Welcome, Jaymes Quinn!

We're glad to have Jaymes join us this summer from UMass Amherst as part of Syracuse University Biology Department’s MicroFFABS REU program.

Jaymes will be investigating how specific centrosome proteins contribute to the function of the Left-Right Organizer — the embryonic structure responsible for establishing the asymmetric arrangement of the internal organs. It's a fascinating question that sits at the intersection of cell biology and developmental patterning, and we're excited to see where the work leads.

Welcome to the lab, Jaymes — we're glad to have you here!

Speaking at Mount Sinai's Department of Cell, Developmental & Regenerative Biology

On May 21st Dr. Hehnly gave an invited talk at Mount Sinai's Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, hosted by Dr. Sergei Sokol. The seminar presented work from two members of the lab — Favour Ononiwu, Yiling Lan and Prabhu Sankaralingam — focused on centrosome dynamics and the consequences of centrosome protein loss in the zebrafish embryo.

The zebrafish embryo offers a powerful window into early cell division, and this work addresses how the centrosome is regulated during those critical first stages of development. 

Dr. Hehnly had a great time visiting the Department and Central Park!

Congrats to Hehnly Lab Senior Isa Morales

Isa is in the Biology and Forensics graduating class of 2026! She’s been with us for the past 2-3 years caring for the fish, genotyping, and leading her own SOURCE funded project. We will miss her and can’t wait to see all that she does in graduate school at SU in Forensics! Congrats Isa!

Welcoming Joey McDonald to the Lab

We are pleased to welcome Joey McDonald to the lab for his rotation this semester. Joey will be investigating the role of centrosomes in left–right axis determination, a central question in our efforts to understand how cellular architecture and cytoskeletal organization contribute to tissue-level asymmetry during development.

During his rotation, Joey will gain experience in zebrafish-based experimental approaches and advanced imaging strategies used to study Kupffer’s Vesicle morphogenesis and cilia function. We look forward to his contributions and to supporting his development in cell and developmental biology research.