Jara-Oseguera Lab

Andrés Jara-Oseguera |  Principal Investigator

Email: andres.jaraoseguera@austin.utexas.edu

Andrés completed his B.S. in Basic Biomedical Research and his Doctorate in Biomedical Sciences at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City, Mexico. His graduate thesis focused on characterizing the effects of carbon-releasing ruthenium compounds on the mechanism of electromechanical coupling in voltage-activated Kv2.1 potassium channels. Andrés then joined the lab of Kenton Swartz at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, in Bethesda, MD, as a postdoctoral fellow. His work there focused on utilizing spider toxins as tools to elucidate the mechanism of function of heat-sensitive TRPV1 channels. In 2021, Andres joined the Department of Molecular Biosciences at the University of Texas at Austin. Outside the lab, Andrés enjoys food, drinks, and the arts.

Averi Pike | Research Assistant

Alexander Holloway | Undergraduate Research Volunteer

Alexander Holloway is a recent graduate from The University of Texas at Austin, where he earned a B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology and was a part of the Biological Sciences Honors Program. His undergraduate research centered on developing a functional imaging and surface expression assay for the TRPV3 ion channel, a protein critical to skin physiology and thermosensation. His work lays the foundation for high-throughput screening of disease-associated variants and contributes to understanding TRP channel dysfunction in dermatological and neurological disorders. Alexander currently volunteers at MD Anderson Cancer Center and plans to continue his research there during his postgraduate years. Outside the lab, he enjoys playing guitar, trying new foods, reading nonfiction, and spending time with his dog, Bam Bam.

Angel Zavala Custodio | Undergraduate Research Volunteer

Joshua Chiang | Undergraduate Research Volunteer

Vincent Le | Undergraduate Research Volunteer

Vincent Le is a third-year undergraduate Biochemistry major who joined the Jara-Oseguera Lab in July 2023. His research focuses on exploring how structure and function relate to the gating of TRPM8, a calcium-permeable ion channel and the primary sensor for environmental cold. In his free time, he enjoys fashion, building computers, and trying to cook up something delicious enough.