They call me Wessel, Gary Wessel, ‘cause that’s my name. I am interested in anything reproduction, especially how embryos decide to make their germ line, and how oocytes are made. Oh yeah – and fertilization too, and even some parts about the gonad. And some other stuff. I have been known to throw a mean axe or two, hang with the dogs, commute on the bike (all 2 km), and use sparklers to bright up the night and the spirit. Super lucky to be here and now.
I’m Nathalie and I know Nanos2 is awesome and super cool. It is a translational regulator essential to maintain the primordial germ cells quiescent in sea urchin. I love post-transcriptional and translational regulations and how they function to regulate cell fate during embryonic development. I love working with people in the lab, we have a lot of fun playing with science. Nanos2 is not my only passion in life, I also love working out. My favorite tool is the kettlebell. I was a Wonder Woman Scientist lifting kettlebells for Halloween. I love walking in the forest, hiking the mountains, and doing obstacle courses. I try to walk my beautiful cat Kookie baby angel everyday before going to work and he gets mad when I don’t have time.
Hi! I’m Cosmo, I study things like gonads, embryos, eggs and sperm! This year we found a hermaphrodite sea urchin, ask me about why that’s such a special thing to find. In the lab I like to make new CRISPR mutants and investigate ovary function in culture. Outside of the lab I have 5 beautiful daughters (all chickens) and I love to garden, draw, and paint!
Hi, I’m Haruka from Japan! I like ocean and marine organisms, and I’m interested in their developmental process. In the lab, I research how fate change is accomplished in germline cell removed embryos. I like microinjection and micromanipulation. Outside of the lab, I like snorkeling, listening to J-rock, cycling, and looking at pictures of Kojiro (he lives in my parent’s home).
gerardo_reyes_chavez@brown.edu
Hey!! My name is Gerardo Reyes and I’m originally from Lima, Peru. I currently work in the PRIMO laboratory, and I am investigating the function of Blimp1 in the development of the germline of sea stars and sea urchins. These two organisms have been characterized to have two different mechanisms for germline formation, inductive in the sea star and inherited in the sea urchin. My work consists of using Blimp1 as a node gene to understand the similarities and differences between these two mechanisms of germline formation. Another research area I focus on is the characterization of the embryo and ovary Extra Cellular Matrix (ECM) of the sea star as well as sea urchin. How important is the ECM for germline formation and how crucial is it for primordial germ cell niche regulation in the ovary? I am using all sorts of tools to understand this from drug treatment, RNA sequencing, and gene manipulation. In addition, I have also dived into other research areas in the lab such as Ovary signaling pathways, what makes an ovary an ovary? and Major Yolk Protein (MYP) logistics in echinoderms. Outside of the lab, you can find me playing video games, and board games with friends or staying active at the gym or playing volleyball!
Hey it’s Madi here, resident lab marine biologist and research assistant. I’m a Rhode Island native who’s fascinated by the ocean and all it’s creatures. You can find me most days in the aquarium room taking care of the urchins and stars, at my bench trying my hand at molecular biology, or keeping our lab spaces (and fellow scientists) tidy. I’ve usually got an audiobook playing in my headphones during the day, thrillers are my current favorite, and after work I love to cook, do crafts, watch reality tv, and spend time with my huge family.
Hi all it’s Sydney!! I’m a master’s student here at Brown in the Biotechnology program. I’ve learned a lot of cool things in the Wessel lab, but most importantly… sea urchins are AWESOME!! When I’m not in the lab studying the function of extracellular matrix proteins, I love surfing, swimming, and hiking. Coming from sunny California these hobbies used to be easier, but I am learning how to succeed in and love the cold weather!
Hi! I am Min Sung Ellie Kim an undergraduate student in the Class of 2026 from New York, but I have also lived in Vancouver for 8 years and Seoul for 4 years. At Brown, I am concentrating in Biophysics and am a pre-medical student. In the lab, I am researching estrogen responsive genes in echinoderm ovaries. I am so lucky to be learning from everyone! I love Taylor Swift, teaching K-12 science, and volunteering at the Children’s Hospital.
