KMF LAB – Musier-Forsyth Group

Principle Investigator

Dr. Karin Musier-Forsyth

Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Ohio Eminent Scholar

Principal Investigator, Musier-Forsyth Lab

Bio:

Karin Musier-Forsyth obtained a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Cornell University in 1989 under the direction of Dr. Gordon G. Hammes. She was an American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellow in the laboratory of Paul Schimmel at M.I.T. from 1989-92. She joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry in 1992. She was named Merck Professor of Chemistry in 2003 and Distinguished McKnight University Professor in 2006. In 2007, she moved to her current position at Ohio State University, where she is the Ohio Eminent Scholar in Biological Macromolecular Structure and Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry. She was awarded the Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award in 1996, the Pfizer Award in Enzyme Chemistry from the Biological Division of the American Chemical Society in 2003, and was Elected as AAAS Fellow in 2009. In 2014 she was awarded the William H. Kadel Alumni Medal for Outstanding Career Achievement from her alma mater, Eckerd College (St. Petersburg, FLA) and in 2020 she was a co-recipient of the Diversity Enhancement Faculty Award from the College of Arts & Sciences at Ohio State. She has served as co-director of the NIH T32 Predoctoral Training Program at Ohio State since 2011. She has published over 200 peer-reviewed research articles, book chapters and reviews and has served as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Biological Chemistry since 2018.

Musier-forsyth.1@osu.edu

Office: CBEC 387

Research Scientists and Staff

Dr. Ioulia Rouzina

Research Assistant Professor

I am a theoretical biophysicist analyzing experiments and proposing testable models of viral functioning. I am currently working on understanding how HIV-1 packages its own genome, how the reverse transcription inside the mature HIV-1 capsid drives its disassembly, how LEDGF protein binding to nucleosomes affects sites of HIV-1 integration, and how SARS-COV-2 N protein selects and packages its genome. I have a lot of experience deciphering data from optical tweezers stretching single biological molecules. I am interested in all kinds of biophysical phenomena.

I like all kinds of cultural activities and travel. But most of all I like kids.

rouzina.1@osu.edu

Dr. Besik Kankia

Senior Research Scientist

Research interests: Origin of life – G4 World hypothesis, G4-based biotechnologies (signal amplification, nanostructures, real-time assays), G4 structures in retroviruses

Hobbies: Landscaping, building reclaimed wood furniture

Current Lab Members

Postdocs

Dr. Arundhati (Aru) Kavoor

Graduate Student (2018–2022)

Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Program

My research focuses on characterizing the function of a trans-editing factor, human ProXp-Ala, in vitro and in cells.

Outside the lab, I enjoy trying new cuisines, playing video games and binging TV shows.

kavoor.1@osu.edu

Graduate Students

Christina R. Budding

Graduate Student (2019–Present)

Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Program

I focus on RNA modifications and protein interactions involved in HIV-1 assembly.

I enjoy playing trumpet, spending time with friends and the church community, and eating dark chocolate.

ross.1656@osu.edu

Yehong Qiu

Graduate Student (2019–Present)

Chemistry and Biochemistry Program

I focus on HIV-1 gRNA elements involved in viral RNA packaging, and the role of Gag conformational changes and oligomerization in this process.

I am a kind of Otaku person, loving ACG content and currently trying to learn drawing and cover more songs.

qiu.365@osu.edu

Rylan Watkins

Graduate Student (2020–Present)

Chemistry and Biochemistry Program

I study translational quality control mechanisms in Trypanosoma brucei.

In my free time you can find me enjoying one of the local coffee shops.

watkins.819@osu.edu

Megan Sullivan

Graduate Student (2020–Present)

Chemistry and Biochemistry Program

I am investigating how phosphorylation of the SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid protein impacts its interactions with viral genomic RNA.

I like hiking, knitting, and hanging out with my cats. I also enjoy collecting vinyl records and playing cello in community orchestra.

sullivan.934@osu.edu

Joseph Kanlong

Graduate Student (2021–Present)

Ohio State Biochemistry Program

I focus on the regulation of HIV-1 genomic RNA translation by transcriptional start site heterogeneity and structural diversity within the 5’UTR.

I grew up in NY, in the Hudson Valley and I love anything outdoors or water related. In my free time I love to cook, listen to music, and spend time with friends! I’m also a co-chair on the social committee for the OSBP Buckeye Biochemistry Club!

kanlong.1@osu.edu

Kaylee Grabarkewitz

Graduate Student, Co-mentored by Dr. Vicki Wysocki (2021–Present)

Chemistry and Biochemistry Program

Determining the role of transcriptional start site differences in HIV-1 genomic RNA 5’UTRs and their role in Gag binding and selective packaging using native mass spectrometry.

I grew up in Northern Minnesota and enjoy hiking and snowshoeing.

grabarkewitz.1@osu.edu

Mahfam Shariati

Graduate Student (2021–Present)

Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Program

I am trying to figure out if HIV-1 evades the host immune response, especially the cGas/STING pathway, using human Lysyl-tRNA synthetase.

Give me a little bit of time to learn a new language. You can call me a scientist by the day and a polyglot by the night. Also, I am trying to quit my addiction to Twitter!

shariati.3@osu.edu

Morgan Bauer

Graduate Student (2021–Present)

Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Program

My research focus is on translational quality control mechanisms in humans. I am also elucidating the activity of human EPRS, and glutamyl-prolyl tRNA synthetase, in vitro and in cells.

bauer.715@buckeyemail.osu.edu

Alezandra Hernandez

Graduate Student (2022–Present)

Chemistry and Biochemistry Program

I am currently working on characterizing the role of the unique C-terminus found in the ProXp-ala trans editing domain in plants (A.thaliana) in vivo. Future plans include in vitro work as well.

I am from Puerto Rico! Island living has made winter brutal for me but we’re still thriving! I enjoy hanging out with friends, reading, and watching good movies.

hernandez.866@osu.edu

Tasnin Nila

Graduate Student (2022–Present)

Chemistry and Biochemistry Program

My research focuses on how the RNA structure modifies the alternative pre-mRNA splicing mechanism of Kinesin protein that is related to a neurodegenerative disorder.

I am from Bangladesh. I love to listen to music and traveling new places.

Nila.1@osu.edu

Zixi (Cecilia) Long

Graduate Student (2022–Present)

Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Program

My project involves host protein interaction with HTLV-1 Gag.

I enjoy listening to music and playing video games.

long.1681@osu.edu

Grace Crowe

Graduate Student (2024–Present)

Chemistry and Biochemistry Program

My research focuses on how transcriptional start-site heterogeneity determines the fate of HIV-1 viral RNA. I am specifically interested in the effect of differential capping on HIV-1 genomic RNA 5’UTR structure, packaging selectivity and translation.

In my free time, I enjoy playing classical guitar, painting, and doing large jigsaw puzzles!

crowe.321@osu.edu

Undergraduate Researchers

Josephine Stark

Undergraduate Researcher (2024)

My current project is characterizing the active site in Trypanosoma brucei MCP1 protein through creation of truncated mutants.

I am from Sandusky, Ohio and I am majoring in biochemistry at Ohio Wesleyan University. I am on the swim team and like to sew and play percussion instruments.

Skylar Stevenson

Undergraduate Researcher (2022–Present)

I am currently understanding the complexity of G3 triplex and G4 quadruplex structures and their roles in a G4 origin of life (“quadruples world”) hypothesis as well as their ability to function as signal amplification molecules.

In my free time, I’m an artist. I mainly enjoy creative writing and ceramics, but at the moment I’m trying to learn watercolors!

Stevenson.491@osu.edu