Toshi received his Ph.D. in Cellular, Molecular, and Biophysical Studies at Columbia University. He established his biochemistry and structural biology background in the Gouaux lab. He did his postdoctoral research in the Swartz lab at the NIH where he learned ion channel biophysics and electrophysiology. Toshi joined the Department of Molecular Medicine at Cornell University in 2011. He plays ice hockey in his free time.

Erik completed his BS in Biochemistry at Hawaii Pacific University (2016) and his PhD in Biophysics at Cornell University (2022). During this time he studied the activation mechanisms of various ion channels, with an emphasis on the elusive large pore channel Pannexin-1. His general scientific interest lies in the many transport mechanisms that cells use to direct and transduce the flow of biochemical information to achieve homeostasis. Outside of the lab, he enjoys self-experimenting of all sorts (thermal stressors, meditation, weightlifting/hot yoga), cooking meat, spending time in nature with his friends, and going to local music shows.

Jacqueline joined the Kawate lab in 2021. She is fascinated by the structure-function relationships of membrane proteins and spends most of her time in lab purifying proteins, using the cryo-EM, and dabbling in crystallography. Jacqueline knew she wanted to study membrane protein structure during her undergraduate studies at Iowa State University because the wealth of structural information obtained from her graduate student mentor’s enzyme structure allowed her to investigate its substrate specificity with a targeted approach. Jacqueline has been lucky to always mix good science and good company - you will often find her planning lab BBQs or tennis matches, or the Molecular Medicine kickball tournament. If she isn’t in the lab, she is probably at the rock climbing gym, out for a little jog, or finding a new trail for a bike ride. She is always happy to chat and can be reached at jje66@cornell.edu.

Sarah earned her B.S. in Biochemistry from Messiah University in 2021 where she studied binding sites for allosteric inhibition of a type 2 diabetes therapeutic protein target, PTP1B. Currently, she is a 3rd year BMCB student in the Kawate Lab studying the function of the integral membrane protein Tweety (TTYH1) using C. elegans as a model organism. Sarah uses a wide variety of techniques to study TTYH1 including C. elegans genetic and behavioral assays, protein purification, mass spectrometry, fluorescence size exclusion chromatography, RNA sequencing, and fluorescent microscopy. Outside of the lab, Sarah can be found running, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.

Dina is a first-year veterinary student at Cornell University. She received her B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of Vermont. After college, she worked as a laboratory technician in Dr. Countinho-Budd's lab spearheading a project screening for glial genes involved in Alzheimer's Disease pathology using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. She is very excited to be in the Kawate lab looking into pannexin channel activation as a biosensor for pain in dogs. She is motivated by understanding disease mechanisms and is interested in cellular and molecular biology, genetics, and all things glia. Outside of the lab, she can be found obsessing over her many pets, hiking, and gardening. 

My name is Matthew and I am a senior in CALS majoring in Biology with a Concentration in Biochemistry. I started working in the Kawate Lab as a sophomore with an interest in membrane proteins responsible for neurological conditions, including PMP22 which is overexpressed in Charcot Marie Tooth Disorder Type 1A. I've continued my research interests at the Renaissance School of Medicine investigating Multisystem Proteinopathy, including its common misdiagnosis and improvements in diagnostic techniques. Outside of the lab, I previously worked as a chemistry, genetics, and biochemistry teaching assistant. In addition, I am currently applying to medical school.