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Alice Chen-Plotkin, MD
Alice Chen-Plotkin, MD
Principal Investigator
Parker Family Professor of Neurology
The lab was started by Alice Chen-Plotkin in May of 2010. You can follow her on Twitter (@alicechenp) or reach her at chenplot[at]pennmedicine.upenn.eduYou can find her CV here.Principal Investigator
Parker Family Professor of Neurology
George
Kannarkat,
MD PhD
George
Kannarkat,
MD PhD
Assistant Professor of Neurology
George is an MD-PhD clinician-scientist interested in peripheral mechanisms of neuroinflammation and synuclein pathology. In his spare time, he enjoys biking, running, and playing tennis.Assistant Professor of Neurology
Tyler
Skrinak
Tyler
Skrinak
Lab
Manager
Tyler is our resident Pipette Otaku and mouse surgeon. He is also a superb source of book suggestions. Despite knowing him for nearly 10 years, Alice has failed to secure another photo of him. Lab
Manager
ALLISON
WARD
ALLISON
WARD
Administrative Coordinator
Allie has her MA in Theatre from Villanova with a focus on Stage Management and Directing. She now thoroughly enjoys Stage Managing Alice's personal and professional life. Administrative Coordinator
Sromona
Das, PHD
Sromona
Das, PHD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Sromona did her PhD from CSIR-IICB, Jadavpur University, Kolkata. Besides being a professional Indian classical dancer (that's one thing she can never get bored of), some of her other favorite things are travelling the world, painting, driving, and trying different cuisines (She is a foodie).Postdoctoral Fellow
Kathi
Ging, PHD
Kathi
Ging, PHD
MD-PhD/Postdoctoral Fellow
Kathi embarked on her journey from bedside to bench after studying medicine and working as a neurology intern in Bern before earning a PhD in Neurosciences in Zurich, Switzerland. Her fascination with the human brain began in a neuroanatomy class that felt like a trip down the rabbit hole. Thanks to citing "Alice in Wonderland" during her job interview, she was hired despite ordering chickpeas for lunch. An avid hiker, she dreams of visiting Jim Thorpe in the Pocono Mountains.MD-PhD/Postdoctoral Fellow
Marc
carceles
Cordon
Marc
carceles
Cordon
Graduate Student
Marc completed his MD at the University of Barcelona before realizing, as Alice did many years earlier, that he might want to do research for a large part of his career. He previously worked with Josep Dalmau on autoimmune encephalitides and is now working towards a PhD in the Neuroscience Graduate Group. Graduate Student
Adama
Berndt
Adama
Berndt
Graduate Student
Adama was an undergraduate at Kenyon College and then worked for a few years at NIH before becoming a PhD student in the Neuroscience Graduate Group. In snooping the internet for a photo, Alice discovered that Adama has released a rap album!!Graduate Student
Cooper
Penner
Cooper
Penner
MD-PHD Student
Cooper is an MD-PHD student studying the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration. His background is mostly computational, but because he loves suffering and uncertainty now he spends his time in the messy realm of bench science as well. Cooper loves being in nature, reading, and hanging out with his cat (Blue).MD-PHD Student
Masen Boucher
Masen Boucher
Graduate Student
Masen graduated from Williams College in 2020 before moving to Boston to work in the Mannix and Meehan lab at Boston Children’s Hospital. There, she focused on translational traumatic brain injury. In 2023, she joined the Neuroscience Graduate Group, and is excited to study questions related to neurodegeneration more broadly.Graduate Student
Melanie Stark
Melanie Stark
Technician
Melanie graduated from Haverford College in 2024 with a BS in Chemistry. She is passionate about the existence of central Jersey, loves frogs, and is trying to learn how to cook (any tips much appreciated). In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach -- even in the dead of winter.Technician
Travis
Unger
Travis
Unger
Technician
Travis has over 15 years of experience in molecular biology, biochemistry, and cell biology. He is an avid gardener and amateur photographer. He is also the father of our First Lab Baby, born in January 2012.Technician
Rachel
Paul
Rachel
Paul
Genetic Counselor
Rachel Paul works with us on projects related to disclosure of genetic results back to our research participants. We believe strongly that patients who participate in research and want to know some of their results should have an avenue to gain this knowledge, and Rachel helps us figure out how to do this in an ethical way.Genetic Counselor
Ava Ehrlich
Ava Ehrlich
Summer Research Student
Ava graduated from USC in 2024 with a degree in Biological Sciences and she is now a veterinary student at Penn. Outside of lab she enjoys reading, yoga, and trying new restaurants in Philly.Summer Research Student
Katie Lam
Katie Lam
Undergrad Research Assistant
Katie is a second-year Neuroscience major at Penn minoring in Healthcare Management from Rancho Cucamonga, CA. Outside of the lab, she loves listening to Kpop girl groups, cafe hopping in search of the perfect matcha, and shopping for cute clothes and trinkets. Undergrad Research Assistant
Randy
Cai
Randy
Cai
Undergrad Research Assistant
Randy is an undergraduate at Penn studying Neuroscience. He is originally from outside of Los Angeles, enjoys running, and misses LA weather and his family cat. Undergrad Research Assistant
Charles
Shen
Charles
Shen
Undergrad Research Assistant
Charles is a first-year student at UPenn pursuing Neuroscience and History. He lived in Shanghai for nine years, and he likes Dune, Star Wars, creative writing, food trucks, and beef jerky.Undergrad Research Assistant
Lab stats:
Lab stats:
Age: 14 years
Coffee consumed: >20,000 cups
Babies produced: More than a dozen -- we have stopped counting
Engagements/Weddings: 7
Idols to ward off bad luck: 3
Do we have the entire collection of Agatha Christie mysteries in our conference room? Yes! Because we love mysteries (like science!).
You can read about our lab alumni here.
Here is our lab at our 14-Year Lab-iversary/Retreat in New Orleans
Here is our lab at our 14-Year Lab-iversary/Retreat in New Orleans
We operate under the assumptions that justice is a core value, the best scientific ideas can come from anyone, and it's our job to find those voices.
We operate under the assumptions that justice is a core value, the best scientific ideas can come from anyone, and it's our job to find those voices.
JOIN US!
JOIN US!
Full-time positions and rotation student positions may be available.
Inquiries: chenplot[at]pennmedicine.upenn.edu
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