People
Principle Investigator
Kyle McCommis, PhD
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (2019 - Pres)
Postdoctoral Fellow - Nutritional Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine (2017)
PhD - Biomedical Sciences (Cardiac Physiology), University of Missouri Veterinary Medicine (2013)
BS - Cell Biology, University of Kansas (2006)
Twitter: @KMccommis
Research Staff
Kelly Pyles, BS
Senior Research Assistant (2019 - Pres)
Research Technician - Metabolism & Pathology, Washington University
BS - Cell Biology & Physiology, Saint Louis University
Twitter: @kelly_pyles
Postdoctoral Fellows
Graduate Students
Rachel Weiss
SLU Biochemistry PhD Candidate & Doisy Scholar
Studying the regulation of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy by altered pyruvate metabolism.
BS - Molecular Biology, Loyola-Chicago
Christy Hadfield
SLU Biochemistry PhD Candidate & Doisy Scholar, Co-mentored by Dr. Reza Dastvan
Studying the structure and conformational dynamics of the human mitochondrial pyruvate carrier.
M.S. - Bioinformatics & Computational Biology, Saint Louis University
B.S. - Biology, Saint Louis University
Zachary (Zach) Foulks
SLU MD-PhD Candidate
BS - Biology & Chemistry, Missouri University of Science & Technology
Medical Students
Undergraduate Students
Jessica Michael
Current SLU junior majoring in Medical Sciences
Vaishnavi Srirama
Current SLU senior majoring in Medical Sciences
Muhammad Chaudhry
Current SLU freshman majoring in Biology
Lab Alumni
Thiago de Menezes, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow (2022 - Pres)
Postdoctoral Fellow - University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
PhD - Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Espirito Santo State, Brazil
MSc - Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Espirito Santo State, Brazil
BS - Pharmacy, UNIVIX College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vitoria, Brazil
Current: Staff Scientist in Natalie Niemi lab, Washington University
Twitter: @thiagonmenezes
Lauren Gill
SLU 2022 Chemical Biology M.S. Program
Screening and characterizing novel mitochondrial pyruvate carrier inhibitors.
Current: Boston Scientific -Cardiac rhythm management
Dakota Kamm
2019 - 2021 Research Assistant
Current: PhD student in Movement Science, Washington University Physical Therapy
Twitter: @kamm51
Martin Sharpe
SLU 2022 Biology & Chinese Major, Pre-Med
Current: NIH/NIEHS Postbaccalaureate Scholar
Twitter: @martincsharpe
Allison Schildt
SLU 2025 MD Candidate
BS - Biology and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas