Martin Lab

Dr. Martin conducts research in the area of bone and mineral metabolism disorders and actively mentors undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral trainees. Her research involves multiple national and international collaborations. She is Principal Investigator and co-Investigator on several NIH-funded projects and US patents. She is a current member of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, American Society of Nephrology and American Heart Association.

Dr. Kentrup is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow from the Martin Lab. He completed his PhD in Biology at the University of Münster, Germany in 2012. Dominik is a trained microsurgeon and is proficient in a multitude of animal models. His scientific career has been focused on translational research in nephrology, including the implementation and refinement of advanced non-invasive imaging techniques, the identification of novel biomarkers and the role of FGF23 in CKD associated cardiac remodeling. His current projects aim to investigate targets and regulation of Pi/FGF23 in CKD.

Jadeah earned her 2 Bachelors of Science degrees in Genetics and Microbiology from Iowa State University of Science and Technology in 2018. She is co-responsible for the lab’s animal colonies, including genotyping (tissue sampling, DNA isolation, PCR and gel electrophoresis) and animal husbandry. Jadeah also contributes to multiple postdoctoral projects, currently focusing on the role and regulation of FGF23 in CKD, as well as creating a web presence for the lab!

Bridget earned her MS in Biomedical Sciences in 2019 from the University of Pittsburgh and her BS in Biological Sciences and Social and Political History in 2016 from Carnegie Mellon University. She is assisting with histological processing and analysis of a variety of soft and mineralized tissues, including bone, kidney, heart, and liver. She is also working with the post docs to further define the role and regulation of the transcription factor HNF4α in chronic kidney disease.

John earned his MS in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University in 2020 and his BA in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2017. He is responsible for genotyping the lab’s mouse colonies by DNA isolation, PCR and gel electrophoresis. John is also involved in postdoctoral projects to define microRNA-122 (miR-122) as a novel therapeutic target in chronic kidney disease.

Xueyan received her Masters of Science from Illinois Institute of Technology in 2013. She serves as the lead histology technologist for the Martin Lab and the David Lab. She is proficient in paraffin and methyl methacrylate embedding, sectioning, and staining of mouse soft tissue and bone samples for all projects. Xueyan also assists in the daily management of the Lab including administrative and regulatory responsibilities and in the training of new lab members.

Anthony earned his BA in neuroscience from Northwestern University in 2022. He is responsible for performing biochemistry assays of urine and serum samples and 3D-microtomography of bone samples. Anthony is currently working with Dr. Martin and Dr. Kentrup to investigate the impact of Chronic Kidney Disease on associated disorders such as Renal Osteodystrophy.

Dr. Calle is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow from the David Lab. She completed her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain in 2018. Her primary research interests include defining the molecular mechanisms of HNF4α in bone and kidney homeostasis, as well as its interaction with FGF23 production in health and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Marta is interested in identifying novel therapeutic targets to improve outcomes of CKD.

Dr. Courbon is an AHA Postdoctoral Research Fellow from the David Lab. He completed his PhD in Physiology and Immunology at the University of Lyon, France in 2016. His primary research interests include novel mechanisms of inflammation and anemia during chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disorder, with a main focus on the role and regulation of FGF23. Guillaume is interested in the translation of research findings into the design of therapeutic strategies against chronic inflammatory diseases.

Dr. Thomas is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the David Lab. She completed her PhD in Medicine from Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel and Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany, in 2018 where she was a Signgene Fellow and Lady Davis Fellow. Her primary research interest lies in defining microRNA-122 (miR-122) as a novel therapeutic target in chronic kidney disease (CKD). She is also interested in determining the crosstalk between iron deficiency, inflammation and miR-122 and disturbed bone/mineral metabolism in CKD.

Supported by the ASN Ben J. Lipps Research Fellowship Award, Dr. Gerber completed her Postdoctoral Fellowship training in the Lab in 2020. She currently occupies a Medical Science Liaison position at Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals.

Sam held a Senior Research Technologist position with the Lab until 2019. She is currently working as Lab manager at Mothers’ Milk Bank and is a mom of two!

Sana Lynch completed two years as Research Technologist I in 2021. Currently, they are enrolled in the Master of Professional Science program at the University of Miami's Department of Marine Ecosystems and Society (with a focus on Coastal Zone Management) at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS).