Lab Members

Jarod Rollins, Ph.D.: Assistant Professor

Dr. Rollins is a Maine native who has worked and lived abroad. After graduating with Bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology at the University of Maine of Orono, he went on to work at the Jackson Laboratory as a research assistant in the field of heart disease.  Jarod left Maine to study abroad in Germany where he first earned a Masters in Molecular Bioengineering and then a Ph.D. in Genetics studying drought resistance in Barley. After returning to Maine, Jarod worked for several years at the MDI Biological Laboratory as a Post-doc. He is now an Assistant Professor leading his lab in studying the biology of aging with a focus on the ribosome. Dr. Rollins is a project leader on the MDI Biological Laboratory’s COBRE.  As the chair of MDIBL’s seminar committee, Jarod is always on the lookout for engaging speakers to come their work at our institute.

Hannah Somers, B.S.: Research Assistant II

Hannah is a Maine Maritime Academy graduate with a B.S. in Marine Biology.  She spent three years working as a laboratory assistant for the METEL lab (Marine Engine Testing and Emissions Laboratory).  Hannah was responsible for maintaining the microalga Dunaliella tertiolecta,  as well as developing protocols that would allow us to utilize the glycerol produced by D. tertiolecta under hyperosmotic conditions as a biodiesel. Her work on that project  concluded in April of 2019, and culminated in a final paper reported to the Maine Department of Transportation.  While at Maine Maritime Hannah played Soccer and Ultimate Frisbee and enjoys photography as a hobby.  She has two birds (Rick and Morty), and loves spending time on the water. Hannah plans to pursue a Masters degree in the future, and has continues to enjoy learning from the wonderful people at MDI Biological Laboratory.

Heath Fuqua, B.A.: Research Assistant I

Heath comes to the Rollins Lab as a recent graduate of College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor. A veteran of the US Army, musician, and avid outdoorsman, Heath has fallen completely in love with the special nature of Mount Desert Island, and looks forward to becoming more fully integrated into its island community.

Heath comes to the Rollins Lab as a recent graduate of College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor. A veteran of the US Army, musician, and avid outdoorsman, Heath has fallen completely in love with the special nature of Mount Desert Island, and looks forward to becoming more fully integrated into its island community.

Noah Lind, B.S. : Research Assistant I

In the summers of 2016 and 2017, Noah completed high-school summer fellowships at MDIBL and fell in love with studying regenerative medicine. To continue his studies, Noah attended UVM and received his B.S. in Biochemistry. After finishing university, he returned to MDIBL in the summer of 2021, completing another summer student fellowship and applying his new skills and knowledge. Noah  began working with Dr. Rollins in September 2021 as a research assistant with a focus on uncovering and understanding mechanisms that ribosomes use for translational specificity under dietary restriction. His long-term plans include graduate-level programs or similar additional studies to expand my horizons and will likely be focused on or related to regenerative medicine.  

Atalay Ata, M.Sc.: PhD Candidate

Atalay is a molecular biologist with a focus on neuroscience and neurodegeneration. His main area of interest is in Alzheimer’s disease and age-related neurodegeneration. Atalay received his Bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology & Genetics in 2017 from Uskudar University, Turkey and Master’s degree in Neurosciences in 2020 from University of Bonn, Germany. During his undergraduate years, Atalay conducted research at Istanbul University Aziz Sancar Institute of Experimental Medicine with Prof. Unaltuna’s group on medical genetics and Huntington’s disease; and at Vanderbilt University with Prof. Bowman’s group on gene-environment interactions in a prodromal Huntington’s disease model.

For his master’s thesis, Atalay worked with Prof. Pfeifer’s group on brown adipocytes, lipolysis and pharmacological ways to increase non-shivering thermogenesis under SNS control. For his PhD, he is enrolled at Hannover Medical School MD/PhD Molecular Medicine program and is conducting his doctoral research at MDI Biological Laboratory. Atalay is glad to be participating such a collaboration between two institutes.

Previous members:

Daniel Shaffer: Research Assistant II

Emily Villalon : Research Assistant I

Benjamin Garthoff: Research Assistant I

Keefer Li: Summer Student 2021

Sarah Nichols : Summer Student 2019

Ryan Tebo: Summer Student 2018

Nick Pederson: Summer Student 2018