Members

Jennifer Landino

Principal Investigator
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Cell Biology
Ph.D. Vanderbilt University
B.S. Grand Valley State University

Jen  is an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Cell Biology at Geisel School of Medicine and the Principal Investigator of the Landino Lab. Jen is broadly interested in the molecular mechanisms that underlie successful cell division, a process that is fundamental for human development and tissue homeostasis. Throughout her scientific training she investigated mechanisms of cell division in cultured human cells, the developing frog embryo, and using cell-free reconstitution methods. Jen's favorite way to spend time in the lab is working on the microscope. Outside of lab, she enjoys jigsaw puzzles, board games, and spending time with her family.

Gregory Schwarz

Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Ph.D. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
B.S. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Gregory Schwarz is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Landino Lab, where he brings together biophysics, quantitative biology, and cell biology to tackle some of the fundamental questions of cell division. Greg earned Ph.D. in Biophysics and Quantitative Biology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His research explores how biochemical signaling and membrane composition work together to organize the cell cortex during cytokinesis. Using cell-free reconstitution and quantitative approaches, he investigates how complex cellular patterns emerge from relatively simple biochemical interactions.

Greg's work on the role of membrane composition in regulating Rho GTPase and F-actin organization has earned national recognition, including the 2026 ASCB Molecular Biology of the Cell Paper of the Year Award. He's particularly interested in uncovering the physical and biochemical principles that allow cells to organize themselves and successfully divide.

When he's not figuring out how cells work, Greg can be found playing French horn, chasing down discs on the ultimate frisbee field, or getting stronger in the weight room.

Aamani Thulluru

Graduate Student
B.S. Stetson University

Sarah Carter

Sydney Roman

Graduate Student
B.S. San Diego State University
M.S. Brown University

Sydney is a second-year graduate student in the MCB program. She holds a BS in Biology from San Diego State University and an MS in Biotechnology from Brown University, where her master’s work focused on sea urchin development. Sydney now brings that developmental perspective to the frog egg extract system, recreating the range of cell sizes found throughout frog development in vitro. By modeling these sizes, she hopes to better understand how cell size influences cortical excitability.
Outside the lab, Sydney enjoys snowboarding, nature walks, reading, surfing, and a good cup of coffee.

Olivia Colbert

Undergraduate Researcher
Olivia is currently a junior at Dartmouth College majoring in Biochemistry and Native American Studies. Her research is focused on the role of the small GTPases Cdc42 and Rac in regulating Rho and F-actin standing waves.

Lacey Nyaata

Undergraduate Researcher
Lacey joined the Landino lab through Dartmouth's ERAS program. Her work is focused on investigating mechanisms of cortical pattern formation in Xenopus cell lines.

Rose Korff

Undergraduate Researcher
Rose is a sophomore studying biochemistry and global health. Rose is from New York City, and outside of lab she plays water polo and works on campus as an EMT.

John Bradley Thach

Undergraduate Technician
I am from Foley Alabama and I am majoring in Biology with a focus in ecology. I am also involved as a researcher in Professor Matt Ayres's lab studying Ectomycorrhizal fungi and Professor Ryan Calsbeek's lab as an assistant researcher studying animal behavior and evolution. My hobbies mainly center around animals: I have worked in veterinary hospitals, I enjoy recreational field herpetology (catch-and-release), as well as films and books about wildlife. Aside from that I enjoy scary movies and spending my time outside on Gulf Coast nature trials and beaches.I am planning to pursue conservation/wildlife veterinary work after undergrad.