Team

Jessica Butts, Ph.D.    

Assistant Professor, Principal Investigator
Department of Bioengineering, Neuroengineering Initiative
Rice University  

HHMI Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Huda Zoghbi Lab, Baylor College of Medicine (2019 – 2023)
Ph.D. Bioengineering, University of California – San Francisco and Berkeley (2018)
B.S. Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis (2013)

Research Interests: The brainstem, understanding how neurons differentiate, multi-omics

Hobbies: Running, cooking, trying new restaurants, watching F1, and saltwater aquariums!

Hometown: Decatur, Il

Graduate Students

Madison McLaren   
Department: Rice Bioengineering

B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Research Interests: Neuroscience, computational biology, single cell RNA sequencing

Hobbies: Video games, board games, legos, spending time with family and friends

Hometown: Pittsville, MD

Jon Montes  
Department: Rice Bioengineering

B.S. Chemistry, Norfolk State University

Research Interests: Neuroengineering, Neurodegenerative disorders, Neurodevelopmental disorders

Hobbies: Video games, Music, Surfing, Muay Thai

Hometown: Virginia Beach, VA

Calvin Paulsen 
Department: Rice Bioengineering

B.S. Bioengineering, Clemson University

Research Interests: Mechanobiology and cellular engineering, microfabrication and design, and developmental biology.

Hobbies: Gardening, painting, and hiking

Hometown: Summerville, SC

Staff

Luke Mann
Research Technician

Research Interests: Genomics, Cell and Gene Therapy, Protein Engineering, Oncology

Hobbies: Motorsports, fishing, running, eating sushi and cooking steak

Hometown: San Mateo, CA

Undergraduate Students

Rice University ‘28 B.S Bioengineering, Minor Neuroscience

Research Interest: Neurodegenerative disorders, Neural Engineering, Regenerative Medicine

Hobbies: Running, Basketball, Playing Cards, Video Games

Hometown: Caguas, Puerto Ric

 

Jadon Lee

Rice University ’28, B.S. in Neuroscience, Major concentration in Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience

Research Interests: Neurodegenerative Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders, and Neurodevelopment

Hobbies: Lacrosse, eating new foods, video games, and lifting

Hometown: Dallas, TX

 

Alex Sansom   
Rice University ‘26, B.S. Bioengineering, Minor in CAAM

Research Interests: Computational biology, genetic engineering, plant biology

Hobbies: Ultimate frisbee, working at summer camp, history

Hometown: Winchester, MA

Lab Alumni

Kat Rosner

Joseph Quinlan 
Rice University ‘25, B.S. Bioengineering
Currently Chemical Engineering PhD student at University of Michigan

Ayah Razaq
Currently: Harvard University ‘28, A.B. Neuroscience