Photo by James Vaughen
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John Vaughen
Principal Investigator John obtained a bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Chicago, was a MEXT research scholar at Kyoto University, completed his Ph.D. in Developmental Biology with Tom Clandinin at Stanford, and is now a Sandler Faculty Fellow at UCSF. He unexpectedly fell in love with brain lipids and is studying how specific fats influence brain cell function across neurons and glia.
John is an avid cyclist, atrocious pianist, and pastry fanatic fueled by exogenous insulin. Leaving lab is hard for this degenerate labrat, but you might find him visiting friends in Kyoto or family in Illinois. |
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Elizabeth Hardy
Graduate Student Liz joins us from the Pharmacology and Pharmacogenomics program to work on genetics of fly lipid metabolism in glia! Liz is the Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation PhD Scholarship Recipient, and a NIH NIGS IMSD Fellow.
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Wendy Cheng
Graduate Student Wendy grew up in Shenzhen, China, and studied Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge, UK. After wandering through research labs in three different countries, she landed in the Tetrad program at UCSF, where she now spends her days chasing questions in cell biology. Outside the lab, Wendy’s life revolves around good food, music, and art. She is introverted but always happy to discuss cats (and of course science).
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James Forward
Friend of the fly brain James is a junior specialist with the Chang Lab at UCSF and is currently collaborating with the Vaughen Lab on the physical properties of the fly brain. Like many west coast Canadians, James likes hiking and climbing rocks.
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Ryan Lee
Summer Fly Engineer Ryan is an undergraduate at Brown University who joins us in the sunny-foggy bay to work on Saposin! Outside of preparing for his grueling future as a MD-PhD, Ryan is an avid photographer, biker, and budding snowboarder.
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Magaly Rivas Serna
Lipid analyst I am originally from Mexico City and now live in Edmonton, Canada, where I continue developing my passion for science, research, and community. I hold a Ph.D. in Nutrition and Metabolism from the University of Alberta, a MSc in Sustainable Development from ITESM, and a BSc in Food Engineering from UNAM. My professional and research experience spans academia and the food industry. My research focuses on lipid metabolism, analytical method development, lipidomics, and metabolomics. Beyond my scientific work, I enjoy swimming, biking in the summer, spending time outdoors, traveling, cooking, watching movies, and spending time with friends and family. Reading is one of my biggest passions, and over the years I’ve explored a wide range of literature, from classics to contemporary fiction. I’m drawn to books that explore human psychology, emotional depth, and strong narrative voices.
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Ting Gong
Postdoc, Noelle L'etoile Lab (Friend of brain lipids) I first discovered my love for biology during my master’s, when I studied how membrane proteins are endocytosed and recycled in the roundworm C. elegans. After that, I moved to the U.S. to pursue my Ph.D. in Dr Francis Mcnally's lab, where I explored how cells divide to form oocytes and sperms. Curious about neuroscience, I then joined Noelle L'Etoile's lab at UCSF to study sleep in worms (how fascinating!), focusing on the interplay between lipid metabolism and sleep as worms age, with John as my co-mentor! When I’m not in the lab, I love camping, cooking, exploring national parks, and checking out fun events around San Francisco.
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Arianna Doss
Administrative Officer I graduated from San Francisco State University with a B.S. in Public Health. I joined the Villeda Lab in 2023 as a Faculty Assistant for the UCSF Bakar Aging Research Institute (BARI). Outside of the lab I enjoy cooking, reading and finding new ways to stay active.
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Created with biorender.
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Drosophila Melanogaster
Principle Researcher Organism
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John cares deeply about teaching and mentoring.
If you have any questions about working with John, contact: Emma Theisen, PhD student ([email protected]) Ryan Lee, undergraduate ([email protected]) Adriana Bibo, lab junior specialist ([email protected]) |
You have the ability to infect others with so much passion, curiosity, and inspiration when you talk science- it’s irresistible. I love it- Ryan Lee
Lab Alumni
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Adriana Bibo
Adriana was a PROPEL scholar at UCSF and the brave first pioneer member of the lab. She is currently a graduate student at Stanford in Developmental Biology ([email protected]) |
