People
Figure Inspired by Sammy Katta
Bérénice A. Benayoun, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Gerontology, Biological Sciences and Cancer Biology and Pharmacology & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Principal Investigator
Education
Ph.D., Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
M.Sc., Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
B.Sc., Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France
Hometown: Paris, France
Favorite non-science activities: tabletop gaming, homebrewing
Dream benchmate(s): Leopold Fitz and Jemma Simmons
Birthday: June 19th
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Wood Rat
Post-doctoral fellows
Contact:
Email: minhooki@usc.edu
Min Hoo Kim, Ph.D.
Post-doctoral fellow
Education
Hometown: Seoul, Republic of Korea
Favorite non-science activities: Baking, jogging
Dream benchmate(s): John Legend
Birthday: March 27th
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Metal Horse
Contact:
Email: ryanlu@usc.edu
Ryan Lu
Education
Hometown: Alhambra, California
Favorite non-science activities: tennis, bowling, computer games
Dream benchmate(s): Rick (from Rick and Morty)
Birthday: November 25th
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Wood Dog
Contact:
Email: raphealw@usc.edu
Rapheal Williams, Ph.D.
Research Lab Specialist
Education
Hometown: Atlanta, GA, USA
Favorite non-science activities: Painting, Gaming, Plastic Model Building
Dream Benchmate(s): Morgan Freeman, David Attenborough
Birthday: September 12tha
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Water Monkey
Ph.D. Students
Contact:
Email: bakercla@usc.edu
Clayton Baker
Ph.D. Student (Molecular and Computational Biology program)
Education
Hometown: Upland, California
Favorite non-science activities: tennis, hiking, camping, playing with my pets
Dream benchmate: Roger Federer
Birthday: May 12th
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Fire Ox
Contact:
Email: skyechen@usc.edu
Shiqi “Skye” Chen
Ph.D. Student (Geroscience program)
Education
B.Sc. and B.A., Wake Forest University, NC, USA
M.Sc., University of Southern California, CA, USA [Benayoun lab]
Contact:
Email: habtemar@usc.edu
Eyael Tewelde Habtemariam
Ph.D. Student (Pharmaceutical and Translational Sciences program)
Education
Hometown: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Favorite non-science activities: watching sitcoms and stand up, conversing with family, experimenting with food
Dream benchmate: Chandler Bing
Birthday: May 12th
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Pig
Contact:
Email: ajlemus@usc.edu
Aaron Lemus
Education
Hometown: North Hollywood, California
Favorite non-science activities: Concerts, Snowboard, and Rock Climbing
Dream benchmate(s):Alex Turner & Josh Homme
Birthday: May 12th
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Fire Rat
Contact:
Email: eschwab@usc.edu
Ella M. Schwab
Education
Hometown: Seattle, WA, USA
Favorite non-science activities: Rock climbing, camping, cooking
Dream benchmate(s): Jennifer Doudna
Birthday: July 12th
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Earth Tiger
Research Technicians
Contact:
Email: julioa@usc.edu
Julio “Leo” Alvarenga
Education
B.Sc., University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Favorite non-science activities: Playing video games, watching anime, and watching KPOP videos with my nephews
Dream benchmate(s): the Muscle Mice (from Demon Slayer)
Birthday: May 18th
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Tiger
Contact:
Email: ryanle@usc.edu
Ryan Le
Education
B.Sc., California State University, Fullerton, CA, USA
Hometown: Garden Grove, California
Favorite non-science activities: Fishing, Skateboarding
Dream benchmate: Plato
Birthday: August 1
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Dragon
Contact:
Email: alanxu@usc.edu
Alan Xu
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2022-2025), Quantitative Biology Major
Education
B.Sc., USC, CA, USA
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Favorite non-science activities: Travelling, trying new games and cooking
Dream benchmate(s): Louis Pasteur
Birthday: September 23rd
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Gold Snake
Master Students
Contact:
Email: tellakul@usc.edu
Nayana Tellakula
Master Student
Translational Biomedical Informatics Master Program
Education
B.Sc., University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Contact:
Email:leonjche@usc.edu
Leon Chen
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Contact:
Email: mingfeic@usc.edu
Mingfei Chen
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Hometown: Rancho Palos Verdes, California
Favorite non-science activities: Cooking, Crafting, Arcades
Dream benchmate(s): My mom and dad
Birthday: January 2nd
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Rooster
Contact:
Email: arkashya@usc.edu
Atul Kashyap
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Hometown: Ellicott City, Maryland
Favorite non-science activities: Playing music, travelling, trying new foods
Dream benchmate(s): Detective Carter from Rush Hour
Birthday: October 4th
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Wood Rooster
Contact:
Email: rickylia@usc.edu
Ricky Liang
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Hometown: Shanghai, China
Favorite non-science activities: Chess, music
Dream benchmate(s): Austin Reaves
Birthday: October 6th
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Fire Dog
Student workers
Contact:
Email: fhuss@usc.edu
Faith Huss
Student worker (Mouse team)
Master Student – Nutrition, Healthspan, and Longevity
Hometown: New London, WI, USA
Favorite non-science activities: Baking/ Cooking, trying new foods, playing with my dogs
Dream benchmate(s): Baymax and Phil Dunphy
Birthday: March 17th
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Water Pig
Contact:
Email:alyssak@usc.edu
Alyssa Kim
Student worker (Mouse team)
Undergraduate Student – Neuroscience Major
Hometown: Pleasanton, California
Favorite non-science activities: Cafe crawling, baking, traveling, golf
Dream benchmate(s): Phoebe Buffay (from Friends)
Birthday: June 19th
Chinese zodiac sign: Dog
Contact:
Email: abbymcmi@usc.edu
Abby McMillin
Student worker (Mouse team)
Undergraduate Student
Hometown: Clarendon Hills, IL
Favorite non-science activities: Hiking, baking, drawing, enjoying overpriced coffee
Dream benchmate(s): Vanessa Doofenshmirtz
Birthday: April 9th
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Rooster
Contact:
Email:dobenaue@usc.edu
Delana Obenauer
Student worker (Fish team)
Hometown: Vienna, MO
Favorite non-science activities: reading, spending time with friends, and going to the gym
Dream benchmate(s): Jenna Ortega
Birthday: May 7th
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Monkey
Contact:
Email: cpresa@usc.edu
Chloe Presa
Student worker (Fish team)
Hometown: Orange County, California
Favorite non-science activities: Dancing
Dream benchmate(s): Cristina Yang from Grey’s Anatomy
Birthday: February 18th
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Monkey
Mascots & Cie
Contact:
jarvis.usc.edu
J.A.R.V.I.S.
Lab Server
Dell PowerEdge 360
Hometown: Austin, TX, USA
Favorite non-science activities: running (processes), idling
Dream benchmate(s): Tony Stark
Birthday: October 25th
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Fire Rooster
Contact:
Above Ryan’s desk
Moucifer
Lab Mascot
Cyagen transgenic mouse
Hometown: Santa Clara, California
Favorite non-science activities: being judgemental, looking at cute pictures
Dream benchmate(s): Pinky and the Brain
Birthday: November 9th
Chinese Zodiac Sign: Fire Rooster
Contact:
Turki
Lab Mascot
African turquoise killifish
Hometown: Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe
Favorite non-science activities: swimming around, eating
Dream benchmate(s): Nemo and Dory
Birthday: Less than 6 months ago