Matthias C Truttmann, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator (P.I.)

mtruttma@umich.edu

I was born and raised in a small village surrounded by the Swiss alps in the heart of continental Europe. I obtained my Ph.D. in Microbiology & Systems biology from the University of Basel, Switzerland in 2010.  After a 2-year stint as asset and liability manager for a Swiss consulting company, I joined the lab of Hidde Ploegh at Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research / MIT as a postdoctoral fellow. In late 2016, I moved with the Ploegh lab to Boston Children's Hospital / Harvard Medical School to finish up my postdoctoral work. In July 2018, I joined the Medical School at University of Michigan. Ever since, I have been busy setting up my lab.

In my 'free time', I enjoy hanging out with my family, exercising, cooking & baking.

Billy Giblin, Ph.D.

Research Investigator

wgiblin@umich.edu

I was born and raised in the smallest state of Rhode Island.  I didn’t travel very far north when I attended Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA.  After graduating with a Bachelors of Science in Chemistry, I moved to Ann Arbor, MI, working as a research technician at the University of Michigan.  Shortly thereafter, I decided to remain at UM to pursue a Ph.D. in the Department of Human Genetics. I graduated in 2017 and am currently a Research Investigator in the Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology.

Outside of the lab I enjoy running, nature documentaries, Ann Arbor’s vibrant restaurant scene, and watching football and basketball (Go Blue!)

Bhaskar Chatterjee, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow

cbhaskar@med.umich.edu

I was born and raised in West Bengal, India. I majored as a B.Tech in Biotechnology at the West Bengal University of Technology, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, where I graduated in 2011. I then joined the  Ph.D. program at the Kusuma School of Biological Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India. I completed my Ph.D. in 2018 and then joined the Truttmann lab as a postdoc in January 2019.

My favorite pastimes are reading, singing songs, attending concerts and binge-watching TV shows and watching the live telecast of Cricket and Soccer matches.

Shannon Lacy

Graduate student (Cellular & Molecular Biology)

lacysh@umich.edu

I grew up in San Mateo, California (Bay Area) and then switched coasts to attend Colgate University in upstate New York where I majored in Molecular Biology and minored in German. After graduating in 2016, I worked at the National Institutes of Health for two years as a post-bac and developed my research interests in proteostasis-related diseases. I am now a third year graduate student and am pursuing my PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology. When not in lab, I enjoy running, drinking too much coffee, and climbing!

Kate M. Van Pelt

Graduate student (Cellular & Molecular Biology)

kvanpelt@umich.edu

I was born in Chicago, IL and grew up in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI. I then headed to Ohio to attend Oberlin College, where I developed research interests in neurodegeneration and protein aggregation. I graduated in May 2018 with a B.A. in Neuroscience and minors in Chemistry and Philosophy. After graduation, I returned to the "mitten"  to pursue my doctoral degree here at Michigan. I am currently a 5th year PhD Candidate in the Cellular and Molecular Biology Program (CMB). 

Outside of the lab, I enjoy rock climbing, skiing, and knitting.

Mirella A. Hernández-Lima

Graduate student (Neuroscience)

hernm@umich.edu

I am a graduate student in the Neuroscience Graduate Program. I obtained my Bachelors of Arts in Biopsychology from the California State University San Bernardino. In addition to pursuing a doctoral degree, I enjoy participating in activities that promote the involvement of underrepresented students in science.

Nicholas Urban

Graduate student (Molecular & Integrative Physiology)

urbanni@umich.edu

I grew up in the just southwest of Chicago in a town called Lemont, Illinois. I was an NCAA student-athlete at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where I majored in Biomedical Science with a minor in Chemistry and graduated in 2019. I suppose my decision to attend graduate school at the University of Michigan must make me an honorary Michigander! I am a first year graduate student and plan on pursuing my PhD in Molecular & Integrative Physiology. 

In my free time I enjoy playing sports with friends, listening to vinyl records, playing video games, and exploring nature. 

Shannon McCollum

Graduate student (Cellular & Molecular Biology)

shannmcc@umich.edu

I grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (some call it the gateway to the midwest) and graduated from Bucknell University in 2022 with a B.S. in Cell Biology and Biochemistry.   After some exciting undergraduate research involving quail wrangling and the biology of aging, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in research studying age-related diseases. I’m currently a first year graduate student studying Cellular and Molecular Biology and I’m happy to have chosen the University of Michigan to pursue my PhD so that I can officially transition to a fully midwestern persona. Outside of lab, I like to paint, play guitar, work out, and annoy my cat Ollie.  

Zachary Mattiola

Research Technician

mattiola@umich.edu

I was born in a small town outside of Philadelphia. I am currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Neuroscience. Outside of my scientific interests, I enjoy binge watching TV shows and movies, exercising, and hanging out with my friends. I am excited to see where my future with the Truttmann takes me, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to learn from and work with such great people. 

Sarah Tabler

Research Technician

tablersa@med.umich.edu

I grew up in Midland, Michigan and graduated from Michigan State University in 2020 with a major in Genomics and Molecular Genetics and a minor in Anthropology. In 2021, I joined the Truttmann lab as a research assistant. In my free time, I enjoy knitting, drinking tea, and meeting other people’s dogs.

Samantha Turowski

Undergraduate Researcher

turowski@umich.edu

I grew up in a small town outside of Grand Rapids, Michigan and am excited to be living in Ann Arbor now. I am an undergraduate student and I plan on pursuing a major in Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology. I am very grateful for this opportunity of working in this lab. In my free time I enjoy watching football and basketball, hanging with my dog, and traveling to new places.

Samuel Yang

Undergraduate Researcher

asamyang@umich.edu

I grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan. I am an undergraduate student majoring in microbiology, hoping to work as a dentist. I am excited to work in this lab as I have always wanted more hands-on experience in a laboratory. Outside of the Laboratory, I enjoy watching the English premier league and reading cooking journals. 

Sarah Wallace

Undergraduate Researcher

sarewall@umich.edu

I was born in Summit, NJ and spent the first half of my childhood there before moving to a suburb of Atlanta, GA. I’m currently an undergraduate student majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Community Action and Social Change(CASC) and French. I’m extremely grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of the Truttmann lab and learn from such a brilliant group of individuals. Outside of the lab, I enjoy doing improv comedy, thrifting, and singing karaoke. 

Isabella Plati

Undergraduate Researcher

iplati@umich.edu

I’ve lived in the Metro-Detroit area my entire life, which is about an hour northeast of Ann Arbor. I transferred to the University of Michigan in January 2022 to pursue a degree in neuroscience, and I am very appreciative that the Truttmann Lab will be my first research experience. Outside of academics, I enjoy weightlifting, spreading epilepsy awareness, and interacting with squirrels around campus. 

Emre Hayir

Undergraduate Researcher

ebhayir@umich.edu

I grew up in Istanbul, Turkey. Then one thing lead to the other and right now I am an undergraduate student studying Computer Science here. I am excited to begin my work at Truttmann Lab. Outside of school I enjoy reading, walking, and playing chess.

Shuqi Zhao

Graduate (master) student in Chemical Biology

zshuqi@umich.edu

I was born and raised in Anhui, China. I am a graduate student in the Program of Chemical Biology after obtaining double Bachelor degrees from China Pharmaceutical University and University of Strathclyde in 2022. I am grateful for this rotation opportunity at Truttmann Lab, which lets me acquire many experiences. Outside of school I enjoy watching movies, reading and playing the piano.