Nicole obtained her Masters degree in Cancer Biology at the University of Pennsylvania and has joined the Franco lab to lead the proteomics and genomics projects related to FOXA1 function in breast cancer.

Natalia completed her PhD at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Genetics and Molecular Biology Program. In the Franco lab, Natalia will integrate genetic engineering techniques and genomics to understand gene regulation in cancer. Outside the lab, she enjoys getting together to play board games and participated in a Dungeons and Dragons campaign that lasted 4 years!

Carla completed her PhD at UT Southwestern Medical Center in the Cancer Biology Program. In the Franco lab, Carla will be working on pioneer transcription factors in hormone dependent cancers. Outside the lab Carla enjoys spending time outdoors on the beach or hiking and she also started a thriller book club.

Frances completed her PhD in Biophysics at the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez campus. She will be leading the lab efforts in leveraging machine learning approaches to understand gene expression in cancer cells. Outside the lab Frances is a hiker, rock climber, and a Yorkie mom. 

Homer obtained is Masters degree in Cancer Biology at the University of Pennsylvania and has over 10 years of bioinformatics experience especially in multi-omics data analysis. Homer will lead the lab efforts in single-cell genomic technologies to understand epigenetic and transcriptional heterogeneity in cancer cells. Outside the lab Homer enjoys the beaches of Puerto Rico and is a fan of sailing, kayaking, and snorkeling. 

Matt is a graduate student in the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology graduate program. He joined the lab in 2020 and is working on single-cell genomics data analysis. He is specifically interested in statistical approaches to integrate single-cell RNA-seq data with single-cell ATAC-seq data in human tumors. 

Alec is a graduate student in the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology graduate program and is co-mentored by Dr. Chuck Perou. He joined the lab in 2023 and is working on single-cell genomics data analysis. He is specifically interested in determining the enhancer/regulatory logic of cancer cells using various genomic tools. Alec obtained his bachelor's degree in biology and computer science at Boston College. Outside the lab Alec enjoys the outdoors, including playing soccer, cycling, and running the Boston Marathon! 

Harry joined the Franco lab in 2023 and is co-mentored by Dr. Brian Miller. He is a graduate student in the Pharmacology curriculum. He graduated from Henan Agricultural University in 2018 with a B.E. in Bioengineering and then completed his master's degree in Biotechnology at Georgetown University in 2019. His project is related to the epigenetic basis of macrophage cell states in cancer. He enjoys hiking, running, and trying new food.