Team
Lab members can expect to work in a highly supportive and interdisciplinary environment with active collaboration both within the lab and with colleagues around the world. There will also be cookies.
Associate Professor
Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics
Alex S. Holehouse
Contact: alex.holehouse{at]wustl.edu (he/him)
Postdoc Washington University in St. Louis (Biomedical Engineering)
Ph.D. Washington University in St. Louis (Computational Biophysics)
Bioinformatician Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
M.Sc. Imperial College London (Computer Science )
M.Bioch. University of Oxford (Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry)
ORCID: 0000-0002-4155-5729
Hometown: “Northern Europe”
Favorite activity outside of lab: Playing ultimate frisbee and cooking for my hungry, hungry wife.
Favorite food: Ramen? Chicken Madras? Prosciutto? Too many options…
Random fact: I have auditory synesthesia (sounds have a 3D, textured colour associated with them).
Best Albums: Blackwater Park (Opeth), Transatlanticism (Death Cab for Cutie)
Joined: 2020
Faculty Instructor
Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics
Ryan emenecker
Contact: remenecker{at]wustl.edu (he/him)
Research Interests: Rational design of disordered proteins and disordered protein interactors.
Education:
Washington University in St. Louis, Ph.D. (Plant and Microbial Biosciences) with Lucia Strader and Alex Holehouse.
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, B.S. (Plant Biology) 2016
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, B.S. (Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development) 2016
ORCID: 0000-0001-7055-2773
Hometown: Neenah, Wisconsin
Favorite Activity Outside of Lab: Reading or working out
Favorite Food: Pizza
Random Fact: I am extremely colorblind.
Best albums: Beatles For Sale (The Beatles), Celebrate (Tiny Moving Parts)
Joined: 2020 (day 1)
STAFF SCIENTISTS
matt kent
Contact: kent.m{at]wustl.edu (he/him)
Research Interests: Cancer-associated molecular dysregulation as driven by disordered regions
ORCID: 0000-0002-8288-8714
Education:
PhD in Biological Sciences from Vanderbilt University 2020, with Jim Patton
BS in Genetics from The University of Georgia 2013
Hometown: Bogart, GA
Favorite Activity Outside of Lab: Video games and reading
Favorite Food: Buffalo wings or pizza
Random Fact: I played the alto saxophone in my high school marching band.
Best albums: Greatest Hits (Queen, 1981), Night Visions (Imagine Dragons)
Joined: 2026 (Pelham lab 2025-2026)
POSTDOCS
Dr. Emery Usher (postdoc)
Former NIGMS F32 Fellow and W.M. Keck Fellow
Co-advised with Carrie Partch at UCSC
Contact: usher{at]wustl.edu (he/him)
Research Interests: The impact and role of PTMs in tuning IDR conformational ensembles.
Education:
THE Pennsylvania State University, Ph.D. (Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology) 2022 with Scott Showalter
Clarkson University, B.S. (Chemistry) 2016
ORCID: 0000-0002-8303-9992
Hometown: Williston, Vermont
Favorite Activity Outside of Lab: Starting home improvement projects
Favorite Food: Cheese, broccoli, mini M&Ms
Random Fact: I play the guitar, electric bass, ukulele, drums, and piano below averagely.
Best Albums: The Planets (Gustav Holst), Pretty. Odd. (Panic! At The Disco)
Joined: 2022
GRADUATE STUDENTS
Aidan Flynn (Graduate student)
Graduate student in the Plant and Microbial Biosciences graduate program
Contact: aidanflynn{at)wustl.edu (he/him)
Research Interests: New methods for exploring evolution in IDRs
Education:
B.A. Washington University in St. Louis (Microbiology)
ORCID: 0000-0003-0607-9381
Hometown: The never-ending amorphous blob that is Phoenix, Arizona
Favorite Activity Outside of Lab: Playing ultimate frisbee and (much to my players' chagrin) occasionally coaching it
Favorite Food: Gumbo
Random Fact: I really like bluegrass music!
Best Albums: Renewal (Billy Strings), Cats [Original Broadway Cast Recording] (Andrew Lloyd Webber)
Joined: 2022
Stephen Plassmeyer (Graduate student)
Graduate student in the Biophysics, Biochemistry, and Structural Biology graduate program
Contact: stephenplassmeyer{at)wustl.edu (he/him)
Research Interests: Integrating high throughput experimentation and computation to predict and design biomolecular properties.
Education: Truman State University, B.S. (Chemistry and Biology)
ORCID: 0000-0002-8986-0650
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Favorite Activity Outside of Lab: Running, biking, and hiking with my dog around local parks.
Favorite Food: Noodle soup, broadly defined
Best Album: Magdalena Bay (Mercurial World), Charli xcx (BRAT)
Joined: 2022
Ramiz Somjee (graduate student)
Vision Sciences T32 Fellow and MD/Ph.D. Graduate Student
Graduate student in the Medical Sciences Training Program
Contact: r.a.somjee{at]wustl.edu (he/him)
Research Interests: Intrinsically disordered proteins and their role in biology and disease
Education:
B.S. Rhodes College (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology)
ORCID: 0000-0003-1721-1616
Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee
Favorite Activity Outside of Lab: Eating and outdoor active things. A true stalemate.
Favorite Food: The Bibimbap (a Korean rice dish) or Ruben sandwich from Kwik Check in Memphis TN.
Best Albums: Positions (Ariana grande), Parachute (Coldplay)
Joined: 2023
Nick Razo (Graduate student)
Lucille P. Markey Pathway Fellow and Ph.D. Graduate Student
Graduate student in the Biophysics, Biochemistry, and Structural Biology graduate program (BBSB) graduate program.
Contact: n.j.razo{at)wustl.edu (he/him)
Research Interests: New methods to quantify uncertainity in disorder with applications to women’s health.
Education:
Missouri University of Science and Technology - BA Physics
Joliet Junior College – AS Science
ORCID: 0000-0002-4652-1149
Hometown: Joliet, IL
Favorite Activity Outside of Lab: Getting out and seeing nature by (including but not limited to) running, hiking, backpacking, kayaking, paddle boarding, photography, and climbing
Favorite Food: Green Bean Casserole (a requirement at all Thanksgiving spreads)
Random Fact: I play quite a few instruments like guitar, bass, uke, and lyre harp
Best Albums: Ashes of the Wake (Lamb of God), City of Gold (Molly Tuttle)
Joined: 2024
Freya Beinart (Graduate student)
NSF GRFP Graduate Fellow
Graduate student in the Biophysics, Biochemistry, and Structural Biology graduate program (BBSB) graduate program.
Contact: b.freya{at)wustl.edu (they/them)
Research Interests: RNA recruitment to pathogenic and synthetic condensates
Education:
Kenyon College, BA in Arabic and Molecular Biology
Hometown: Richmond, IN
Favorite Activity Outside of Lab: I love to draw, crochet, and lift weights!
Favorite Food: Sushi, döner, and corn pudding (a Hoosier staple)
Random Fact: I’m learning Taekwondo!
Best 2 albums: Masterpiece (Big Thief), Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit (Courtney Barnett)
Joined: 2025
Sarah Hoffmann-weitsman (Graduate student)
Lucille P. Markey Pathway Fellow and Ph.D. Graduate Student
Graduate student in the Biophysics, Biochemistry, and Structural Biology graduate program (BBSB) graduate program.
Contact: hoffmann-weitsman{at)wustl.edu (she/her)
Research Interests: Molecular basis for IDR-associated human pathophysiology
Education:
Knox College – B.S. in Biochemistry (hons)
Hometown: Lancaster, OH
Favorite Activity Outside of Lab: Dancing, going on walks/hikes, and spending time with family & friends.
Favorite Food: Cheesecake!
Random Fact: I’ve been to 25 countries (and hoping to travel to more soon!)
Best 2 albums: Stick Season (Noah Kahan), Mamma Mia! (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
Joined: 2025
Graham BACHMAN (Graduate student)
Graduate student in the Computational and Systems Biology (CSB) graduate program.
Contact: bachman{at)wustl.edu
Research Interests: Protein interaction networks; complex dynamical systems; evolution, plasticity, and robustness; emergent phenomena in biology.
Education:
Data Science BS and MS at Maryville University of St. Louis
Hometown: Brighton, IL
Favorite Activity Outside of Lab: Restoring my century home.
Favorite Food: Depending on the hour, a fried English breakfast or a Cornish Pasty.
Random Fact: I thought I was going to film school and am still confused what happened.
Best 2 albums: 22, A Million - Bon Iver; Fleet Foxes - Self Titled
Joined: 2025
Vincent Nicholson (Graduate student)
NSF GRFP Graduate Fellow
Graduate student in the Biophysics, Biochemistry, and Structural Biology graduate program (BBSB) graduate program.
Contact: vincentn{at)wustl.edu
Research Interests: Molecular biophysics in all its glory (both computational and experimental) - protein:protein interactions mediated by disordered proteins.
Education:
Molecular Biology (with Minor in Computer Science) University of Wyoming
Hometown: Fort Collins, CO
Favorite Activity Outside of Lab: Brewing coffee, hiking, listening to music
Favorite Food: Chicken Française
Best 2 albums: The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We (Mitski, 2023) and DAYTONA (Pusha T, 2018)
Joined: 2026
Seunghwan Choi (Graduate student)
Graduate student in the Computational and Systems Biology (CSB) graduate program.
Contact: cseunghwan{at]wustl.edu
Research Interests: PTMs in IDR and their effects on conformational ensembles and protein function.
Education:
Korea University, Seoul - B.S. Biosystems and Biomedical Sciences
Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
Favorite Activity Outside of Lab: Lifting weights, playing tennis, spending time with friends
Favorite Food: Jeyuk, Bulgogi, Ramen
Random Fact: My first wet lab experience was during my military service in Korea!
Best 2 albums: Chow Chow (Deli Spice), After This Night (Yim Jae-bum)
Joined: 2026
UNDERGRADUATES
Ben Modiano (WashU 27’)
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Time in lab: 2025 – present
Lab mentor: Aidan Flynn
Project: Technology development for enabling directed evolution of yeast
TJ Cannistraro (WashU 28’)
Major: Biochemistry
Time in lab: 2026 – present
Lab mentor: Ryan Emenecker
Project: Deep-learning-based prediction of IDR ensemble variablity.
YOU?!?!?
For undergraduate students:
General: We are looking for undergraduates with strong programming skills who want to apply their abilities to real-world biological questions. A range of projects (from software engineering to machine learning) is available, and we can tailor projects to your interests, goals, and long-term career objectives.
Current status for undergrads: As of June 2026, we are not looking to hire new undergraduate students for the foreseeable future due to space constraints!
For graduate students:
Current status: The lab is looking to hire one or two grad students who will focus on computational work in the 2026-2027 academic cycle. We have a range of burgeoning projects, with a particular interest in deep learning and protein design. We are particularly interested in students with a background in programming and machine learning.
General: Some experience in experimental biochemistry and/or molecular biology will be important. However, more important is a track record of inquiry, good quantitative skills, self-motivation, and strong communication skills. There is also an opportunity to expand into computational work to whatever extent a student might be interested.
Current graduate students at WashU: Students in any WashU graduate program (DBBS/BME/Physics/CS, etc.) should contact Alex to schedule a time to meet and discuss rotation projects. Space in the lab is EXTREMELY limited, so if you are interested, please contact Alex early!
Prospective graduate students: If you would like to complete graduate work with Alex, you should apply to one of the DBBS programs. Feel free to contact Alex directly for more information on the graduate programs at Wash U.
THE DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 1ST, THE YEAR BEFORE THE FALL STARTS.
For postdocs/research scientists:
Current status: As of June 2026, we are not in a position to recruit postdoctoral scholars due to space constraints in the lab.
General: If you believe you’d be a good fit for the lab, please contact Alex and clearly state:
Your prior work and projects, with an emphasis on your method development experience.
Why you’d be a good fit for the lab, and
Types of questions/directions you’re interested in pursuing
LAB ALUMNI
postdocs/fellows
Dr. Jackie Pelham (Cori Fellow)
Time in lab: 2022 – 2026
Next steps: Assistant Professor at Smith College
Links: Google Scholar, GitHub
ORCID: 0000-0002-2268-3012
Graduate students
Dr. Jeff Lotthammer (NSF GRFP Fellow and FRONTERA Computational Sciences Fellow))
Time in lab: 2022 – 2026
Thesis title: Learning Sequence Constraints Governing Conformational Ensembles and Function in Intrinsically Disordered
Next steps: Senior Research Scientist in Computational Protein Design, Lawrence Livermore National Lab
Links: Google Scholar, GitHub
ORCID: 0000-0002-5022-7006
Dr. Borna Novak (MSTP student)
Time in lab: 2022 – 2026
Thesis title: Mapping the Conformational Landscape: Bridging Protein Sequence and Function through Deep Learning and Physics-Based Models
Next steps: Back to the clinic to finish medical school!
Links: Google Scholar, GitHub
ORCID: 0000-0002-5788-3786
Dr. Garrett Ginell (Millipore-Sigma Fellow)
Time in lab: 2020 – 2024 (2020-2023 as grad student, 2024 as postdoc)
Thesis title: Understanding the Chemical Context of Interactions in Intrinsically Disordered Proteins
Next steps: Associate at Momentum BioInnovation
Links: Google Scholar, LinkedIn
Dr. Dan “Daniel” Griffith (NSF-GRFP Fellow)
Time in lab: 2020 – 2024
Thesis title: Developing Computational and Experimental Tools for Investigating Intrinsically Disordered Proteins and Biomolecular Condensates
Next steps: Founding Scientist, Computational Biology at Prose Foods
Links: Google Scholar, LinkedIn
Dr. Jhullian “J” Alston (F99/K00 NCI Fellow)
Co-advised with the Soranno lab
Time in lab: 2020 – 2023
Thesis title: Combining simulations and single-molecule spectroscopy to understand SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein-RNA interactions
Next steps: Postdoctoral work with TJ Ha, and 2025 HHMI Hanna Gray Fellow.
Links: Google Scholar, Twitter
Bioinformatics research associates
Ishan Taneja
Time in lab: May 2020 to July 2021
Work in lab: Simulations of IDRs adjacent to folded domains
Next steps: Graduate work at Scripps with the Forli lab
Links: Google Scholar
Research Technicians
Alex Keeley
Time in lab: May 2023 to July 2025
Work in lab: Research technician in the Pelham lab working on both experimental and computational projects!
Next steps: Graduate work at UCSD!
Links: Google Scholar
Long-term undergrads
Shubhanjali ‘Shubh’ Minhas
Time in lab: May 2020 to August 2023
Work in lab: Impact of mutations on IDR behavior
Next steps: Medical student at the greatest medschool in the world (Washington University School of Medicine)!
Rotation students
Shannon Dohr (2025) - now in LeRoux lab!
Caelen Miller (2024) - now in Dantas lab!
Madison Stringer (2023) - now in Soranno lab!
Nathan Zelt (2021) - now in Robertson lab!
Isaac Plutzer (2020) - now in Major lab!
Undergraduates
Ethan Bartlett (June 2023 – August 2023)
Cydne Ratliff (June 2020 - Dec 2020)
Esther Faronbi (June 2020 - June 2021)
Previous lab pictures
Holehouse lab (October 2024)
Holehouse lab (October 2022)
Holehouse LAB (sPRING/fALL 2021 )
No in-person photo allowed…
