Benjamin J. Umlauf, Ph.D. | P.I. Assistant Professor
Dr. Ben Umlauf received his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Michigan Technological University in Houghton, MI. He began his research career at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, then attended graduate school at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX where he received a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology. He next went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison for his postdoctoral fellowship in the departments of Chemical Engineering and Neurosurgery. Contact Ben
Megan G. Crowe | Graduate Research Assistant
Megan attended the University of Georgia and received her B.S. in Microbiology. Her undergraduate research focused on surveillance and characterization of pathogens within poultry farms and antibiotic resistance trends within. Her current project focuses on cerebrospinal fluid dynamics within the brain and novel mechanisms for drug retention for treatment of glioblastoma. Contact Megan.
Abigail M. Rohy | Graduate Research Assistant
Mansi Sharma | Graduate Research Assistant
Gabriel Frampton | Research Assistant
Jeremy Siegelman | Research Assistant
Brianna Alexandre | Undergraduate Researcher
She is an undergraduate majoring in Biochemistry with a minor in Russian language. She is passionate about regenerative medicine and oncology and aspires to pursue an MD/PhD program to advance surgical and translational research that can directly impact patient care. She has previously worked with CRISPR-based research, which strengthened her problem-solving and analytical skills while deepening her interest in innovative biomedical approaches. In the lab, she actively contributes to optimizing protocols and experimental workflows, gaining hands-on experience in laboratory techniques and experimental design.
Sophia Liu | Undergraduate Researcher
Minnie | Lab Mascot
Minnie is a Collie from Wisconsin. She enjoys long walks, chewing on sticks, herding small animals, and as much human attention as she can get!
Onward and Upward
David Li – Research Assistant: 2021
David Li joined the Umlauf lab during his gap year before his first year at Harvard College, where he is hoping to concentrate in neuroscience.
Hannah-Faith Greene – Research Assistant: 2021
Hannah-Faith Greene joined the Umlauf lab after working at Texas A&M University. Hannah-Faith holds a B.S. in Biochemistry from Texas A&M University.
Jackie Esquivel – Research Assistant: 2022
Jackie Esquivel joined the Umlauf lab after completing her studies at UT San Antonio and working as a veterinary technician. Jackie holds a B.S. in Phycology from University of Texas at San Antonito.
Stormie Garza – Research Assistant: 2022
Stormie Garza joined the Umlauf Lab after receiving a M.S. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Biomedical Engineering. She also holds a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from University of North Texas.
Austin Shipley – Research Assistant: 2023
Austin Shipley joined the Umlauf Lab after graduating from Oregon State with a B.S. in Biochemistry.
Ashley S. Hoffman – Undergraduate Student: 2023
Ashley Hoffman is an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin working towards a B.S. in Computational Biology.
David Park – Undergraduate Student: 2024
David Park is an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin working towards a B.S. in Chemistry.
Sanika S. Mhatre – Undergraduate Student: 2024
Sanika Mhatre is an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin working towards a B.S. in Biochemistry.
Daveraj Chakravarty – Undergraduate Student: 2024
Daveraji Chakravarty is an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin working towards a B.S. in Biochemistry. He is currently attending medical school at UT Southwestern.
Kristi Lee – Undergraduate Student: 2024
Kristi Lee is an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin working towards a B.S. in Neuroscience.
Sanjeev Medam – Undergraduate Student: 2025
Sanjeev Medam is an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin working towards a B.S. in Neuroscience.
Jaden Rendon – Undergraduate Student: 2025
Jaden Rendon is an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin working towards a B.S. in Biology.
Ellie | Former Lab Mascot (2024)
Ellie is from the Dallas SPCA. She enjoys long walks, trips to the dog park, and hunting squirrels/possums.