Lab Members

Current Lab Members and Research Interests

Principal Investigator

Sharon Y. R. Dent, Ph.D. (formerly Sharon Y. Roth)

Professor
sroth@mdanderson.org
Originally from Garland, Texas
B.Sc. University of North Texas
Ph.D. Rice University
Research Interests: Functions and regulation of histone
modifying enzymes; epigenetics

Boyko Atanassov Boyko S. Atanassov, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
batanass@mdanderson.org
Originally from Sofia, Bulgaria
M.S. Sofia University Biology School
Ph.D. Bulgarian Academy of Sciences/NIH
Research Interests: Chromosomal instability, chromatin
modifiers, DNA repair

Jill Butler Jill S. Butler, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
jsbutler@mdanderson.org
Originally from Jasper, IN
B.S. University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN
Ph.D. Indiana University School of Medicine,
Indianapolis, IN
Research Interests: Regulation of protein function
by post-translational modifications, MLL
methyltransferase activity in noncancerous cells
and leukemia cells

Yi-Chun (EJ) Chen
Ph.D. Student
yi.chun.chen@uth.tmc.edu
Originally from Taipei, Taiwan
B.A. Kaohsiung Medical University - Biology, Taiwan
M.S. National Cheng Kung University - Immunology
and Microbiology, Taiwan
Research Interests: Transcriptional regulation of
histone acetyltransferase in neuronal development
and degeneration

Eunah Kim (Officially Eun Ah Kim)
Graduate Student
eun.ah.kim@uth.tmc.edu
Originally from South Korea
B.A. Hanyang University, South Korea
M.S. Hanyang University, South Korea
Research Interests: Mapping of modification of
nucleosome in hematopoietic stem cell

Evangelia Koutelou, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
ekoutelou@mdanderson.org
Originally from Athens, Greece
B.S. University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
Ph.D. University of Crete, Heraklion – Stowers Institute
for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO
Research Interest: Chromatin remodeling complexes in
mouse development

Xianghong Kuang
Research Investigator
xkuang@mdanderson.org
Originally from China
M. D. West China University of Medical Sciences
M. S in Pharmacology, West China University of Medical Sciences
Research interest: The role of histone modifying enzymes in cancer

Marek Napierala, Ph.D.
Assistant Research Professor
mnapiera@mdanderson.org
Originally from Poland
M.S. University of Adam Mickiewicz - Biotechnology,
Poznan, Poland
Ph.D. Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Polish Academy
of Sciences - Biochemistry, Poznan, Poland
Research Interests: DNA and RNA structure, genomic
instability, triplet repeat expansion disorders, regulation
of gene expression, epigenetics

Urszula (Ula) Polak, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
upolak@mdanderson.org
Originally from Poznan, Poland
Poznan University of Medical Sciences
M.Sc. of Pharmacy, Poznan University of Medical
Sciences, Poland
Ph.D. of Medical Sciences, Poznan University of Medical
Sciences, Poland
Research Interests: Cell cycle and cell death, stem cells,
molecular biology, microbiology

Brian A. Rowley, B.A. B.S.
Graduate Research Assistant
BRowley@mdanderson.org
Originally from Eureka Illinois, but grew up in Odessa, TX.
B.A. in Psychology, Texas Lutheran University, Seguin, TX.
B.S. in Biology, University of Houston-Victoria, Victoria, TX.
Research Interests: Role of epigenetic regulators in cell
potency; differentiation. Identifying members of
alternative complexes and interaction partners of
SAGA components GCN5, USP22, and PCAF.

Andrew Salinger
Laboratry Manager
apsalinger@mdanderson.org
Originally from Brownsville, TX
B.S. Texas A&M University, College Station
M.S. Texas A&M University, College Station

Andria Schibler
Ph.D. Student
andria.schibler@uth.tmc.edu
Originally from Springfield, OH
B.S. Suffolk University - Biology, Boston, MA
Research Interests: Yeast

Li Wang
Graduate Student
wli2@mdanaderson.org
Originally from China
B.S. in Pharmacology, Peking University, Beijing, China
Research Interests: Epigenetics, Function and regulation of histone modifying enzymes in embryonic stem cells and development.