Meet Our Dedicated Research Team
We are a passionate group of scientists exploring the role of primary cilia in islet cell function and their impact on endocrine communication and diabetes.


Hughes Lab
est. 2019 Washington University School of Medicine
Current Members
Mavericks and misfits, us all, united by our love for cilia
Jeong Hun is a Research Scientist from South Korea. In his rare moments outside of lab, he likes to swim and watch movies.
Scientist


jeonghun.jo@wustl.edu
Jing is a physician-scientist trained in cell biology, immunology, and endocrinology. She likes solving biological questions using microscopes.


Lab head
jing.hughes@wustl.edu
Jeong Hun Jo, PhD
Jing Hughes, MD PhD
Shannon is a T32 postdoc scholar studying paracrine signaling in islet cells.
Postdoc


shannont@wustl.edu
Shannon Townsend, PhD
Samantha Adamson, MD PhD
Xinhang is an engineer-turned biologist who really wants to see what dynein looks like.
Masters & Postbacc Student


d.xinhang@wustl.edu
Xinhang Dong
Bella Melena
Samantha is opening her own lab at WashU in 2025 to study the regulation of beta cell calcium signaling.




Bella is an MSTP student who wants to understand how GLP-1 works in beta cells.
MSTP Student
i.l.melena@wustl.edu
sadamson@wustl.edu
Instructor
Lab Alumni
Lifei was a postdoctoral fellow from 2020-2022. She is currently a resident in Radiation Oncology at Montefiore/Albert Einstein.
Resident, Rad Onc, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine


lifeizhu@wustl.edu
Lifei Zhu, MD PhD
Eun Young Lee, MD PhD
Eun Young was a visiting scholar from 2021-2023. She returned to South Korea to do clinical and stem cell diabetes research.
Associate Professor, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St Mary's Hospital


leyme@catholic.ac.kr
Henry was our undergraduate student from 2019-2021. He is now a 3rd year MD-PhD student at UT Southwestern in the Mishra Lab.
MSTP, UT Southwestern Medical School


henry.roseman@utsouthwestern.edu


jing.hughes@wustl.edu
Henry Roseman
Alex Li
Alex was our undergraduate and gap-year student from 2019-2023. He is now a 2nd year MD-PhD student at WashU.
MSTP, Washington University


alex.li@wustl.edu
Hannah Conway
Hannah was our research assistant from 2019-2020. She helped build our lab from the start and is now working independently.


conway@luc.edu
Software Engineer
We are so proud of where everyone has gone
Rotation & summer students
Jon Beirne, rotation student (Aug-Nov 2023) - currently PhD candidate in Sergej Djuranovic Lab, WashU Cell Biology & Physiology
Michelle Phan, rotation student (Jan-Apr 2024) - currently PhD candidate in Fumi Urano Lab, WashU Endocrinology
Harshita Jain, MD, NIDDK summer student (May-Aug 2019) - currently Internal Medicine Resident, Emory University
Taylor Gemperline, MD, NIDDK summer student (Jun-Aug 2018) - currently Ophthalmology Resident, University of Virginia
Angie Zhang, high school student (May-Aug 2024) - undergraduate, Cornell University
Contact Us
Reach out to our team for collaboration and inquiries.