Staff Associates/Research Interns

Haeyn Lim, B.S.

I joined the John Lab as a Staff Associate in September 2022 after graduating from Earlham College with a B.A. in Neuroscience. My previous research examined the roles and functions of T1R taste receptors in different regions of the brain. I am interested in the neurobiological mechanisms of impairments associated with neurodegenerative diseases. In the John Lab, I work closely with Dr. Zhang on inducible glaucoma mouse models and projects examining mechanisms of neural damage in glaucoma. I continue to optimize skills including genotyping, optic nerve and retinal evaluation, imaging, immunohistochemistry, surgeries, and physiology through the current research. The John Lab allows me to explore various questions, techniques, and approaches used to investigate disease mechanisms, giving me a strong foundation for my continued education and future biomedical career. 

Sofia Laden, B.S.

I joined the John Lab in March 2023 as a Staff Associate after graduating from the University of Washington with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Bioethics. I am interested in the study of disease-associated genetics and the development of new disease treatments. I have previous experience investigating neural progenitor cell growth and differentiation in autism using stem cell models. As a member of the John Lab, I am learning a variety of research techniques and delving into the complex mechanisms underlying glaucoma development. 

Yanara Macias Cruz, B.S.

I joined the John Lab as a Staff Associate in July of 2024. I received a B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in 2022 following a transfer from a Biology degree program at the Universidad de Guayaquil.  At the John Lab, I work closely with Dr. Montgomery to optimize scientific protocols and ensure that everything is running smoothly. My responsibilities have allowed me to gain experience in a variety of laboratory techniques including animal husbandry, colony management and genetics, tissue collection, dissection, embedding, and sectioning, and physiological techniques such as measuring intraocular pressure and performing anterior clinical assessments. Additionally, I aid in Dr. Tolman’s projects that are focused on how Lmx1b mutations contribute to glaucoma in mice, as well as the effects that different metabolites cause in said mice. My goal is to increase my competencies as a researcher to prepare me for a future in a comparative biology Ph.D. program.