway. In her time at GEAM, she developed expertise with different cell lines, robotics, and molecular biology techniques which helped in completion of her thesis. After graduation, she hopes to find a job in biotech.
Dalton Mclean, PhD
Biotechnology Center Fellow
genomeediting@biotech.wisc.edu
Background: Dr. McLean received his B.S. in Animal Science from Cornell University in 2014. He then continued on to complete his PhD in Cancer Biology here at UW-Madison. Dalton has an extensive background in cell and animal-based research, with particular focus on cell and molecular biology in cancer. Dr. McLean joined the UWBC in 2021 and assists on a variety of projects involving the development and characterization of new models to better portray human diseases.
Loren Lopez
genomeediting@biotech.wisc.edu
Undergraduate Research Student
Background: Loren is currently in her last semester to complete her B.S in Biology at UAGM Gurabo Campus in Puerto Rico. She is currently part of the Genome Editing Team at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as part of the MET-SROP where she is working with Single-cell RNA-seq data analysis using computational tools.