Chandler Lab Staff
- Dawn Chandler
Dawn received a B.S. in Microbiology/Chemistry from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, and a Ph.D. in genes and development from the University of Texas’ Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in Houston Texas. She conducted post-doctoral research in human and cancer genetics at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. In 2005 Dr. Chandler joined the faculty of the Department of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University and the Center for Childhood Cancer at the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and has been studying alternative splicing in pediatric diseases since that time.When not pondering the intricacies of RNA splicing, Dawn enjoys hiking, kayaking, checking out live music, and spending time with her husband, Hadden, and dogs, Seven and Belle.
- Aixa Tapia
Aixa S. Tapia was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She obtained a BA in Applied Microbiology from Universidad del Este, PR. During her years as an undergraduate she participated in research internships at the National Cancer Institute and at Johns Hopkins University. After working for the pharmaceutical industry in PR for three years, she relocated to Columbus, Ohio to pursue her doctoral degree in molecular, cellular and developmental biology at The Ohio State University. Recently, Aixa joined Dr. Dawn Chandler’s Lab at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Aixa’s scientific interest as a member of the Chandler’s lab, points to the better understanding of the alternative splicing mechanism of the MDM2 pre mRNA molecule, how alterations in this mechanism in response to genotoxic stress result in a MDM2 alternative spliced form highly observed in several types of human cancers and to identify and characterize the cis and trans acting factors that might play a significant role in this process.- Ravi Singh
Ravi received his Bachelor’s Degree in Botany from University of Delhi, New Delhi, India and his Graduate Degree in Biotechnology from Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, India. His interest in molecular biology led him to join Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Graduate Program at The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Currently, he is pursuing is PhD in the laboratory of Dr. Dawn S. Chandler.His project involves the identification of the minimal cis elements and trans factors that bind to MDM2 pre-mRNA and regulate the alternative splicing of MDM2 in response to stress. The goal of this study is to lead to a better understanding of global signaling affecting the regulation of RNA processing factors involved in generating a damage-induced spliceome characteristic of various cancers including RMS.
- Ryan Rauck
Ryan is a undergraduate student at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore Maryland. As an Ohio native, Ryan returns to Columbus each summer and performs research in the Chandler Lab. Ryan helps with cloning, tissue culture, and reagent preparation. - Jordan Gladman
Jordan Gladman is a graduate student in the Integrated Biomedical Science Program with The Ohio State University working in the laboratory of Dr. Dawn S. Chandler. In this role, he researches the pediatric disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy. He is working on generating a new mouse model of spinal muscular atrophy and uncovering the factors that influence the mRNA splicing of the Survival Motor Neuron (SMN) gene. Before joining the lab in 2005, Jordan worked for Battelle Memorial Institute as a microbiology intern for the Aerosol and Process Technologies.- Tom Bebee
Tom Bebee is currently a graduate student in the Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Graduate Program at The Ohio State University. His major project in lab is the development of an inducible mouse model to determine the timing of SMN replacement in mouse models of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). This will allow us to determine the therapeutic window for SMA in order to better design treatment strategies for patients with SMA. Tom also works on the molecular significance of reduced SMN on splicing in SMA and its functional significance for disease.When Tom is not in lab, he likes to spend his time watching movies, playing recreational sports, cycling, rock climbing, and just hanging with friends.
- Chase Meacham
In December 2005, at age 14, I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma—a deadly form of bone cancer. I underwent nine months of chemotherapy and a limb salvage operation, in which the doctors removed the tumor from my leg, and replaced it with a metal prosthesis.I received over 25 rounds of chemotherapy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. In November 2006, I completed my last one. I had defeated my own battle, yet I knew the fight was long from over. I have since committed myself to doing everything in my power to combat the disease that almost took my life. Less than one year later, I stepped into Nationwide Children’s again—though not as a patient. I have taken up the fight against cancer once more, from the other side of the hospital bed. For the last two years, I have spent my summers in the Chandler Lab, working under Dr. Chandler to continue the fight against cancer. I currently work on the appointment of Dr. Thomas Gross, the Chief of the Section of Hematoogy/Oncoogy/Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. My recent studies have involved performing RNA extractions from human tumor samples, followed by RT-PCR reactions.
Outside of the lab, I am doing everything I can in the interest of pediatric cancer advocacy and awareness. I have spoken to various charities and organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Blue Jackets Foundation. I recently spoke in Washington, D.C. with Congresswoman Deborah Pryce on behalf of the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act, which proposes to raise $150,000,000 explicitly for pediatric cancer research over a five-year period.
I currently attend St. Charles Preparatory School in Columbus, Ohio. I plan to eventually return to Nationwide Children’s Hospital after college as a pediatric oncologist, and continue the fight against cancer. There is a cure, and we will find it.
