Hou Research

Thomas Christian, MS
Senior Research Associate

I am interested in understanding the molecular and structural mechanisms of tRNA methyltransferases. I would like to determine how specific methyltransferases recognize their tRNA targets and to explore strategies that these enzymes catalyze methyl transfer.

Isao Masuda, PhD
Research Instructor

I am interested in the mechanism of translational frameshifting, a non-standard phenomenon in decoding genetic codes into proteins. I am going to examine how the tRNAs and ribosomes are involved in frameshifting using both molecular biological and biochemical approaches.

Sunita Maharjan, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow

I am interested in mitochondrial biology associated with tRNA mutations and neurodegenerative disease.

Yuka Yamaki, PhD
Post-Doctoral Fellow

I am interested in the function of the post-transcriptional modifications in RNAs. I would like to clarify the interaction between molecules that changes depending on the presence or absence of modifications.

Henri McGuigan
PhD Candidate, Jefferson College of Life Sciences

I am interested in developing cell-permeable, potent, and selective inhibitors that target bacterial tRNA methyl transferases. I am interested in using these inhibitors to regulate tRNA-dependent gene expression.

Thomas Grant
Research Technician
MS Student, Cell & Developmental Biology at Jefferson College of Life Sciences

I am interested in the fundamental biology of tRNA and their post-transcriptional modifications.

Xinglin Jia, PhD
Postdoc fellow

Interested in data analysis genome-wide tRNAseq, RNAseq, and ribosome profiling.

YenChun Huang
PhD student

Interested in the cellular state of bacteria in dormancy

Hanako Murayama, PhD
Postdoc fellow

Interested in localized tRNA modifications.

Yehong Qiu, PhD
Postdoc fellow

Interested in Type II tRNA activity on the ribosome.