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Xinjun "Jun" Zhang, Principal Investigator
Jun is an assistant professor at the University of Michigan in the Department of Human Genetics. She is also an affiliated faculty with the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the Center of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics. Prior to joining UM in February 2023, Jun was an NIH K99 Postdoctoral Fellow at UCLA working with Kirk Lohmueller and Sriram Sankararaman. Jun also received postdoctoral training from Emilia Huerta-Sanchez at UC Merced. She holds a PhD degree in Evolutionary Anthropology from UC Davis advised by David Glenn Smith, and a BS degree in Biology from Beijing Normal University. When not doing science, Jun most likely can be found traveling and taking pictures (Flickr profile). She likes good coffee with good books. She also enjoys hiking, road trips, and making puzzles. |
Current Lab members
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Michelle Kim, Postdoctoral Scholar Michelle is a post-doctoral researcher in the Human Genetics Department at the University of Michigan. She joined U of M in October 2023, following her role as a low-yield data analyst at Intel. Prior to that, in 2021, she completed her first post-doctoral position at Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center under the supervision of Charles Kooperberg and Ulriki Peters. Michelle earned her Ph.D. in Bioinformatics from Georgia Tech, where she was advised by Joe Lachance, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Pennsylvania State University. Her research interests revolve around developing methods to enhance the accuracy of phenotype and disease risk prediction. Outside of the lab, Michelle enjoys activities such as running and watching movies. Susanna Gutierrez, Postdoctoral Scholar Susanna is a post-doctoral researcher collaborating with the Zhang lab at the University of Michigan. She holds both a Master’s and Ph.D. degree from the University of Michigan Ecology and Evolutionary Biology department. Additionally, she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Bioinformatics from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Her Ph.D. research was completed under the guidance of co-advisors Drs. Liliana Cortés-Ortiz and Benjamin Winger. Her research interests include the evolutionary causes and consequences of genetic variation. Her work has extended across the tree of life, including human and non-human primates, as well as birds. Outside of her academic pursuits, Susanna unwinds by playing video games and spending time outdoors with her dogs. Autumn Allemon, Undergraduate Research Assistant Autumn, University of Michigan Class of 2024, is an undergraduate student pursuing an Evolutionary Anthropology BS, with a minor in Biology. Her interests are in the evolutionary consequences of archaic admixture as well as its effects on contemporary health. Autumn became inspired to begin working in the Lab, after hearing a guest lecture from Dr. Zhang in her Molecular Anthropology class. She hopes to attend graduate school in the near future to further her research interests. In her free time, she enjoys reading fantasy novels, gardening, and playing with her dogs. Jiongxuan Yang, Research Assistant Jiongxuan is a summer 2024 research assistant in Professor Zhang's lab. She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Biostatistics at the University of Michigan and holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance from the Central University of Finance and Economics. Her research interests focus on applying statistical models, machine learning, and deep learning techniques to explore genetic studies. In her free time, Jiongxuan enjoys outdoor activities like hiking and discovering new cuisines. |
Lab Alumni
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Lovelyn Epelle, PhD Rotation Student (Summer 2023) Lovelyn is a spring '23 rotation student in the Genetics & Genomics PhD program (PIBS). She received her BS degree in Molecular Biology from the University of Michigan-Flint. Her research interests include population structure and the genetic architecture of complex traits. Lovelyn enjoys reading, hiking, and eating good food. Elizabeth Meyer, Undergraduate Student Elizabeth was an undergraduate student (Class 2023) studying anthropology, biomolecular science, and Spanish at the University of Michigan. Elizabeth worked in the Zhang lab as a research assistant during the Spring Semester of 2023. Her research interests include archaic genome analysis, immune responses, and pathology which she hopes to pursue in graduate school. She enjoys reading and SCUBA diving in her spare time. Her email is [email protected] |