Meet our lab members
Meet our lab members
Embedded Files
I completed my BSc (Biology and Forensic Science) and MSc (Zoology) at the University of Toronto and completed my PhD (Molecular and Cell Biology) at Brandeis University. Throughout my career, I have pursued studies to understand how cells and organisms integrate contextual factors into their “decisions” and behaviors. My lab’s current research is focused on understanding how contextual and cellular factors shape the function of transcription factors during the development and differentiation of neural tissues.
→ More facts about Scott ←
As a scientist, I am committed to being a life-long learner. Whether through conversations with the bright and creative individuals in my lab, or from traveling to new destinations and experiencing different cultures, I relish the opportunity to listen to different perspectives and to observe new-to-me phenomena. Among the favorite places that I have had the fortune of visiting are the small French Polynesian islands of Raʻiātea and Taha'a.
Active Lab Personnel
Active Lab Personnel
Nisveta Jusić
Nisveta Jusić
Senior Research Support Specialist
I received my degree in Biology from LeMoyne College in 2011. Immediately upon graduation, I started working as a lab technician in Dr. Francesca Pignoni’s lab here at Upstate, and I decided to make lab research support and management my lifelong career. Over the past 15 years, I have scientifically contributed to a wide range of projects in the Pignoni Lab, and now also in the Neal Lab. My current focus is to establish the use of modern omic approaches in the lab and to validate new genetic tools in Drosophila cultured cells as a step to eventually understand how transcription complexes work during the development of complex tissues and organs.
Nour “Sini” Shqair
Nour “Sini” Shqair
Research Support Specialist
I graduated with distinction from Syracuse University in 2026 with a BS in Biochemistry. I spent my undergraduate career exploring areas of biophysics in disease. Such included the role of phase separation in protein quality control as it relates to neurodegeneration, and the role of protein aggregation as it relates to desiccation tolerance. During this new phase of my career with the Neal Lab, I will develop and strengthen skills in molecular biology as it relates to protein interaction networks. Ultimately, my dream research endeavor is to investigate the molecular basis behind physical deformities in the legs and feet, such as macrodactyly, utilizing tools across the disciplines of molecular and developmental biology, physiology, biochemistry, and computational biology.
→ More facts about Nisveta←
I was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina and moved to USA when I was 13. When I am not in the lab, you can find me spending time with my cat Simba on our daily two-hour walks. I also enjoy gardening and spending time in nature. My biggest aspiration in life is to stay committed to a healthy lifestyle and make a positive impact on others through consistent kindness.
→ More facts about Sini←
My dream research goal stems from my aspiration to do as much good as possible through the pursuit of knowledge in science, philosophy, and faith. I'm determined to spend my time finding hope and purpose, and helping others to do the same. When I'm not tending to my yeast or mulling over philosophical things, you'll find me spending time with my conures, Jazz and Jimin. They're quite the duo and they love stirring chaos, especially when it involves non-bird-requiring activities.
Aidan Craner
Aidan Craner
Research Support Specialist
I graduated from the University of Rochester in 2025 with a BS in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. My interests lie in the evolution of pathways and interactions, be that on the organismal or molecular scale. In the Neal Lab, I will be using Drosophila eye development to study Hpo-Yki signaling, Mitf and its interactions, and how these signals influence the expression of extracellular matrix proteins. My goal is to understand the roles of these signaling cascades and factors with respect to cell fate determination and structure/organization development in the eye. I will be employing everything from molecular assays to the quantification of visual data in 2D, 3D, and over time.
Jed Stephenson
Jed Stephenson
Graduate Student
I graduated from Christopher Newport University in 2025 with a BS in Neuroscience and Biochemistry. Over the years, I developed an interest in Alzheimer's Disease and the gut microbiome - two topics that I have yet to explore in the lab but that I follow closely in the literature. Another major interest of mine is extracellular matrix (ECM), the subject of my dissertation research in the Neal lab. I am particularly interested in determining how ocular ECM proteins shape retinal development, and in elucidating the link between the transcription factors Yki and Mitf, and ECM factor expression.
→ More facts about Aidan←
Over the course of my career, and my life as a whole, I would like to be able to say that I contributed to the sum total of human understanding of the world and made it at least marginally better for us all to inhabit. When not in the lab, I like to spend my time reading, listening to music, playing (any and all) sports, and wandering through nature. I’ve recently been getting into short story collections and the wealth of those that online publishing has brought to a global audience. Growing up in the Syracuse area, I have also come to particularly enjoy the nature of the Central New York region, with parks like Clark Reservation and Labrador Hollow topping my list of favorite places in the world.
→ More facts about Jed ←
Both as a scientist and as a person, my goal is to make the world a healthier, more stable place to be, and to help build supportive communities. Outside the lab, I like to spend time out in nature. While I am more acquainted with the scenes and sounds of my home in Virginia, my favorite nature experiences have been in England, where half my family resides. The exact spots are hard to choose, but the Derwent College lake and Hitchin Lavender Fields are my top contenders.
Madisyn “Madi” Whitcomb
Madisyn “Madi” Whitcomb
Syracuse University
Undergraduate Student
Naomi Meyers
Naomi Meyers
Vassar College
SURF 2026
Maham Iqbal
Maham Iqbal
Cornell University
Undergraduate Student
Lab Alumni
Lab Alumni
PhD Rotation Students
PhD Rotation Students
Joydip Majumdar
(2025–2026)
Taylor Stolberg
(2025–2026)
David Solano
(2025–2026)
Medical Students
Medical Students
Joshua Lee
(MS1 2024)
Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate Students
Nick Estabrooks
(SURF 2025)
Le Moyne College
Deena Netz
(Biology Distinction Program 2023-2024), Syracuse University
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse