All photography provided by Sarinay Cenik lab members

We are an interdisciplinary team of scientists who take joy in curiosity-driven research to understand the fundamentals of gene expression.

Our Mission

The Sarinay Cenik Lab is a dynamic, diverse and innovative team of researchers. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and inclusive scientific community that nurtures curiosity, inspires innovation, and drives impactful scientific progress. Our goal is to conduct high-quality, reproducible, innovative and interdisciplinary science that deepen our understanding of biological processes. We believe that training the next generation of scientists is essential. Thus, lab members gain valuable skills and experience in genetics, genomics, computational biology, and molecular biology, preparing them for diverse careers in academia, and biotechnology.

Elif Sarinay Cenik is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Biosciences at University of Texas, Austin. She got her PhD in RNA biochemistry from Dr. Phillip Zamore’s lab, at Howard Hughes Medical Institute and University of Massachusetts Medical School. She has completed postdoctoral research in Dr. Maria Barna and then Dr. Andrew Fire’s lab at Stanford Medical School. She has been awarded by Stanford School of Medicine Dean's Postdoctoral Fellowship, The Walter V. and Idun Berry Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, UT Stars Program and CNS Catalyst Awards. She is currently funded by NIH-NIGMS Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (R35) and Welch Foundation. She feels passionate about mentoring students, postdocs and producing high-quality, reproducible science. In her free time, Elif enjoys being in nature, connecting with friends, rock climbing, figure drawing and pottery.

Postdoctoral researchers

Qiuxia Zhao is a postdoctoral research associate. She is interested in delineating how ribosome synthesis and protein translation dynamics in specific tissue contributes to coordination of organismal growth in C. elegans. She got her PhD in Genetics from Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. In her free time, Qiuxia enjoys watching movies, eating and walking outside, having new fun experiences.

Shahriar Rahman Shovon is a postdoctoral fellow who earned his Ph.D. from the United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences (UGAS), Iwate University, Japan, supported by the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship. During his doctoral research, he investigated the role of ribosomal RNA in maintaining nucleolar integrity under environmental stress. Currently, his work focuses on understanding how the nucleolus and ribosomes coordinate organismal growth and homeostasis. In his free time, Shovon enjoys traveling to traditional sites, exploring nature, and spending quality time with friends and family.

graduate students

Grace (Bingting) He is a Cell and Molecular Biology graduate student joint with Can Cenik’s lab. She received her Bachelor of Science in Integrative Biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Grace is interested in researching molecular mechanisms of non-canonical translational events in human cells. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, going to concerts and playing table tennis. 

Ngan Lam is an interdisciplinary sciences, Microbiology program graduate student. She earned her BSc in Biotechnology in Vietnam, and got her MSc in Biomedical Research at University of Warwick, UK with Women in STEM Scholarship from British Council. She is interested in characterizing nucleolar and chromatin structures to understand their functions in response to environmental stress. In her free time, she loves cooking, baking, and playing badminton.

undergraduate students

Alia Arya is an undergraduate researcher and Dean’s Scholar on the pre-grad track and would like to attend graduate school in cell or developmental biology. She is the recipient of TIDES Research Fellowship. Alia is interested in exploring ribosome biogenesis through tissue-specific RNA Polymerase I depletion and its effects on health and lifespan. In her free time, she enjoys playing guitar, working on jigsaw puzzles, and hiking. 

Anwita Siddavatam is an undergraduate researcher and Dean’s Scholar pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She is on the pre-grad track and hopes to attend graduate school. She is also interested in the intersection between science and tech policy with research. In the lab, Anwita is interested in investigating nucleolus-chromatin interactions to understand the role of the nucleolus in gene expression and epigenetic modifications. In her free time, she enjoys spending time in nature, traveling, reading, and trying new cafes around Austin. 

Foyin Barbarinde is an undergraduate work-study student in our lab. We are incredibly grateful for her meticulously prepared small NGM plates, which are essential for maintaining C. elegans and represent one of the most challenging tasks in the lab. Foyin is pursuing a B.S.A. in Biology with a focus on Ecology and Biodiversity, along with a minor in Social and Behavioral Sciences, all on a pre-med track. She currently has an interest in specializing in Endocrinology and Dermatology but remains open to exploring other fields within medicine. In her free time, Foyin enjoys creating mini-checklists for the restaurants she visits with friends and family, discovering new music genres, and has recently developed an interest in pottery!

Ayushi Savla is an undergraduate researcher pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and is interested in pursuing an MD-PhD. Ayushi is interested in exploring the role of ribosomes and the nucleolus in gene regulation and epigenetics. In her free time, Ayushi loves reading, eating different foods, and being outside. She is very thankful for the opportunity to conduct biological research. 

LAB ALUMNI

GRADUATE STUDENTS

RESEARCH ASSISTANTS

undergraduate students