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Matt Trudeau

Matt has a BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a PhD in Physiology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His PhD thesis was on the biophysics and physiology of hERG potassium channels. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the HHMI and University of Washington in Seattle where he investigated molecular mechanisms of CNG channels. He joined the faculty in the Department of Physiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and was awarded tenure in 2012. His lab investigates hERG channel biophysics, physiology and pathophysiology using a combination of fluorescence spectroscopy and electrophysiology, stem-cell derived cardiomyocytes, familial long QT syndrome mutations and inhibitors that cause acquired LQTS. When not in lab, he enjoys soccer, skiing and craft beverages.

Ashley Johnson

Ashley is a research associate in the lab.  She graduated with a BS degree in 2008 and a PhD in 2013, both from Drexel University where she studied muscle biology dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases. After making the move to Baltimore, MD to study ion channel biology, a long time research interest, her main focus now is combining spectroscopic and electrophysiological techniques to answer questions about how ion channels are regulated. She lives with her husband, Daniel, in Baltimore city.  Her love of science is rivaled only by her love of travel.

Sara Codding

Sara is a post-doc and is trained in biophysics and biochemistry, but has a broad background in both physical and chemical sciences. Her scientific training began at Humboldt State University where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry.  There, she had the opportunity to conduct undergraduate research each school year as well as a SURF scholar at UCSC.  After her bachelor’s degree she worked as a chemist in the pharmaceutical industry for two years prior to pursuing her doctorate.  Sara now holds a PhD in biophysics and biochemistry from Oregon State University where she studied the biophysical properties of the protein dysferlin associated with the adult onset muscular dystrophy LGMD2.   Her current focus is on understanding the mechanism and functional dynamics of the K channel hERG at the angstrom level during ion channel gating. She utilizes non-canonical amino acid fluorophore, and a dual electrophysiology and tmFRET technique to visualize protein channel movement under voltage control.   Additionally, she has a strong interest in protein structure and the development of new probes to test protein dynamics.  In her free time she enjoys canning jam and visiting the redwood trees.

Hannah headshot

Hannah is the Trudeau lab technician. She graduated with her B.A. degrees in Biology and Art History from UMBC in 2020. During her undergraduate career, she was fascinated by finding the intersections between the arts and sciences – an endeavor that she hopes to continue in her life. She finds stem cells and its application to research fascinating and aims to learn more about gene editing. In her free time, she enjoys lounging around in her hammock and playing the guitar, but not simultaneously, as she recently realized how difficult that was.

Taylor headshot

Taylor is a rotation student in the lab. She graduated from the College of Charleston with a BS in biology in 2018, then took a year off to travel across the country in her car. Currently, she is a second-year PhD student in the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Molecular Medicine program. Her research interests are in molecular and cellular physiology, and she is using her time in rotations to explore scientific interests and learn as much as possible. Outside of the lab, you can usually find her watching cartoons, reading a book, or spending time outdoors with a craft beer.”