Previous lab members
Katie Barletta
Graduate Student, Medical Scientist Training Program
I worked in the Holt lab during the summer of 2006 for an MD-PhD rotation. For my project, I imaged individual mouse cochlear hair cell stereocilia using confocal and 2-photon laser scanning microscopy. I was interested to use FM and calcium sensitive dyes as an assay for functional mechanotransduction.
Email: keb3t@virginia.edu
David Abraham, Ph.D.
Post-doctoral Fellow
Department of Neuroscience
I am from The Netherlands where I did my undergraduate study at Utrecht University. For my masters degree I used electrophysiology and pharmacology to characterize the subunit composition of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. I enjoyed using molecular and electrophysiological techniques to study channel proteins in the cell membrane. In 1996 I went to Sweden to do my PhD at Lund University where I started working in the pheromone group to construct a DNA based phylogeny for the subfamilies of Geometridae moths. Later I returned to my initial interests and recorded from single sensilla hairs on moth antennae. I joined the Holt lab in July 2002 and am now involved in the identification, cloning and expression of potassium channels from the inner ear, particularly those involved in inherited deafness. I use molecular techniques and electrophysiology to study the function of wild type and mutant potassium channels.
Email: da2s@virginia.edu
Holly Eppard
Lab Technician
Department of Neuroscience
I came to Jeff Holt's lab to work in September of 2003 after graduating earlier in May with a B.S. in Biology from Virginia Tech. In addition to general lab manager responsibilities, I am involved with various aspects of the research here in the Holt lab. I assist with the generation of recombinant adenoviral vectors, as well as some of the molecular biology work and immuno-staining experiments.
Chuck Fletcher, M.D.
Otolaryngology Resident
I am a surgical resident physician in the Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery. Our department gives us the opportunity to participate in a four month research rotation. My work in Dr. Holt's lab is focused on developing an RNA interference technique to suppress gene expression in mammalian hair cells.
The Holt / Géléoc Lab Circa Fall, 2003
From left to right: Jeff Holt, Gwen Géléoc, Holly Eppard, Eric Stauffer, Jessica Risner, Valeria Piazza (visiting student), David Abraham, and kids Emma and Sander.
The Holt / Géléoc Lab Circa Spring, 2004
From left to right: Chuck Fletcher, Holly Eppard, Gwen Géléoc, David Abraham, Eric Stauffer, Jessica Risner, Jeff Holt, Jonathan Ashmore (visiting Professor).