Research Specialists Karen Chen, MPhil in Biomedical Sciences Icahn School of Medicine, Class of 2015 Karen is the laboratory’s chief technician. While helping many of the undergraduate researchers through their experiments, she leads much of the laboratory work on the ALS and subsidiary projects. Karen will be attending graduate school to study biostatistics in Fall 2017. Fun Fact: Karen works in the lab. (And, she also apparently doesn’t have many fun facts.) Farrah Benoit, BS in Chemistry and Biology CUNY Brooklyn College, Class of 2012 Farrah is one of the leaders of the lab. Many of the undergraduate researchers go to her for advice and understanding, in regards to the many projects that are active in the lab. Fun Fact: Farrah is also an organic chemistry lab professor for some of the undergraduate students of this lab. Undergraduate Researchers Steven Meltser Scholars Program at CUNY Brooklyn College, Class of 2017 CUNY Baccalaureate Program for Interdisciplinary Studies, Class of 2017 Thomas W. Smith Fellow Steven graduated Brooklyn College and is no longer an undergraduate researcher. He majored in Computational Biology with the CUNY Baccalaureate Program. He is currently working and plans on attending graduate school. Alexandra Fall Skidmore College, Class of 2018 Alexandra is a senior at Skidmore College where she is majoring in biology with a concentration in molecular biology and genetics. In the Torrente laboratory, she is working on the TPH2 project, and she is interested in pursuing a career in molecular neurobiology/psychiatric epigenetics research in the future. Fun Fact: Alexandra began dancing at a young age and is continuing her love for ballet as a dance minor at Skidmore.

Alumni Researchers

Research Specialists

Karen Chen, MPhil in Biomedical Sciences

Icahn School of Medicine, Class of 2015

Karen is the laboratory’s chief technician. While helping many of the undergraduate researchers through their experiments, she leads much of the laboratory work on the ALS and subsidiary projects. Karen will be attending graduate school to study biostatistics in Fall 2017.

Fun Fact: Karen works in the lab. (And, she also apparently doesn’t have many fun facts.)

Farrah Benoit, BS in Chemistry and Biology

CUNY Brooklyn College, Class of 2012

Farrah is one of the leaders of the lab. Many of the undergraduate researchers go to her for advice and understanding, in regards to the many projects that are active in the lab.

Fun Fact: Farrah is also an organic chemistry lab professor for some of the undergraduate students of this lab.

Undergraduate Researchers

Steven Meltser

Scholars Program at CUNY Brooklyn College, Class of 2017

CUNY Baccalaureate Program for Interdisciplinary Studies, Class of 2017

Thomas W. Smith Fellow

Steven graduated Brooklyn College and is no longer an undergraduate researcher. He majored in Computational Biology with the CUNY Baccalaureate Program. He is currently working and plans on attending graduate school.

Alexandra Fall

Skidmore College, Class of 2018

Alexandra is a senior at Skidmore College where she is majoring in biology with a concentration in molecular biology and genetics. In the Torrente laboratory, she is working on the TPH2 project, and she is interested in pursuing a career in molecular neurobiology/psychiatric epigenetics research in the future.

Fun Fact: Alexandra began dancing at a young age and is continuing her love for ballet as a dance minor at Skidmore.