Student Research

Education, training and mentorship are vital components of the research activities in the Nucleic Acid Structure and Recognition Lab. Dr. Maher has been a leader in graduate education since 1991, serving as dean of Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences until 2019 and is the co-director for two minority training grant positions. He is a mentor for multiple training programs at Mayo Clinic and has mentored over 20 students toward completing their Ph.D. and M.D.-Ph.D. degrees.

Current and past student researchers include:

  • Caroline D. Doherty (2022-present)
    • Screening trillions of folded DNAs for toxin delivery to tumors
  • Sherry X. Zhou (2022-present)
    • How broken metabolism causes cancer
  • Fatimah J. Al Khazal (2021-present)
    • Finding vulnerabilities in unusual cancers caused by metabolic defects
  • Keenan S. Pearson (2019-present)
    • In vitro selection of novel DNAs for regenerative medicine
  • Brandon A. Wilbanks (2019-present)
    • In vitro selection of novel DNAs that home to subcellular compartments
  • David H. Tse (2017-2021)
    • DNA looping when proteins are involved
  • John A. Smestad (2015-2019)
    • How do "oncometabolites" cause cancer?
  • Lauren S. Mogil (2012-2016)
    • How does DNA supercoiling in cells affect DNA looping?
  • Yeng F. Her (2011-2015)
    • Understanding cancer caused by defects in energy metabolism
  • Estefania Mondragon (2011-2015)
    • New research tools built from RNA and DNA
  • Justin P. Peters (2008-2012)
    • Getting back to basics with DNA
  • John Paul Bida (2006-2011)
    • Building transcription factors from RNA
  • Susan Wurster (2005-2009)
    • Searching vast random libraries of small RNAs for new inhibitors
  • Emily Smith (2003-2008)
    • Linking metabolic defects and cancer
  • Kasandra Jean-Louise Riley (2002-2007)
    • Surprises from the "guardian of the genome"
  • Tessa Davis (2002-2006)
    • What are the functions of HMGB proteins within living cells?
  • Robert J. McDonald (2002-2006)
    • Making new proteins that bend DNA
  • Laura A. Cassiday (1999-2002)
    • Structural and functional studies of RNA aptamers selected as transcription factor inhibitors
  • Phil Hardwidge (1998-2002)
    • New methods and studies of DNA intrinsic curvature and protein-induced DNA bending by electrostatic effects
  • Paula Hoyne (1997-2001)
    • Potential for unusual DNA structures in model systems and living bacteria
  • Eric Ross (1996-2001)
    • Importance of DNA flexibility in promoter architecture
  • Nicole A. Becker (1995-1999)
    • In vivo footprinting approaches to searching for unusual DNA structures in living mammalian cells
  • Lori Lebruska (1995-1999)
    • In vitro selection of RNAs that bind and inhibit DNA-binding proteins
  • Garrett Soukup (1993-1997)
    • In vitro selection methods to identify RNAs that bind duplex DNA
  • Julie Strauss-Soukup (1993-1997)
    • Understanding the role of electrostatics in DNA structure and flexibility
  • Wendy Olivas (1992-1996)
    • Tools for application of oligonucleotide-directed DNA triple helix formation in molecular biology