Jiayi Chen, Ph.D.

Jiayi grew up in Shanghai, China, where she obtained her B.S degree in Biology and Ph.D in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Fudan University. She then joined the lab of Dr. Antonina Roll-Mecak at the National Institutes of Health for postdoctoral training. There she learned electron and light microscopy, and became enchanted by the elegant microtubule meshwork. Jiayi decided to continue exploring the cytoskeleton and joined The Ohio State University as an Assistant Professor in 2026.

Outside the lab, Jiayi enjoys hiking, playing badminton, exploring museums, checking out concerts, and just chilling.

Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacoloy

Join us - this could be YOU !

Contact: Jiayi.Chen@osumc.edu

Maleesha Marakkala Manage, Ph.D.

Research Senior Technician

Maleesha obtained her B.S. degree in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, and her Ph.D. degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry at Miami University, Oxford, OH. Her research interests center on biochemistry, molecular biology, structural biology, and cell biology. She is an experienced biochemist with more than nine years of research and development experience in molecular biology and biochemistry. During her PhD, she studied the protein–protein interaction between CHIP and AMPK, with a focus on the ubiquitination mechanism regulating protein stability and function. In the Chen Lab, she hope to further expand her knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying cytoskeletal dynamics and crosstalk.

Xiaomin Zeng

Contact: marakkalamanage.1@osu.edu

Research Senior Technician

Xiaomin is a biomedical researcher with extensive experience in epidemiology, biostatistics, and molecular data analysis. She is a part-time technician in the lab and keeps our lab well-organized.

Contact: Xiaomin.Zeng@osumc.edu