Principal Investigator
Kara Bernstein
Lab Head
B.A. Bryn Mawr College, 2000
Ph.D. Yale University, 2006 (Advisor Susan Baserga)
Post-doctorate Fellow, Columbia University, 2006-2011 (Advisor Rodney Rothstein)
Lab Head
B.A. Bryn Mawr College, 2000
Ph.D. Yale University, 2006 (Advisor Susan Baserga)
Post-doctorate Fellow, Columbia University, 2006-2011 (Advisor Rodney Rothstein)
Post-doctorate
Sarah Hengel, Ph.D.
Post-Doctorate Fellow
August 15, 2017 - current
B.S. College of Saint Scholastica, 2010
Ph.D. University of Iowa, 2017 (Advisor Maria Spies)
Funding: 2017 Diversity Supplement from the National Institutes of Health
Post-Doctorate Fellow
August 15, 2017 - current
B.S. College of Saint Scholastica, 2010
Ph.D. University of Iowa, 2017 (Advisor Maria Spies)
Funding: 2017 Diversity Supplement from the National Institutes of Health
Meghan Sullivan, Ph.D.
Post-Doctorate Fellow January 1, 2019 - current
Graduate Student from July 1, 2014 - December 31, 2018
B.A. University of Rochester
Ph.D. University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (Advisor Kara Bernstein)
Funding: National Institutes of Health Pre-doctoral Fellowship (F31ES027321)
Lab Publications:
Sullivan, M.R., Bernstein K.A. (2018) RAD-ical New Insights into RAD51 Regulation, Genes, 13:9(12).
Kondrashova O., Nguyen M., Shield-Artin K., Tinker A.V., Teng N.N.H., Harrell M.I., Kuiper M.J., Ho G.Y., Barker H., Jasin M., Prakash R., Kass E.M., Sullivan M.R., Brunette G.J., Bernstein, K.A., Coleman R.L., Floquet A., Friedlander M., Kichenadasse G., O'Malley D.M., Oza A.M., Sun J.X., Robillard L., Maloney L., Bowtell D.D.L., Giordano H, Wakefield M.J., Kaufmann S.H., Simmons A.D., Harding T.C., Raponi M., McNeish I.A., Swisher E.M., Lin K., Scott C.L. (2017) Secondary somatic mutations restoring RAD51C and RAD51D associated with acquired resistance to the PARP inhibitor Rucaparib in high-grade ovarian carcinoma, Cancer Discovery, In press.
Godin, S.K., Sullivan, M.R., Bernstein, K.A. (2016) Novel insights into RAD51 activity and regulation during homologous recombination and DNA replication, Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 94: 1-12.
McClendon, T.B.*, Sullivan, M.R.*, Bernstein, K.A.*, Yanowitz, J.L.* (2016) Promotion of homologous recombination by SWS-1 in complex with RAD-51 paralogs in Caenorhabditis elegans, Genetics, 203(1): 133-145. *Equal contribution
*Featured as a Genetics Primer [Turcotte, C.A., Andrews, N.P., Sloat, S.A., Checchi, P.M. CRISPR Technology Reveals RAD(51)-ical Mechanisms of Repair in Roundworms: An Educational Primer for Use with “Promotion of Homologous Recombination by SWS-1- in Complex with RAD-51 Paralogs in Caenorhabditis elegans” (2016) Genetics 204: 883-891]
Böhm, S., Szakal, B., Herken, B.W., Sullivan, M.R., Mihalevic, M.J., Kabbinavar, F.F., Branzei, D., Clark, N.L., Bernstein, K.A. (2016) The budding yeast ubiquitin protease Ubp7 is a novel component involved in S-phase progression, Journal of Biological Chemistry, 291(9): 4442.
Godin, S.K., Meslin, C., Kabbinavar F., Bratton-Palmer, D.S., Hornack, C., Mihalevic, M.J., Yoshida, K., Sullivan, M., Clark, N.L.*, Bernstein, K.A.* (2015) Evolutionary and functional analysis of the invariant SWIM domain in the conserved Shu2/SWS1 protein family from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Homo sapiens, Genetics, 199(4): 1023-1033. *Co-corresponding
*Issue Highlight for the Genetics Journal and featured on SGD
Post-Doctorate Fellow January 1, 2019 - current
Graduate Student from July 1, 2014 - December 31, 2018
B.A. University of Rochester
Ph.D. University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (Advisor Kara Bernstein)
Funding: National Institutes of Health Pre-doctoral Fellowship (F31ES027321)
Lab Publications:
Sullivan, M.R., Bernstein K.A. (2018) RAD-ical New Insights into RAD51 Regulation, Genes, 13:9(12).
Kondrashova O., Nguyen M., Shield-Artin K., Tinker A.V., Teng N.N.H., Harrell M.I., Kuiper M.J., Ho G.Y., Barker H., Jasin M., Prakash R., Kass E.M., Sullivan M.R., Brunette G.J., Bernstein, K.A., Coleman R.L., Floquet A., Friedlander M., Kichenadasse G., O'Malley D.M., Oza A.M., Sun J.X., Robillard L., Maloney L., Bowtell D.D.L., Giordano H, Wakefield M.J., Kaufmann S.H., Simmons A.D., Harding T.C., Raponi M., McNeish I.A., Swisher E.M., Lin K., Scott C.L. (2017) Secondary somatic mutations restoring RAD51C and RAD51D associated with acquired resistance to the PARP inhibitor Rucaparib in high-grade ovarian carcinoma, Cancer Discovery, In press.
Godin, S.K., Sullivan, M.R., Bernstein, K.A. (2016) Novel insights into RAD51 activity and regulation during homologous recombination and DNA replication, Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 94: 1-12.
McClendon, T.B.*, Sullivan, M.R.*, Bernstein, K.A.*, Yanowitz, J.L.* (2016) Promotion of homologous recombination by SWS-1 in complex with RAD-51 paralogs in Caenorhabditis elegans, Genetics, 203(1): 133-145. *Equal contribution
*Featured as a Genetics Primer [Turcotte, C.A., Andrews, N.P., Sloat, S.A., Checchi, P.M. CRISPR Technology Reveals RAD(51)-ical Mechanisms of Repair in Roundworms: An Educational Primer for Use with “Promotion of Homologous Recombination by SWS-1- in Complex with RAD-51 Paralogs in Caenorhabditis elegans” (2016) Genetics 204: 883-891]
Böhm, S., Szakal, B., Herken, B.W., Sullivan, M.R., Mihalevic, M.J., Kabbinavar, F.F., Branzei, D., Clark, N.L., Bernstein, K.A. (2016) The budding yeast ubiquitin protease Ubp7 is a novel component involved in S-phase progression, Journal of Biological Chemistry, 291(9): 4442.
Godin, S.K., Meslin, C., Kabbinavar F., Bratton-Palmer, D.S., Hornack, C., Mihalevic, M.J., Yoshida, K., Sullivan, M., Clark, N.L.*, Bernstein, K.A.* (2015) Evolutionary and functional analysis of the invariant SWIM domain in the conserved Shu2/SWS1 protein family from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Homo sapiens, Genetics, 199(4): 1023-1033. *Co-corresponding
*Issue Highlight for the Genetics Journal and featured on SGD
Ph.D. Students
Braulio Bonilla
Graduate Student
June 1, 2016 - current
Licentiate in Biology, Universidad de la Republica, Uruguay, 2008
Funding: Fulbright Scholar
Graduate Student
June 1, 2016 - current
Licentiate in Biology, Universidad de la Republica, Uruguay, 2008
Funding: Fulbright Scholar
Thong Luong
Graduate Student
May 29, 2017 - current
B.S., University of Tennessee, 2011
Graduate Student
May 29, 2017 - current
B.S., University of Tennessee, 2011
Technicians
Michael Mihalevic
Laboratory Technician
July 1, 2011 - current
B.S. University of Pittsburgh, 2011
Lab Publications:
Westmoreland J.W., Mihalevic M.J., Bernstein K.A., Resnick M.A. (2018) The global role for Cdc13 and Yku70 in preventing telomere resection across the genome, DNA Repair, In press.
Zacchi, L.F., Dittmar, J.C., Mihalevic, M.J., Shewan, A.M., Schulz, B.L., Brodsky, J.F., Bernstein, K.A. (2017) A novel high-throughput yeast genetic screen for factors modifying protein levels of the Early-Onset Torsion Dystonia-associate variant torsinA∆E, Disease Models and Mechanisms, In press.
Godin, S.K., Zhang, Z., Herken, B.W., Westmoreland, J.W., Lee, A.G., Mihalevic, M.J., Yu, Z., Sobol, R.W., Resnick, M.A., Bernstein, K.A. (2016) The Shu complex promotes error-free tolerance of alkylation-induced base excision repair products, Nucleic Acids Research, 44(17): 8199-8215.
Böhm, S., Szakal, B., Herken, B.W., Sullivan, M.R., Mihalevic, M.J., Kabbinavar, F.F., Branzei, D., Clark, N.L., Bernstein, K.A. (2016) The budding yeast ubiquitin protease Ubp7 is a novel component involved in S-phase progression, Journal of Biological Chemistry, 291(9): 4442.
Godin, S.K., Meslin, C., Kabbinavar F., Bratton-Palmer, D.S., Hornack, C., Mihalevic, M.J., Yoshida, K., Sullivan, M., Clark, N.L.*, Bernstein, K.A.* (2015) Evolutionary and functional analysis of the invariant SWIM domain in the conserved Shu2/SWS1 protein family from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Homo sapiens, Genetics, 199(4): 1023-1033.*Co-corresponding
*Issue Highlight for the Genetics journal and featured on SGD
Böhm, S., Mihalevic, M.J., Casal, M.A., and Bernstein, K.A., (2015) Disruption of SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligases Slx5-Slx8/RNF4 alters RecQ-like helicase Sgs1/BLM localization in yeast and human cells, DNA Repair, 26: 1-14.
Bernstein, K.A., Mimitou, E.P., Mihalevic, M.J., Chen, H., Sunjaveric, I., Symington, L.S., Rothstein R. (2013) Resection activity of the Sgs1 helicase alters the affinity of DNA ends for homologous recombination proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Genetics, 195(4): 1241-1251.
*Issue Highlight for the Genetics journal
Laboratory Technician
July 1, 2011 - current
B.S. University of Pittsburgh, 2011
Lab Publications:
Westmoreland J.W., Mihalevic M.J., Bernstein K.A., Resnick M.A. (2018) The global role for Cdc13 and Yku70 in preventing telomere resection across the genome, DNA Repair, In press.
Zacchi, L.F., Dittmar, J.C., Mihalevic, M.J., Shewan, A.M., Schulz, B.L., Brodsky, J.F., Bernstein, K.A. (2017) A novel high-throughput yeast genetic screen for factors modifying protein levels of the Early-Onset Torsion Dystonia-associate variant torsinA∆E, Disease Models and Mechanisms, In press.
Godin, S.K., Zhang, Z., Herken, B.W., Westmoreland, J.W., Lee, A.G., Mihalevic, M.J., Yu, Z., Sobol, R.W., Resnick, M.A., Bernstein, K.A. (2016) The Shu complex promotes error-free tolerance of alkylation-induced base excision repair products, Nucleic Acids Research, 44(17): 8199-8215.
Böhm, S., Szakal, B., Herken, B.W., Sullivan, M.R., Mihalevic, M.J., Kabbinavar, F.F., Branzei, D., Clark, N.L., Bernstein, K.A. (2016) The budding yeast ubiquitin protease Ubp7 is a novel component involved in S-phase progression, Journal of Biological Chemistry, 291(9): 4442.
Godin, S.K., Meslin, C., Kabbinavar F., Bratton-Palmer, D.S., Hornack, C., Mihalevic, M.J., Yoshida, K., Sullivan, M., Clark, N.L.*, Bernstein, K.A.* (2015) Evolutionary and functional analysis of the invariant SWIM domain in the conserved Shu2/SWS1 protein family from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Homo sapiens, Genetics, 199(4): 1023-1033.*Co-corresponding
*Issue Highlight for the Genetics journal and featured on SGD
Böhm, S., Mihalevic, M.J., Casal, M.A., and Bernstein, K.A., (2015) Disruption of SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligases Slx5-Slx8/RNF4 alters RecQ-like helicase Sgs1/BLM localization in yeast and human cells, DNA Repair, 26: 1-14.
Bernstein, K.A., Mimitou, E.P., Mihalevic, M.J., Chen, H., Sunjaveric, I., Symington, L.S., Rothstein R. (2013) Resection activity of the Sgs1 helicase alters the affinity of DNA ends for homologous recombination proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Genetics, 195(4): 1241-1251.
*Issue Highlight for the Genetics journal
McKenzie Grundy
Laboratory Technician
March 6, 2018 - current
B.S. Chatham University, 2017
Laboratory Technician
March 6, 2018 - current
B.S. Chatham University, 2017
Gregory Brunette
Laboratory Technician
August 15, 2016 - current
B.S. University of Pittsburgh, 2016
Lab Publications:
Kondrashova O., Nguyen M., Shield-Artin K., Tinker A.V., Teng N.N.H., Harrell M.I., Kuiper M.J., Ho G.Y., Barker H., Jasin M., Prakash R., Kass E.M., Sullivan M.R., Brunette G.J., Bernstein, K.A., Coleman R.L., Floquet A., Friedlander M., Kichenadasse G., O'Malley D.M., Oza A.M., Sun J.X., Robillard L., Maloney L., Bowtell D.D.L., Giordano H, Wakefield M.J., Kaufmann S.H., Simmons A.D., Harding T.C., Raponi M., McNeish I.A., Swisher E.M., Lin K., Scott C.L. (2017) Secondary somatic mutations restoring RAD51C and RAD51D associated with acquired resistance to the PARP inhibitor Rucaparib in high-grade ovarian carcinoma, Cancer Discovery, In press.
Laboratory Technician
August 15, 2016 - current
B.S. University of Pittsburgh, 2016
Lab Publications:
Kondrashova O., Nguyen M., Shield-Artin K., Tinker A.V., Teng N.N.H., Harrell M.I., Kuiper M.J., Ho G.Y., Barker H., Jasin M., Prakash R., Kass E.M., Sullivan M.R., Brunette G.J., Bernstein, K.A., Coleman R.L., Floquet A., Friedlander M., Kichenadasse G., O'Malley D.M., Oza A.M., Sun J.X., Robillard L., Maloney L., Bowtell D.D.L., Giordano H, Wakefield M.J., Kaufmann S.H., Simmons A.D., Harding T.C., Raponi M., McNeish I.A., Swisher E.M., Lin K., Scott C.L. (2017) Secondary somatic mutations restoring RAD51C and RAD51D associated with acquired resistance to the PARP inhibitor Rucaparib in high-grade ovarian carcinoma, Cancer Discovery, In press.
Undergraduate
Chelsea Smith
Undergraduate Researcher
September 11, 2017 - current
Funding: 2018 Chancellor's Research Fellowship (Fall Semester)
2018 Honors College Health Sciences Summer Research Fellowship
2018 Dietrich School Summer Undergraduate Research Award (Declined)
Undergraduate Researcher
September 11, 2017 - current
Funding: 2018 Chancellor's Research Fellowship (Fall Semester)
2018 Honors College Health Sciences Summer Research Fellowship
2018 Dietrich School Summer Undergraduate Research Award (Declined)
Catherine Pressimone
Undergraduate Researcher
September 7, 2015 - current
Funding: 2016 Diversity Supplement from the National Institutes of Health
Undergraduate Researcher
September 7, 2015 - current
Funding: 2016 Diversity Supplement from the National Institutes of Health