Jenny Taylor; postdoc
I am a postdoc in the Cabernard Lab. I completed my PhD in Microbiology at UW in 2020, where I studied the mechanisms of helical cell shape maintenance in Helicobacter pylori. I have extended my love of spatial biology questions to Drosophila. My main research interest in the Cabernard Lab is uncovering the mechanism and function of centromere tethering in neuroblasts, primarily leveraging microscopy and quantitative image analysis. I spend most of my time outside of the lab with my loving husband Ryan and our incredibly sweet, medically challenged, absolute rascal of a golden retriever puppy named Phil. I enjoy snowshoeing, hiking, photography, and traveling whenever I can.
After completing my PhD in Neuroscience at Penn State in 2023 I headed out to Seattle to join the Cab Lab as a first year Postdoc. My project focuses on asymmetric cell division of neuronal stem cells, and how asymmetries during mitosis influence cell fate decisions. I spend almost every second of sun mountain biking around the various peaks and valleys of Seattle with friends. I enjoy picking up new hobbies whenever I can and have most recently picked up motorcycling and taught myself to ski.
Ian Hertzler; postdoc
Ilara Yilmaz; lab tech
I graduated from UC Davis in 2023 with a B.S. in Cellular Biology and have since worked in multiple labs, studying a variety of model organisms. Most recently I have joined the Cabernard Lab’s efforts to better understand the process of asymmetrical cell division in both Common Fruit Flies (drosophila melanogaster) and Eastern Mud Snails (Ilyanassa obsoleta). Outside of the lab, I am an avid snowboarder, hiker and animal lover. You can find me most weekends exploring the forests, mountains and waters of the PNW with my partner and our baby girl (a German Shepard named Maisey).
I’m an undergraduate here at UW majoring in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology with a minor in Data Science. I have two projects with this lab, one of which is a computational modeling project and the other is a wet lab project focused on the application of mechanical stress to developing Drosophila brains. I’m particularly interested in the intersection between computational and experimental techniques! After I graduate from UW, I plan to pursue graduate study in Biology. In my free time, I’m captain of the equestrian team at UW and also compete individually. I’m also an avid hiker!
Danielle Vahdat; undergraduate researcher
Clemens Cabernard; PI
I am a Professor at the University of Washington's Department of Biology in Seattle.
I was born and raised in Switzerland and obtained both my undergraduate and graduate degrees - in molecular and developmental biology, respectively - from the University of Basel.
During my time as a postdoc in the lab of Chris Doe at the University of Oregon, I learned to appreciate the beauty and intricacies of asymmetric cell division.
In 2011, I setup my own independent research lab at the Biozentrum (University of Basel) but moved back to the Pacific Northwest in 2016.
In my ample spare time, I enjoy discussing with my kids the merits of the 'roll cast vs the backcast' or arguing about the pedigree of 'the kid' (baby Yoda). I am also known to obsess over homegrown berries (or the lack thereof).