People

Gerald (Gerry) Downes

Principle Investigator

Gerry Downes is an Associate Professor in the Biology Department at UMass Amherst. Originally from Kingston Mass., he obtained a B.S. in Biology from Johnson C Smith University in Charlotte North Carolina and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Washington University in St. Louis. At Wash U., Gerry worked on heterotrimeric G proteins in the lab of Narasimhan Gautam. He conducted his postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania working in the lab of Michael Granato, which is where he first began working with zebrafish. In 2005, Gerry came back to his home state and joined the faculty of UMass Amherst.

Fun fact: Gerry was a breakdancer- a long time ago.
E-mail: gbdownes_bio.umass.edu

Caroline Martin

Fish Facility Manager- Also an Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Masters Student in the Blanchard Lab 

Fun fact: Caroline is ambidextrous.
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
E-mail: carolinemart_umass.edu

Gregory Teicher

Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Student

Originally from Newton, MA, Gregory Teicher received his B.S. with an emphasis in Biology from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. He received his M.S. in Medical Science from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts, where he completed his master’s thesis on the roles of purinergic signaling in regulating cytoskeletal rearrangements during wound healing in the cornea. Now a Ph.D. Student in the Molecular and Cellular Biology Program at UMass Amherst, his research in the Downes Laboratory currently focuses on amino acid metabolism and mTOR signaling in nervous system development and epilepsy. Gregory maintains an active interest in the application of computational methods toward understanding biological systems and processes. He also has a strong interest in educational theory and reform.

Fun fact: Gregory has at various points played guitar, piano, and violin, and has recently started making electronic music.
E-mail: gteicher_mcb.umass.edu

Wayne Barnaby

Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Student

Wayne Barnaby is a Neuroscience and Behavior student at UMass Amherst. Born in Boston and raised in Stoughton Ma., Wayne went on to earn his B.S. in Biology at Westfield State University. There, he became involved both in his field of study and with various volunteer organizations around his community. This included working at the local homeless shelter, becoming a Student Ambassador, leading the Black Student Union and more. He previously worked in the Downes Lab as summer student, investigating the role of the GABAA receptor subunits in Zebrafish. In September 2017, Wayne returned to the Downes Lab as an Neuroscience and Behavior Ph.D. student. For his project, he is examining how GABAA receptor diversity controls swimming behavior.

Fun fact: At one point, Wayne was able to run a mile in 4:35 minutes
E-mail: wbarnaby_umass.edu

Madison Riffe

Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Student

Madison Riffe is a Neuroscience and Behavior student at UMass Amherst. Originally from Charleston, West Virginia, Madison went on to earn a B.S. in Biology at West Virginia University. Her thesis is project is to establish a zebrafish model of TBCK Syndrome, and use this model to better understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie this disease.

Fun fact: Madison is one of the two martial art black belts in the lab. You have to guess the other one.
E-mail: rriffe_umass.edu

Vasudha Sharma

Masters in Applied Biotechnology Student

Fun fact: Vasudha can make 10 different types of vegetarian sandwiches.
Hometown: Chandigarh, India
E-mail: vasudhasharm_umass.edu

Chelsea Amadi

Undergraduate Student, Public Health Major 

Fun fact: Chelsea worked on a farm until she was 20.
Hometown: Amaeze Obibiezena, Owerri North, IMO State, Nigeria, by way of Attleboro, MA
E-mail: ccamadi_umass.edu

Julia DiFazio

Undergraduate Student, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Major

Fun fact: Julia used to be slap hitter in softball.
Originally from: Wakefield, MA
E-mail: jdifazio_umass.edu

Emily Knowlton

Undergraduate Student, Biology 

Fun fact: Emily’s dream pet is a bearded dragon.
Originally from: North Salem, NY
E-mail: eknowlton_umass.edu

Sydney O’Malley

Undergraduate Student, Biology Major

Fun fact: Sydney is an avid surfer.
Originally from: Freehold, NJ
E-mail: saomalley_umass.edu

Colin Wood

Undergraduate Student, Biology Major

Fun fact: Colin placed 1st in Central Massachusetts and 4th in the US for the 2018 Brain Bee neuroscience competition.
Originally from: Grafton, MA
E-mail: colinwood_umass.edu