@ Brown University
ABOUT THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Alexandra obtained her undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science an Art, and then her doctoral degree in Molecular Biophysics from The Rockefeller University. She conducted postdoctoral studies in the group of HHMI investigator, Dr. Niko Grigorieff, first at Brandeis University and later at the HHMI Janelia Farm Research Campus as a Damon Runyon Fellow. She is the recipient of a At the Interfaces Award from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, a Medical Research Award from The Rhode Island Foundation, a Salomon Faculty Research Award from Brown University, and awards from the German Society of Biochemistry, The International Brain Organization and Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. She is excited about structural biology, responses to stress and DNA damage, microtubules and things biochemical.
E-mail: alexandra_deaconescu[at]brown.edu
Phone: (401) 863-3215
Alexandra Deaconescu,
B.E., Ph.D.
MEMBERS
Jinhui Dong, Ph.D.
Staff Scientist
E-mail:
jinhui_dong[at]brown.edu
Phone: (401) 863-6729
TBA
Kafi Belfon, PhD
Postdoctoral associate
E-mail: kafi_belfon[at]brown.edu
Phone: (401) 863-6729
Kafi is originally from the multi-island Caribbean country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. She obtained her bachelor of science in Biochemistry from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus, Barbados. She received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Structural Biology from SUNY at Stony Brook where she worked on gammaherpesvirus proteins and identifying small molecule inhibitors. Kafi joined the Deaconescu lab in 2024 as a postdoctoral fellow, where she focuses on transcription-coupled DNA repair and RpoS degradation. Spending time with her family and exploring food are some of her favorite pastimes.
Sophia Chung
Research assistant
E-mail:
sophia_chung[at]brown.edu
Phone: (401)863-6729
Originally from Irvine, California, Sophia is currently an undergraduate at Brown University to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics-Biology. As part of Brown's 8 year Program in Liberal Medical Education, she is passionate about minimizing the distinction between sociological and molecular factors of medicine, as they are closely intertwined. Assisting in the Deaconescu lab allows her to explore the close relationship of molecular changes and its causative environment. Beyond academics, in her free time, she enjoys baking for others, pilates, and crafting.
Lorenzo Mahoney
Research assistant
E-mail:
lorenzo_mahoney[at]brown.edu
Phone: (401) 863-6729
Ange Karondo
Undergraduate Researcher
E-mail:
zelie_karondo[at]brown.edu
Phone: (401) 863-6729
Tammy Glass
Administrative Assistant
E-mail:
tammy_glass[at]brown.edu
Phone: (401) 863-7446
Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Lorenzo is a senior at Brown pursuing Bachelor of Arts degrees in Biology and Public Policy. Working in the Deaconescu lab allows him to explore his interest in biochemistry, structural biology, and cellular machinery. Beyond academics, Lorenzo enjoys running, watching soccer, and enjoying local restaurants with friends
Originally from Burundi, located in East Africa, Ange is a student at Brown University and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology as well as a Certificate in Data Fluency. Influenced by her origins and the different people who populate her life, Ange has different interests that touch on tropical infectious diseases and tissue engineering, and likes to explore the ethical questions that these interests raise. Her research in the Deaconescu lab focuses on understanding the role of the Mfd protein in mutagenesis. In her spare time, Ange enjoys walking for hours admiring nature and dancing when there are no more restaurants to try, all three her favorite elements when it comes to exploring another culture.
Tammy is invaluable to the lab and we could not do without her!