Ricardo Mercardo
B.S.,  Research Assistant II,  Postbaccalaureate

Ricardo obtained his B.S. in Biology (specializing in Molecular and Cell Biology) from Central Washington University in 2023. At Central Washington University, Ricardo studied whether the chronic effects of long-term exposure to serotonin on behavior can be carried out through an epigenetic pathway. Specifically he studied whether the non-phthalate plasticizer, ATBC, can affect the growth and development of reproductive cells. During his internship at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, he studied the role Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor has in melanoma survival. Currently, Ricardo is working towards understanding how genetic mutations affect the phenotype of systemic mastocytosis.

Anna Bagley
B.A.,  Research Assistant II

Anna graduated from Scripps College in 2022 with a B.A. in Biology. As an undergrad, Anna researched bacterial response mechanisms to metal stress in Dr. Pete Chandrangsu's lab. She completed a thesis identifying and investigating the role of a novel gene in the zinc induced stress response of B. subtilis with a focus towards combating antibiotic resistant infections. Anna is now pursuing a Medical Degree at Emory University School of Medicine. 

Garth Kong
M.S.,  Computational Biologist

Garth graduated from the Biochemistry and Biophysics program at Oregon State University, then received his Master's degree in Bioinformatics at the University of Oregon. While in graduate school, he worked with Karen Guillemin's lab in Eugene, OR, and then interned under Dr. Chris Seidel in the Genomics department at the Stowers Institute. As a core bioinformatician, he collaborated with Dr. Nicolas Rohner's Lab to study the genetic adaptations of the cavefish Astayanx mexicanus. In the Maxson Lab, he provides bioinformatics support to all lab members and writes software to analyze sequencing datasets. Garth is now working in the Nikolova lab to gain some computational modeling experience before starting grad school.

Hunter Blaylock
B.S.,  Research Assistant 2

Born and raised in Eugene, OR, Hunter received his B.S. in Human Physiology with a minor in Chemistry from the University of Oregon in 2021. As an undergraduate student, he volunteered in Dr. Carrie McCurdy’s Molecular Metabolism and Endocrinology lab where he studied obesity and its impacts on metabolic health. He wrote an honor’s thesis on the effects of overexpression of the p55a regulatory subunit of PI3K in the development of adipose tissue insulin resistance. While working with PI3K, an established oncogene, Hunter found an interest in cancer biology. In the next few years, Hunter hopes to make a decision as to whether he wants to pursue an MD/Ph.D. or a Ph.D. After leaving the Maxson lab, Hunter joined the Elf lab in Chicago and decided to pursue a Ph.D. in the next few years over there.

Sarah Carratt
Ph.D., Postdoctoral Scholar

Dr. Carratt’s passion for research began as an undergraduate at Loyola Marymount University, where she developed a method to use spiders as bioindicators of pollution. She continued to investigate toxicants while obtaining her Ph.D. in Pharmacology & Toxicology at UC Davis, where her dissertation research was on the toxicity of naphthalene. In the Maxson lab, Sarah worked on the role of SETBP1 in myeloid malignancies. Her research was funded by an NRSA F32 fellowship through the NIH National Cancer Institute as well as a number of additional independent grants. After leaving the Maxson lab, Dr. Carratt became a Senior Scientist at Seagen where she is fulfilling her career goal of working at the intersection of pharmacology, toxicology & cancer biology.  

Lauren Maloney
Medical Student

Lauren graduated from the University of Oregon Clark Honors College in 2016, where she majored in Human Physiology with a minor in chemistry. While in undergrad, she researched neural circuits that mediate auditory cognition and behavioral flexibility, and the biomechanics and proprioception of the upper extremities. After graduation, Lauren worked for Dr. Matthew Taylor and Dr.  Lisa Coussens at the Knight Cancer Institute, focusing on the role of FasL in cancer immunotherapy. In the Maxson lab, Lauren worked on a number of different projects to identify opportunities for targeted therapeutic intervention in leukemia. Dr. Maloney graduated with her medical degree in 2022 and matched in Pediatrics at University of Colorado - Denver.  

Zachary Schonrock
Senior Research Assistant 

Originally from Salt Lake City, Zachary received his B.A. in Chemistry from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR. His senior thesis looked at the effect that environmental factors such as light and natural organic matter influenced the stability of protein-capped gold nanoparticles. Prior to his thesis, he worked in a biochemistry lab at Lewis & Clark isolating the structure of spider venom components, and did medicinal chemistry research at the University of Utah, studying the post-translational modification mechanisms of cyanobactins and fungi. After leaving the Maxson lab, Zach moved to Seattle to pursue his Doctor of Pharmacy at the University of Washington.

Daniel Coleman
Staff Scientist

Dan grew up in La Pine, Oregon, and earned his BS in Biology from the University of Oregon. After working as a Research Assistant at Marker Gene Technologies, he entered graduate school at Oregon State University, where he studied the role of Retinoid-X-Receptors in melanoma formation. Dan then came to OHSU for his postdoc, where he investigated the potential for targeting BET bromodomain proteins in lethal prostate cancers. After leaving the Maxson Lab, Dan took a position as an Alliance Manager at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute.

​Wes Horton
Computational Biologist

An Indiana native, Wes moved to Oregon to study Biology and Spanish at the University of Oregon. He participated in microbial ecology research as an undergraduate before obtaining a master’s degree in Bioinformatics, also at the University of Oregon. Wes worked on projects for a variety of labs in the Knight Cancer Institute. 

Rowan Callahan
Research Assistant 2

Rowan graduated from Cornell University in 2018. He couldn't decide what part of science he was interested in during undergrad so he majored in Biological Engineering. Afterwards he worked for a year in the lab of Professor Ilana Brito studying the microbiome. Rowan is originally from Seattle and is greatly enjoying being back in the Pacific NW. He enjoys working to make data analysis easier for everyone involved, and is interested in dimensionality reduction in biological data and providing quantitative measurements of population level dynamics in cells, viruses, and even genes and proteins. After leaving the Maxson lab, Rowan went on to pursue his Ph.D. at OHSU.

Cody Coblentz
Research Assistant - Honorary Lab Member

Cody is a native Oregonian! ​Cody graduated from George Fox University with a Bachelor's of Science in Biology. As an undergraduate, Cody studied the function of P53 in breast cancer. Cody collaborated with us on projects relating to leukemia formation and progression, and we will always consider him a part of our team. Cody's positive energy and enthusiasm for research made him a joy to work with. We miss having Cody in lab, but are incredibly proud to support him in his new career path. After leaving the lab, Cody became an oncology nurse at OHSU!

​Amy Foley
Lab Manager 

Amy grew up in Maine and attended the University of Maine, receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry. She worked for five years at the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease studying regenerative therapies for treating cardiovascular disease. She then obtained a Master’s Degree in Bioengineering at the University of California, Berkeley, and designed an implantable cardiac device used to strengthen the heart after a heart attack. Amy relocated to Portland to join the Maxson Lab. We were so blessed to have Amy with us as a lab manager and friend. After leaving the Maxson lab, Amy started the next chapter of her life as a mom.