OUR GROUP
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Brian Capell, M.D. Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Dermatology and Genetics
capellb@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Brian is a physician-scientist and practicing dermatologist. Following a B.S. from Boston College, Brian entered medical school at the NYU School of Medicine. While there, he was accepted to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)-NIH Research Scholars Program, where he joined the lab of Dr. Francis Collins at the National Human Genome Research Institute. There, Brian studied the genetics of both normal and premature aging, in particular Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, earning his M.D. and Ph.D. from NYU. Following the completion of his Dermatology Residency at the University of Pennsylvania, Brian began a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Shelley Berger studying basic mechanisms of epigenetics and gene regulation. Brian is currently an Assistant Professor of Dermatology and Genetics and core faculty member of the Penn Epigenetics Institute and member of the Abramson Cancer Center and the Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine. In his free time, Brian enjoys playing tennis, the piano, biking, and time and travels with his family.
Ashley Anderson
Graduate Student
ashley.anderson1@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Ashley is a Ph.D. student in the Cancer Biology program at the University of Pennsylvania, with a B.A. from Notre Dame of Maryland University. She is interested in genome regulation in cancer and target/drug discovery. In her free time she enjoys crafting, ceramics, and traveling.
Lydia Bao
Undergraduate Researcher
lydiabao@sas.upenn.edu
Lydia is an undergraduate student studying Biology in the College at the University of Pennsylvania. She joined the Capell Lab in 2022 and is interested in studying the effects of genomic regulation on carcinogenesis and skin diseases.
Chase Chen
M.D.-Ph.D. student
chase.chen@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Chase is an M.D.-Ph.D. student in the Genetics and Epigenetics program at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, and graduated from Brandeis University. Currently, he is broadly interested in studying skin cancer, the immune system, and metastasis. In his free time, he enjoys biking.
Audrey Griffith
V.M.D.-Ph.D. student
alg97@vet.upenn.edu
Audrey is a V.M.D. - Ph.D. student in the Genetics and Epigenetics Program at the University of Pennsylvania and graduated with her B.S. from Tulane University. She is broadly interested in gene to function relationships, epigenetic regulatory mechanisms, and comparative medicine. In her free time she loves to run, read, try new recipes and travel the world.
Sijia Huang, Ph.D.
Bioinformatician
Sijia.Huang@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Sijia joined the Capell Lab as a bioinformatician in May 2021. She obtained a M.S. in Biostatistics from the University of Florida and got her Ph.D in Bioinformatics from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Sijia is a member of the Penn Institute for Biomedical Informatics (IBI) and is widely interested in the regulation of the genome through the analysis of various NGS data.
Eun Kyung Ko, Ph.D.
Research Associate
EunKyung.Ko@uphs.upenn.edu
Eun Kyung obtained a Ph.D in Molecular Medicine from the Medical College of Georgia in 2018. She has been interested in the relationship between epigenetic mechanisms and cancer since her earlier Master’s work where she studied DNA methylation changes that occur at the earliest stages of cancer. Now, as a Research Associate in the Capell Lab, Eun aims to define the role of several uncharacterized, but targetable, histone modifying enzymes in both normal skin function and carcinogenesis, employing both in vitro and in vivo model systems.
Nina Kuprasertkul
M.D.-Ph.D. student
napasorn.kuprasertkul@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Nina is a M.D.-Ph.D. student in the Genetics and Epigenetics Program at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, with a B.S. from Duke University. She joined the Capell Lab in October 2021, and is broadly interested in studying the role of epigenetic modifiers in epidermal metabolism, differentiation, and carcinogenesis.
Alyssa Moore
Graduate Student
alyssa.moore1@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Alyssa is a Ph.D. student in the Genetics and Epigenetics Program at the University of Pennsylvania, with a B.S. from the University of Florida. She joined the Capell Lab in May 2024, and is interested in investigating the role of epigenetic modifiers in epidermal epigenetic memory and inheritance. In her free time she enjoys trying new restaurants around Philly, and playing racket sports.
Rachel Na
Undergraduate Researcher
narachel@sas.upenn.edu
Rachel is an undergraduate student studying Chemistry in the College at the University of Pennsylvania. She joined the Capell Lab in 2025. She is broadly interested in investigating the effects of epigenetic modifications on epidermal differentiation and carcinogenesis.
Shinobu Nakanishi, Ph.D.
Visiting Scholar
shinobu.nakanishi@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Shinobu obtained a Ph.D in Molecular Biology from Shinshu University in Japan in 2021. He joined the Capell Lab in February 2025, and is broadly interested in investigating the mechanism of epigenetic modifiers in cancer, immuniy, and sex differences.
Cyria Olingou
Lab Manager / Research Specialist
cyria.olingou@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Cyria joined the Capell Lab as a research specialist and lab manager in July 2024. She earned a B.A. in Biology and Public Policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is broadly interested in carcinogenesis, therapeutics, and the role of epigenetic modifications on the epidermis. In her free time, Cyria enjoys painting, reading, and playing lacrosse.
LAB ALUMNI (staff, graduate students, postdocs):
Amy Anderson, M.S.
Amy was an integral member of the lab during its first 4.5 years serving as lab manager and playing key roles in virtually all of the labs ongoing projects. In 2022, Amy took advantage of an exciting job opportunity and we both wish her the best of luck and thank her for all that she contributed to our efforts!
Carina D'souza, B.S.
Carina spent two years in the Capell Lab as an outstanding leader and lab manager. It's hard to put into words how great an impact she made on all of our lab's work and overall operations! While we miss her, we are so excited for her as she pursues her next steps getting a MBA at Cornell University!
Shaun Egolf, Ph.D.
Shaun was the lab's first graduate student and Ph.D. recipient. Shaun made fundamental discoveries regarding the roles of the major epigenetic regulators, MLL4 and LSD1, in skin biology and cancer, and the lab continues to follow-up on these exciting findings. In addition to his major publications in Cell Reports and Science Advances, Shaun was the recipient of our Department's T32 award as well as a prestigious NCI F99/K00. He is currently continuing his scientific career at AstraZeneca.
Alexandra Maldonado López, Ph.D.
Alexandra was a graduate student in the Capell Lab from 2019-2023, earning her Ph.D. in August 2023. Alex was awarded research support both from our Department's T32, as well as a NIH Diversity Supplement Award. Alex spearheaded the labs work on epitranscriptomics and made exciting discoveries not only demonstrating the essential role of the Mettl3-m6A epitranscriptome in skin homeostasis, but also revealing a critical role for Mettl3 in regulating the expression of numerous epigenetic histone methyltransferases. Alex is now continuing her scientific career at Good Molecules.
Gina Pacella, Ph.D.
Gina was a graduate student in the Capell Lab from 2019-2025, earning her Ph.D. in April 2025. Gina was awarded a NCI F31 to support her work where she uncovered a role for the X-linked epigenetic regulator, UTX (KDM6A) in the promotion of epidermal differentiation and regulation of cutaneous retinoid signaling. This work has important potential implications for understanding sex differences in disease incidence in the skin. Gina is now continuing her scientific career as a postdoctoral fellow at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Yann Aubert, Ph.D.
Yann made many important contributions to the Capell Lab as a postdoctoral fellow and bioinformatician from 2018-2020. He recently took an exciting new position as a bioinformatician back in his home of France at the Toulouse Institute for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases.
FORMER ROTATION STUDENTS:
Louisa Boateng
Amy Gladstein
Loreilys Mejias Rivera
Nivitha Murali
FORMER UNDERGRADUATES:
Jonathan Zou
Maria Carrera
Jessica Lee
Sohyun Cho
Claudia Magahis
René Vega Mercado
Morgan Sinkfield
Eni Harito