Meet the Team
Jay Sarthy MD, PhD
Principal Investigator
Dr. Sarthy is an attending physician in Seattle Children’s Bone Marrow Transplantation unit. He has also continued his basic biology research at Seattle Children's, focusing on epigenetics of pediatric cancers and identifying less toxic pediatric cancer treatments. In his spare time, Dr. Sarthy enjoys spending time with his family. He also enjoys hiking, skiing, kayaking, and listening to classic country music.
Jenna Rosinski
Research Scientist
Jenna earned her B.S. in Microbiology from UW-Madison in 2020. She then spent four years in the David O’Connor Lab, where she researched the effects of Zika virus infection during pregnancy and explored potential therapeutics. Additionally, she conducted routine metagenomic viral surveillance of the community. In her current role, Jenna continues to unravel the complexities of diseases, such as cancer, through the study of epigenetics. Her other passions include birds, hiking, exploring tide pools, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and spending time with her cat, Turnip.
Morgan Merrill
Research Scientist II
Morgan studied retina development during her undergraduate program. After moving to Seattle, she joined Jim Olson’s lab where her work focused on protein therapeutics in brain tumors. Morgan is passionate about doing rigorous science that will provide a strong backbone for therapeutic agents brought forward to clinical trial. Morgan loves games of all kinds from cards to computers. She read stories about space exploration and overcoming dragons. She spends her free time making things, whether that is baking or looping up knots in yarn.
Chao-Jen Wong, PhD
Bioinformatics Research Associate III
Chao-Jen received her B.A. from California State University, Fullerton and Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Claremont Graduate University. She began her career in genomic science at Fred Hutchinson and joined Sarthy Lab in late October 2023. Her prior work experience included building infrastructure for Bioconductor Core, conducting computational research on Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD), and developing software. She enjoys coding and solving mathematical problems on paper. Her other interests include rowing, biking, bodyweight training, and walking her dog and children.
.png)
Gabe Boyle, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Gabe received his B.S. in Neuroscience from Ohio State University in 2016 and his PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology from University of Washington in 2023. His doctoral research in Dr. Doug Fowler's lab focused on understanding heterogeneous drug response amongst people and between cell subpopulations. In his current role, he is interested in employing high throughput methods in genomics, epigenomics, and proteomics to study how chemotherapeutics kill cancer cells. By broadening our understanding of drug activity, both anti-cancer and off-target, we can make sure patients are receiving the best treatments for their particular biology. In his free time, Gabe enjoys Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, physical therapy to recover from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu injuries, and searching for Mothman with his World of Warcraft guild Mothman Search Team.
Carter Zivin
Undergraduate Research Intern
Carter is an undergraduate studying biology at Carnegie Mellon University. While at school she is a mechanic for APEX buggy racing. Carter is originally from Seattle and at home enjoys biking, listening to jazz music, and walking with her dog Puff.
Harini Sadeeshkumar
Postdoctoral Fellow
Harini Sadeeshkumar received her B.S. in Bioengineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and her PhD in the department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at Yale University. Her graduate research in Dr. Ron Breaker’s lab focused on the discovery and applications of non-coding gene regulatory RNAs called riboswitches. Following her doctorate, she was passionate about applying her background in RNA biology towards the development of new therapeutics and worked as a Scientist at an RNA therapeutics biotech startup. As an Invent Fellow at Children’s, Harini hopes to expand her expertise to include cancer epigenetics and work towards furthering cancer therapies to the clinic. In her free time she enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and skiing, tennis, and reading novels.
Clara Libbrecht, MD, PhD
Fellow-MD
Clara is a pediatric hematologist/oncologist at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Working with Dr. Jay Sarthy and Dr. Mignon Lee-Cheun Loh, her research focuses on epigenetic regulation of mixed phenotypic acute leukemia.
Malcolm T.S. Mallard
Laboratory Guardian
Malcolm Tape Station Mallard, often known as Malcolm T.S., is the steadfast guardian of the Sarthy Lab. His story begins on the serene shores of Lake Washington, where he was hatched among a brood of ordinary mallards. An adventurous duck, one day he found himself 1.3 miles away from his nest. While finding his way out of the dark shadow of trees, he sensed a pair of big, shinny eyes glaring at him through a bush—it was a raccoon waiting to strike. At that perilous moment, he encountered Dr. Sarthy, who was hiking at the time. He saved Malcolm from the jaws of the predator. Thereafter, he followed Jay to the lab and took on the role of protector, patrolling the lab bays and safeguarding groundbreaking discoveries.
You
Former Members
Samantha Kaonis PhD
Research Scientist II
Samantha received her B.S. in Bioengineering from Washington State University in 2018 and her PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Colorado State University in 2022. Her doctoral research in Dr. Soham Ghosh's lab focused on MSC mechanobiology and epigenetics. In her current role, Samantha is particularly interested in the chromatin biology of pediatric cancers and the associated bioinformatics. Outside of work, Samantha enjoys birdwatching, cooking, and walking her dogs.
.jpg)
Carli Newman
Research Technician II
Carli is a recent graduate of Reed College where she received her B.A. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Her scientific interests are broad and she enjoys working at the intersection of multiple fields including biology, computer science, chemistry, and math. Carli is originally from Whidbey Island where she was first introduced to many of her hobbies including kayaking, playing ultimate frisbee, camping, reading, and music.
Stephanie Namciu PhD
Research Scientist III
Stephanie received her B.S. in Animal Nutrition and M.S. in Avian Physiology from the Ohio State University, and her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Her graduate work focused on the role of the nuclear oncogene, c-ski, in hematopoietic development and differentiation. Her subsequent postdoctoral work at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center focused on chromatin’s role in the regulation of gene expression. As a Staff Scientist at Fred Hutchinson her research focused on mechanisms of reciprocal chromosomal translocation formation in leukemias. Stephanie then moved to the Pacific Northwest Research Institute to continue her research on gene regulation and chromosome rearrangements, focusing on Type II Topoisomerases.
